D.C. Cab

Sometimes, when I'm tired after the night class, I cab it home. I know, lazy, but what can I say? Ten hours at one job, a forty minute slog to the second, and seventy-five minutes of teaching . . . I'm tired.

But I love D.C. cab drivers. Many, many of them are Ethiopian, and Ethiopians are always interesting to talk to. (In my experience, Ethiopean cab drivers tend to be very friendly, in general, especially if you ask where they like to eat Ethiopian food. Their preferences tend toward Dukem and Etete, which are also my favorites.) But tonite I had an African (or Caribbean?) driver who talked on his cell phone--hands-free--the whole way. I don't mind the talking, because I'm not an a-hole, and besides, it gives me an opportunity to listen to the driver . . . .

This guy tonite spoke an amazing series of languages. He spoke in at least one "foreign" language, whether it was an African tongue or something else, I don't know. But it was beautiful and clearly not English. Then he spoke in a heavily accented English, too. It took me awhile to get this, because it was hard to follow. And finally, he spoke in an almost-unaccented English in idioms, like "Take care of yourself." All of this in the same conversation, with the same person (I think). He also punctuated the interlocutor's comments with "Wow." His "wow" and mine, not accented differently.

Fascinating.