Hit-and-miss taxi

I have it figured out now. The Thai taxi spotted me, and could see I lead a humdrum life. He thought, I better help this farang along...liven up his night a little.

He must have been in a hurry to get somewhere, which is normally a good thing, but really not necessary at midnight, when there is no traffic about anyway.

First there was the dog. It walked onto the middle of the highway, and we were bearing down upon him at a great speed when I thought I had better alert the driver. 'Ah...Hey!' I said. No time to find the right words. No time to do anything but raise my hand to my mouth. The taxi swerved, and we saved a dog's life. 'Ahhh! The dog!' he said, with a nervous laugh.

Then there was elevated part of the motorway, just before the final stretch home. Passed a truck on the left, but went by too quickly. Heard the wheels squeal, then felt the car slide to one side. Unwelcome view of monster truck veering into side vision. I was holding on to the dashboard with a firm grip, and regretting my decision to climb in the front.

Normally I sit in the front, so I can keep an eye on the driver. I want to make sure he's not going too fast, and alert him in time if he takes a wrong turn. With this guy, I did not get the chance to look at his speedometer. I was wondering if the wheels would stay on the chassis, or if they woud spin off into the night, sending the vehicle plummeting over the crash barrier and into the darkness beyond.

Finally, we arrived - in record time. Funny how a journey conducted at lightning speed can seem to take an age. I did the customary thing, and paid the fare. Surely he can wait that long.

Then I tried to leave the cab. Managed to extract the trunk of my body, then one leg...then most of the other, when the driver decided to move away.

I am lucky he pulled away slowly. Any faster, and we might have run into problems. As the car left the curb, I quickly removed the rest of myself, then dived after the door, to close it.

Don't know why I bothered, as he evidently didn't care whether he drove away with the door in place or flapping in the night air. I wonder if he noticed I had left - or had even been there, for that matter.

Our brief journey across the river was so fleeting it was really a hit and miss thing. I could have been there - or not. We could have made it in one piece - or never arrived at all.