Crazy Cab Driver

[LowEndLobster]

So, I was in Boston this morning. The train from my town to boston leaves at 7:33, and my lesson at The New England Conservatory began at 11:00. I had some time to kill. I decide to take a cab to Guitar Center, but I find it was closed, so I take another cab back.

This cab driver was insane.. In a cool way.

"New England Conservatory please"
"AH! THE NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY! A GREAT MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT PLACE IS. YOU MUST BE A MUSICIAN! ARE YOU STUDYING OR PERFORMING!?"
"Uhh.. Studying"
"AH! THAT'S WONDERFUL. WHAT DO YOU PLAY?"
"I play the bass"
"THE BASS! YES. THE BASS. THE BASS HAS SO MUCH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL"
"Indeed"
"IT HAS BEEN EVOLVING IN THE PAST CENTURY TO BECOME AN AMAZING INSTRUMENT."
"I totally agree"

He went on about Charlie Parker, music, bass and stuff for a few minutes.. but this guy was crazy. Imagine Kramer with a hearing problem. Still, he drove me for half the price because he enjoyed the music chat. Heh, cool stuff.

PS: The little kids at the lounge of NEC are wicked annoying. They're going on chatrooms and calling people "poop heads" while having laughs. Then they pick online fights, and read them outloud. Jebus.

 

[DigMe]

the words "crazy cab driver" acquired much more depth in my vernacular while living in China.

brad cook

 

[fraublugher]

the words "crazy cab driver" acquired much more depth in my vernacular while living in China.

brad cook

ya im sure the rickshaw driver forums have a "farting during a gig" thread too.

 

[jazzbo]

the words "crazy cab driver" acquired much more depth in my vernacular while living in China.

brad cook

I've spent more time in Chinese cabs and buses than I ever want to again. I had this one bus ride in Tibet, and I swear to you, I made my peace with the universe, and just honestly, for the only time in my life, felt that I was going to die.

 

[DigMe]

I was up in northern (read arctic) China. For several months there was ice covering the roads. The chinese cab drivers would start going down a hill and purposefully bounce back and forth off of the curbs to keep the speed down...like a big human pinball game.

One time we caught a cab about midnight. This driver looked to be about 15. He claimed he was 20. I was checking his feet to see if he had wooden blocks on them like Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The whole thing reminded me of some cheesy comedy bit. As soon as the back door closed he hit the gas and we drove probably 100 miles an hour home through the urban streets of Changchun, China.

Another thing that's always fun the first time you experience it is that many big Chinese cities have these big circles where 5 or 6 main streets converge. It's like a big whirlpool of cars going speeding around and around barely missing each other and they definitely do not have the same rules for "right of way" that we have in America.

brad cook