In my adult class this morning, one of the things we discussed was "What would you do if a stranger asked you for money?" One of the students said she would run away! Another said that it depended on the situation whether she would give money or not. A third student said that it would depend on what the stranger looked like! This latter comment made me think of something that happened to me last week, because, as you would have noticed from the photo of me on my homepage, I am kind of a handsome devil!
I had been to visit Pei Han in Taichung, where she is living and working at the moment, and needed to get to the train station to take a train back to my home in Yuanlin. On previous occasions I have taken a taxi from her flat to the station, which costs about NT$300 (R60), but Pei Han suggested that I take the bus instead, which would be much cheaper. As I have never used the bus service in Taichung before, I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately, neither of us thought about checking that I had change to pay for my ride.
I boarded the bus, the driver gave me an electronic ticket card, said it would cost NT$32 (R6) and pulled off. I had NT$7 in coins and a NT$100 note. "Don't you have any change?" the driver asked as I offered him the NT$100 note. When I said that I didn't, he turned his head slightly towards to the other passengers on the bus and shouted above the noise of the vehicle "DOES ANYONE HAVE CHANGE FOR OUR FOREIGN FRIEND?" As everyone looked slightly dumbfounded at me, and I checked that the bus doors were actually closed, thereby blocking my hasty embarrassed exit from the moving vehicle, a young attractive woman who looked like a university student tentatively raised her hand.
Trapped, I staggered down the aisle to my rescuer and waited while she scratched in her purse for what change she had for my NT$100 note. As it turned out she had exactly NT$30 in coins which she offered to me. I in turn offered her the note, but with a sweet smile she refused to take it. She refused again when I insisted that she take the NT$100, so I smiled back and gave her my thanks, considering but not actually giving her my business card, you know, just in case she wanted to have coffee sometime!
I returned to the front of the bus, paid the driver and took a seat right in the front of the bus. A few stops later my bus angel got off and as she passed me I thanked her again, to which she responded with another smile "No problem."
What's the point of my story, you may ask. Well, this - Pei Han was right, the bus was a lot cheaper than the taxi! It only cost me NT$2 (40c).
Dion Marc Delport
12 April 2007