This is the third in our monthly series, Joe the Taxi Driver

The use of the radio in a taxicab achieves everything from getting jobs to talking about the news of the day. Some taxi men abuse it though.

While talking to 'Joe, (this one has been around a couple of taxi companies), he told me he tries to stay away from the mindless banter.

"Mi can't tek di whole heap a talking wid dem," says Joe, who in the little time we spoke never once joined in the rantings even once. He then spun a tale about one particular young fellow who is always joking, even on matters that aren't quite funny. For some reason, maybe because Joe is the quiet type, some of his comments are directed towards the veteran driver.

Big man fi yuh

"Mi talk to him and mi say, look ya man, me a big man fi yuh enuh. Yu must have respect!" According to Joe, the difference in age hasn't deterred his young colleague from taking liberties with him. One day, after a particularly feisty comment, Joe had had enough and hit back with a 'card' (insult) of his own.

"Di man start tell mi all manna a bad wud star! Ova di radio to enuh!" Joe said in amazement. Considering cabbies and passengers alike hear all the conversations, this was disconcerting to a few persons that day.

Report

So Joe decided to report his fellow cabbie to the head of their company. According to Joe, cursing over the company radio should fetch the offending party a nice little fine and suspension, but every time the matter is to be addressed, it gets delayed.

"Every time we must have a meeting 'bout the thing, them say sumting come up," lamented Joe. He is beginning to wonder if that driver is a friend of the owner or if "him have secret fi him".

But Joe, being the veteran that he is, has learned to keep a cool head, especially during times of conflict; so he just goes about his business, taking care of his passengers and keeping the radiowaves clean.