5/7/2010
I got into a cab and immediately regretted it. The driver was shouting, errr.. talking on the phone, and could split my delicate eardrums any second.
I was ready to faint by the time we had snaked through the narrow Lockhart road and Luard road, and on to the Queens Road east. I recovered as we turned into the Magazine Gap road. But I sank back as the driver abandoned the usual way to Pedder Street, and raced again towards Queen Roads east. Making it to Yoga on time was looking impossible.
It was either my sulking face or exclamations of irritation that the driver began to talk to me.
I was caught off guard when he asked me - what were Hong Kongers called who opposed the Chinese government?
As I debated whether he was an undercover, mainland-CCP agent, trying to deport me on the sly by getting me started onto an anti-commi tirade, he put brakes to my imagination. He inquired what was the correct way to pronounce 'dissident'. Whether it was dissi-dent, dizzi-dent or didd-ent.
I did my best helping him with the pronunciation, and explaining why demanding more electoral reforms was not dissidence. He cut me short as we entered Lan Kwai Fong, and tailed the taxi ahead.
The traffic on Wellington Street meant we still had some time on hand. The driver was now talking about how the French in the city said they were going to rendezvous when they could simply say - I am going to meet so and so. He now wanted to know if I knew what rendezvous meant. I gave a quick nod, asking him to turn into Lyndhurst Tearrace and stop.
As I handed over the fare, he asked me where had I learnt English. There was a line of cabs building behind us and conversation had to be cut short. As I slammed the door behind me with enough correctness, he said aloud - not many people understand these words in this city. You know your English!
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