A cab driver in Germany
Five years ago I waited for a taxi at Nuernberg Aiport at midnight. The moment I got on it, I found the driver was not a German, but a Turkish.
Immediately I recalled taking a taxi from Chicago O'Hare Airport to a hotel downtown in 2003.
He was a big Afro-American. It didn't take a while before the meter was running up faster than I thought. In a nutshell I got a ripped off by him. He charged me 85 dollars. According to my travel guide book, it usually costs as much as 30 d0llars. Since he was a fierce-looking guy, I just paid him the money he asked for and walked out softly.
This time I spoke to the Turkish driver in English, "I am visiting Amberg tomorrow to see my friends there. How far is Amberg from Neurnberg?"
He didn't answer me. He shut up like a clam all the time. There was an awkward silence.
Then I gave it a try to speak to him in German, "Siehst du mal, ich komme aus Japan." All of a sudden he changed his tune and smiled at me and said something to the effect, "Well, I'm glad to know you, Sir. How about a drive tomorrow?" I said under my breath, "No way. My trip is on budget". The taxi came to a halt at the hotel. I asked him, "Was kostest das?"
I thought that I heard him saying 5 Cents. So I handed him just the nickel. He got exasperated, because it cost actually 15.00 Euro in stead of 5 Cents. It's too bad I could not hear the last syllable ie. zehn.
And I mistook it for Cent. At least I didn't get a rip-off in Germany.
Immediately I recalled taking a taxi from Chicago O'Hare Airport to a hotel downtown in 2003.
He was a big Afro-American. It didn't take a while before the meter was running up faster than I thought. In a nutshell I got a ripped off by him. He charged me 85 dollars. According to my travel guide book, it usually costs as much as 30 d0llars. Since he was a fierce-looking guy, I just paid him the money he asked for and walked out softly.
This time I spoke to the Turkish driver in English, "I am visiting Amberg tomorrow to see my friends there. How far is Amberg from Neurnberg?"
He didn't answer me. He shut up like a clam all the time. There was an awkward silence.
Then I gave it a try to speak to him in German, "Siehst du mal, ich komme aus Japan." All of a sudden he changed his tune and smiled at me and said something to the effect, "Well, I'm glad to know you, Sir. How about a drive tomorrow?" I said under my breath, "No way. My trip is on budget". The taxi came to a halt at the hotel. I asked him, "Was kostest das?"
I thought that I heard him saying 5 Cents. So I handed him just the nickel. He got exasperated, because it cost actually 15.00 Euro in stead of 5 Cents. It's too bad I could not hear the last syllable ie. zehn.
And I mistook it for Cent. At least I didn't get a rip-off in Germany.
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