165. Tipping
- Here we are, said Duff as the taxi pulled up in front of a shopping centre.
- And we are still alive, said Larson. - How much is it?
- 135 baht, said Bia.
- Here is 140, said Larson and gave the money to Bia. Bia gave it to the driver.
- You! said the driver.
- Keep the change, said Larson.
- You! said the driver again. - One hunled baht!
- What?
- One hunled baht!
- He wants the tip you promised him, said Duff.
- What tip?
- For driving slower.
- But he didn’t drive slower!
- One hunled baht, said the driver again.
- I am not going to tip him for that insane driving, said Larson. - If anything he should pay us for psychological suffering and risk to life and limb.
The driver looked unhappy. He spoke to Bia, who translated: - You say you give me one hundred baht. Why you not give? Why you say but not give? I drive good. We go La Prao quick quick. You must to pay.
- Quick quick? That was the problem, said Larson.
- You must to pay if you say, said Bia.
- I offered him a tip if he would driver slower. He didn’t drive slower. So I am not paying him anything. What is so hard to understand about that?
- I don’t think he sees it that way, said Duff.
- What other way is there to see it?
The driver spoke again. Bia translated: - Why you not pay? You say you pay. I drive good. No accident. You rich farang. You education. I poor. I no education. Why you not pay money me?
- I think he only heard the 100 baht part, said Duff. - The part about driving slower didn’t make sense to him.
- Good grief! said Larson. - What is it with these people? First he drives like a maniac and then he wants extra for it! This is no way to do business.
- You want to teach business ethics to Bangkok taxi drivers?
- It is a matter of principle. I asked for something and he didn’t deliver. Hence I am not paying.
- What do you think, Bia? asked Duff.
- Must to pay, said Bia.
- This makes no sense! said Larson. He began to walk away.
The driver looked angry.
Duff reached for his wallet.
- No! shouted Larson. - Don’t do that!
The driver accepted the 100 baht Duff gave him.
- You want to spend all day arguing over this? asked Duff. - Now it is done and over with.
- Is better, said Bia.
- What is the world coming to, said Larson, shaking his head.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109