Radical Eclecticity

In an effort to reduce the onslaught of huge-ish posts, I may as well periodically toss out my little observations and call it good. This does sort of save me from writing for an hour when I don’t have an hour available. That’s never good, right?

Anyway, the observation of the day seems to be yet another aspect of one of my favorites: “People are people, wherever you go.” When I say it in Chinese, I change it slightly. “世界上，人就是人。” Which, literally translated, means, “On the whole surface of the world, people are just people.” Today’s observation appears to be, “Cabbies are cabbies, wherever you go.”

Twice now, I’ve taken a cab by myself, and been given incorrect change by the cabbie. The meter said 8元 both times. Both times I gave the driver a 10元 note, and both drivers gave me a 1元 coin in return. So there I am, thinking to myself, “What’s that about? It says 8, right there.”

I let it go on both occasions for two reasons. The first, is that 1元 is worth less than 15 cents, and in a culture where tipping is not customary, I’m don’t want to pitch a fit over less than 15 cents, when I would have given a much larger tip than that anywhere else, anyway. I mean, if those drivers want to be the kind of people that crave a dishonestly acquired 15 cents, let them go for it. The laws of sowing and reaping apply here. That’s what I was thinking anyway.

The second reason is that, on my first solo cab ride, the fare was actually 10元, but I only had 8元 and a 100元 note. Since he couldn’t give me the proper change, he graciously accepted the 8元 instead. I figured that between that and the overcharges, balance had been restored in the cabbie universe.

When I took my third solo cab ride, I looked at the meter and said, “8元, right?” He said, “No, 9元,” and pointed to a sticker on the dash that, of course, I couldn’t read without my big ‘ol dictionary. I did notice that it said “1元” on it, though, so I asked my hosts about it later. As it turns out, about six months ago, all cab fares were increased by 1元 because of recent increases in fuel costs. This means that I was not overcharged at all, and thus, instead of having all things balanced in the cabbie universe, I am actually 3元 in the hole. 糟糕!

I never challenged their honesty to their face, but I did question it to myself, and that was just not actually very cool of me. Now I feel a bit like a 屁股. The lesson here, for me, is that people are people, wherever you go. Cabbies are regular people, too. Most of them are decent folk. If my charge seemed wrong once, it could have been intentional. When I got to the second time, I should have realized something was up. People generally deserve the benefit of the doubt, and I should seek clarity and not assume. Sometimes I need reminding; what can I say?