CafféLatté Magazine

Taxi Driver HBY and I going to Woodworking class

Yesterday, I waited almost 45 mins to get a taxi to Woodworking class, in the end I sat in the front seat of a very saucy Taxi Tanty. Wearing a larger-than-her-size yellow shirt, a pair of jeans, sneakers and her hair braided in corn-row braids, she was all too willing to talk about life, learning, young people and, women-who-like-to-show-their-bra-straps-and-wear-tight-shirts-their-one-long abdomen-divided-into-five muffin-top-rolls. *wheeze* We spoke for the whole ride and she told me the importance of, Learning Something New. Sometime this month, she will be starting Electrical and Plumbing classes. "As I Tobagonian, I am a very hard working woman,... I speak to all those young men on the corner, they give does hug me and give me bounce an ting. Girl, I have to talk to young people because they are the face of the future and they need to be guided." "Young women must dress properly."
She also told me:
"Dress Properly as a black woman."

"Have goals in your life, and work towards them."

"Save, so that you can always have money, my mother used to tell me, if you make 5 cents, save one or two cents and spend the rest wisely."

"Keep learning, it will make your brain sharp."

"Clothes is for comfort, not for style."

"You ever see a chinee woman in high heel shoes? I gone down town, all dem young woman in high, high-heels later in life, they will have back pain and give the doctors all their money, chinee woman walking in slippers and they have 3, 4 business, I have a ting, I does only buy shoes for comfort and not in the 400-500 price range.Yuh hear wha' ah say? Good. So, I am a black woman, and thinking like a chinee woman. Tink like dem, save yuh money."

Of course, I requested to see her again, she said, " I does allways wuk dis route, once yuh coming here you will see me." I paid and thanked her, and I am glad I got to class late. She really made my day, and was very encouraging. I got renewed energy to continue doing my Woodworking course.