Sage in a yellow cab

When he says his name is Sam I refuse to believe him. How can he have a European name like Sam if he was born and bred in northern Punjab? As if he could read my thoughts he adjusts the rear view mirror, looks at me, grins and says "Ok.OK. I am Sam to my other customers but to you I am Himath". The ice between us is broken. "After all we are from neighboring countries, eh?"

I agree, feeling as though I am in Bombay and not in a yellow cab on my way to Manhattan. The smell of vadei inside the car, the never ending volley of Hindi words Sam alias Himath says into his mobile every few seconds and the scorching sunlight make everything out side the window look like scenes from Bombay; the brown apartment blocks, the construction sites, the billboards and even the traffic jams.

Himath disagrees. The traffic jams in Amritsar specially during the wedding season are much worse than the traffic here on the Long Island Expressway. Does this mean he likes life here in New York better than the life he left behind almost ten years ago when he first arrived here to visit his brother? "No". Says Himath. "Life here is too hard.

I have to work fourteen hours a day to look after my family. I have two daughters and a son and my wife has to stay at home to look after them. I am the sole bread winner." But he does not wish to go back. "My children" says Sam " were born here. They are American citizens. They will lose the opportunity of having a good education if I go back to Amritsar."

Changing the subject Himath tells me a story one of his customers had told him a few days ago about a guy called Harvey who had learnt a great lesson from a cab driver.

"Harvey was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing he noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey.

He handed Harvey a laminated card and said: "I'm Wally, your driver.

While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement."

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: "Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment."

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf." My friend said jokingly, "No, I'd prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice."

Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I'll take a Diet Coke." Handing him his drink, Wally said, "If you'd like something to read, I have the Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today."

Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

"Tell me, Wally," Harvey asked the driver, "Have you always served customers like this?" Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard a personal growth guru, on the radio one day who said if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'"

Himath pauses and looks at me in the rear mirror. He seems pleased to see I had written down most of what he said in my note book. "What he heard hit Wally right between the eyes". Continues Himath. "Wally felt the guru was really talking about him. He was always quacking and complaining, so he decided to change his attitude and become an eagle.

He looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So he decided to make some changes. He put in a few at a time. When his customers responded well, he did more."

I wait for Himath to continue. After a short silence he says "Wally soared to the skies like an eagle unlike other cab drivers who quack like ducks and stay on the ground".

I look at the cab Himath is driving. In spite of the smell of vadei it is spotlessly clean; like Wally's. "I am sorry I can't afford to offer you a drink" he apologizes."Perhaps next time".

I nod to say that would be fine even though I know there will never be a next time. When he drops me at Cooper Square I hand him a five dollar tip knowing quite well, I could barely afford it. He grins and returns four dollars back to me. "It was nice riding with you" says Himath, and drives away with the words "Remember Wally and his story.Ducks quack. Eagles soar"

I step into the university feeling Himath had taught me a lesson no book could ever teach.