Israeli Taxi Journal Part 1: The Raving Cabbie

One of the most fascinating experiences in Israel is getting into a taxi. In my very short time living here, I have learned more about this country getting to and from places by cab than any other way. There is so much that is completely unpredictable about the whole thing! You never know how much you are going to pay or if the driver is going to yell at you or be your best friend. You don't know if he really listens to where you want to go, but certainly that if he goes to the wrong place that it is your fault, even though you've warned him and clarified the address multiple times. They have screaming conversations with one another over their radios, drive like maniacs, and are -all- characters.

Tonight, we went to celebrate the birthdays of a few family friends at an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv. Our taxi ride home provides the best example yet of how unbelievable these encounters can be. It started with a normal conversation about where we were headed. Like most of our conversations, it began in Hebrew and slowly, but surely, turned to English. Then came the music.

Brett and I watched this middle-aged, graying curly-haired man with glasses on his nose crank the volume on some obscure European techno. As he passed other taxi drivers he would honk his car horn repeatedly and speak into his radio. Needless to say, he was on the receiving end of a variety of amusing looks. Speeding through the night on the highway, he raved and danced his way through track after track. The only recognizable song was the finale, and apparently his favorite, the Black Eyed Peas remix of "Time of My Life," which had him moving his whole body and waving his hands in the air in-between playing "air drums."  In fact, he completely missed our destination because, as he happily explained, he was "lost in the music" and had to turn around.

Only as he dropped us off did he continue to speak with us. For whatever reason, he thought that we would find his imitation of British people amusing and proceeded to perform for us. It really was entertaining, despite the fact that it was in no way recognizable as a British accent! He kept saying, "Oh reaaalllly!? This is just looooovely!" in a higher-pitched voice and laughing to himself afterward, repeating, "That's what the British would say!" We laughed, too!

                  -  Darren