The Taxi Driver

After seeing a movie with some friends, I got into a taxi and told him my address just like I’ve done hundreds of times in the past 6 months of living here. He couldn’t understand the name of the street I was telling him (This happens sometimes when the person either has not encountered many foreigners and/or the person doesn’t feel like taking the time to really listen.) After repeating myself about 5 times, he repeats the name and gives me a thumbs up. We begin driving and before I know it, we turn right. I roll my eyes thinking what long “loop” is going to do. (This happens a lot  - Although there are many one way streets, surprise surprise that the driver takes you on a longer loop than is actually necessary) After a minute or two though, I realize we are not looping around and he is continuing to drive straight in the opposite direction of my apartment. I look out the window and realize I do not know where we are. After taking a minute to process this, I say, in my broken Portuguese the neighborhood I live in. He replies with an abrubt “no”  and names a street, not the street I live on, not even a street I’ve ever heard of before. I shake my head and say “NO” and then repeat my neighborhood and address about 5 times until he gets it. Then he makes a U-turn and heads all the way back to where we started. I look up at the meter and realize it is already more than the price I paid to get to the movies just a few hours earlier and we are still nowhere near my house. Annoyance starts to grow inside of me as we are finally driving in the right direction. 

I start to think about what I’m going to do….Do I just pay the full fare for the cab ride even though he drove me completely out of the way or do I argue it and only give him a portion of the money? As I debate this issue silently in my head, the driver decides he suddenly wants to turn right and take the long loop to my house. I scream no and tell him to drive straight and then make a right.  Problem solved…he tried to screw me over twice…there is no way I’m paying this full fare now. He suddenly magically knows exactly what little road to turn on (some taxi drivers have to ask me as they are not sure.)

We arrive in front of my apartment building. Again in my terrible broken Portuguese I tell him that I will not pay for the full fare of R$28 (mind you, it was only R$12 to get to the movie theater!) He starts to argue with me (I have no idea what he is saying) I repeat myself and show hand motions for “you took the long way” Then I just get out. I figure screw it. I just won’t pay. Well, he gets out of the taxi and walks towards me. So I walk back to the taxi with him. I tell him I will give him R$15 but I only have a 50 dollar bill. I’m not dumb…I’m not giving him the 50 because he won’t give me enough change. He continues to loudly speak at me and I continue to have no idea what he is saying.

 I repeat myself one more time as my last offer and he doesn’t accept. I say “ok” and walk away. The guard buzzes me in and I walk straight through the two gates and powerwalk into the building. My heart is pumping as I realize he didn’t drive away. He got out of the taxi and is now at the front gate talking to the guard behind the glass. I walk right up to my apartment, don’t turn any lights on, peek out the window and notice he is still there. I start pacing not knowing what to do…I wasn’t trying to skip out on paying but I was not going to pay that full fare.  

It’s now midnight and I start thinking…who would be awake…who can help me. So I call one of my coworkers, who is usually the guy I ask when something goes wrong. Luckily he picks up and I explain what happened. I’m worried I’m going to get in trouble and I won’t be able to explain myself. (I really have to step up my Portuguese learning) He tells me to calm down and that the guard won’t let him in and he doesn’t know what apartment I’m in. Then my phone that links directly to the front gate rings….

To make a long story short, I walk back downstairs to the front gate and hand my cell phone to the guard to talk to my friend who thankfully speak fluent Portuguese. My friend explains everything to him and the guard gives the taxi driver R$15 of his own money. After another minute or two of the taxi driver trying to defend his story that I gave him the wrong address, he finally leaves. (Yes that’s right taxi driver, I gave you the wrong address just so I could end up paying double the amount! And yes I’ve lived here for 6 months and taken a taxi tons of times and somehow every other taxi driver could understand what I said!) Thanks to my friend who picked up his phone and the guard who supplied the R$15 of his own money (don’t worry I am paying him back tonight) I successfully did not allow the taxi driver to screw me over!