Thursday, December 10, 2020

Trinbagonians talk. (52) Some Taxi Drivers are predators.

 One day more than 40 years ago, ah was goin’ to Port-of-Spain. De taxi ah did take from Point Fortin drop me off on High Street, San Fernando. Ah went to de Royal Bank to get some money. After ah get de money, ah leave de bank an’ ah walk to de Port-of-Spain taxi-stan’. De driver of a taxi, who was standin’ outside of he car, ask me if ah was goin’ to Port-of-Spain, an’ ah tell he yes. Before ah got in de car, ah did see two men standin’ about 30 feet from de car. Dey did not look like dey kno’ each other, but for some odd reason ah had meh eyes on dem.

A man was sittin’ in de front passenger seat so ah got in de back. Ah did say good mornin’g to de man, but he did not answer. De driver got in behind de wheel an’ de two men walk to de car. When dey got to it, one ah dem got in on de right side an’ de other on de lef’ side. Dem did sandwich me in de middle. Ah funny feelin’ come over me an’ ah kno’ dat ah had to get out of de car. Ah start to pray silently askin’ God to tell me wah to say to get out. De driver start de car an’ pull out into de traffic. Ah open meh handbag an’ pretend to be lookin’ for somet’ing, then ah did say, “Oh gosh, driver, ah hav’ to make a quick stop at de bank. Ah forget some papers dat ahd need for a meetin’.”

“When yuh get to yuh meetin’, call de bank an’ ask dem to fax de papers,” De man on meh right say.

“How do yuh kno’ whey ah goin’ hav’ a fax machine?” Ah did say, buh ah was feelin’ more anxious. Ah did not want to make dem know’ how scared ah was, so ah camly continue talkin’.  “We near de bank so it eh go take me long to get de papers. Are you very busy?”

“Come on guys, yuh all know’ de dat dis bitch is not comfortable around all dis testosterone,” De man on de lef’ did say.

 “She must be a lesbian,” De man in de front did say.

“Oh really! Yuh guys probably doh hav’ a mother, or yuh just doh like women, dat is why yuh are speakin’ to me like dat!” I said angrily.

“Calm down guys. Let de ‘oman go an’ get she papers. We did see she go in de bank earlier, an’ she now come out,” De driver did say.

Ah realized dat de men were all friends an’ dey was lookin’ at meh movements. Ah keep sayin’ in meh in meh mind, ‘Lord please make the driver stop an’ he finally did. When ah got out ah de car ah did say, “Wait right here, ah comin’ back.”

Ah walk real quick to de bank, an’ ah did stay for a little bit. When ah left de bank, ah got in a taxi to go back to Point Fortin. Ah kno’ dat ah was not de only woman dat these men did try to harm. Women be on your Ps and Qs. There must be predators like those ah did come across prowlin’ around Trinbago even in yuh neighborhood.

One day more than 40 years ago, I was going to Port-of-Spain. The taxi I took from Point Fortin dropped me on High Street, San Fernando. I went to Royal Bank to get some money. After I got the money, I left the bank and walked to the Port-of-Spain taxi-stand. The driver of a taxi, was standing outside of his car, asked me if I was going to POS, and I told him yes. Before I got into the car, I saw 2 men standing about 30 feet from the car. They did not look as though they knew each other, but for some odd reason I kept my eyes on them.

A man was sitting in the front passenger seat so I got into the back and I said good morning, but he did not answer. The driver got in behind the wheel. The two men walked towards the car. When they got to it, one entered on the right and the other on the left putting me in the middle. An uneasy feeling came over me and I knew I had to get out of the car. I started to pray silently asking God to tell me what to say to get out. The driver started the car and pulled out into the traffic. I opened my handbag, pretended to be looking for something, then I said, “Oh gosh, driver, I have to make a quick stop at the bank. I forgot some papers that I would need for a meeting.”

“When you get to your meeting, call the bank, and ask them to fax the papers,” The man on my right said.

“How do you know where I am going have a fax machine?” I said.

His suggestion, had me more anxious, but I did not want to make any of them aware of how afraid I was, so in a calm tone I continued, “We are near the bank. It’s not going to take a lot of time for me to get the papers. Are you very busy?”

“Come on guys, you all know that this bitch is not comfortable around all this testosterone,” said the man on the left.

 “She must be a lesbian,” said the man sitting in the front.

“Oh really! You guys probably don’t have a mother, or you just don’t like women that is why you are speaking to me like that!” I said angrily.

“Calm down guys. Let the woman go and get her papers. We did see her go into the bank earlier, and she just came out,” The driver said.

I realized that the men were all friends and they were looking at my movements. I kept saying in my mind, ‘Lord please make the driver stop’… he eventually stopped.

When I got out I said, “Wait right here, I’m coming back.”

I walked quickly to the bank, and stayed for a bit. When I left the bank, I got into a taxi back to Point Fortin… I know that I am not the only woman that these men tried to harm.

Women be on your Ps and Qs, there must be predators like those I encountered lurking around Trinidad and Tobago even in your neighborhood.

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