Conversation in a Montreal Cab

- I’m trying to remember you now; I didn’t recognize your voice when you called. You were here over the summer, yes?

- Yes I was. I was visiting my girlfriend. You dropped me off at Rue St-Dominique.

- Ah! I remember now! But I pick you up at a hotel this time, you are not broken up I hope?

- No, no. I’m here on business this time. She’s back home in Newfoundland finishing off her studies. She came to Montreal to work just for the summer.

- That’s nice – Hey! Thanks for cutting me off, jerk!

- Some people are just crazy on the roads. I have no idea why, it just happens.

- It does happen. My aunt, her sons moved away to Germany to study not long ago. Her and my uncle got tired of living alone in a big house, so they move to Egypt. They get a nice place, well, not a nice place but they find a place they like. She just moved to Egypt a few months ago. She was out walking and a car hit her and she died. I just found out today, it’s been a tough day.

- Oh my god, I’m so sorry to hear that…

- No, no, it’s okay. There’s nothing anyone can do about it. Her time was up. It’s just strange how the best people always go too soon. She was only 52.

- That’s too young. You’re absolutely right, a lot of good people are gone much too early. Are you from Egypt?

- No, no, I come from Palestine. The West Bank. That is where I am from.

- How long have you been over here?

- Here, you mean Montreal? Four years. But before that it’s a long story. I came to Canada first in 1989 to study. I was in Vancouver. I studied hard and did well, and I got two degrees. But just after I finished, my mother died. My father owned a farm back home and he was all alone. I had to go back to help him, for my family.

- That must have been a difficult decision for you.

- Not really. I have brothers and sisters, yes. But they were all married and had already started their own lives. I was the designated one, it just had to be me that went back.

- Not everyone would have so readily gone back because of family duties, I really respect that.

- Oh it was nothing. It had to be done. It really became clear to me how important family is. I never respected my mother enough, I was in my twenties, you know? But my attitudes changed quickly. And like I said, I wasn’t married. But hopefully the next time I’m talking to you, I will be.

- Really? You and your girlfriend are getting married soon?

- Well, not quite. Have you ever had a blind date? No, wait, it’s not really like that! And not really an arranged marriage. My friends back home really want me to get married. And there are two girls from good families who have not yet found husbands. One is only 21, so that is too young! But the other is 28, and there is an age difference there but it isn’t so bad.

- No, 28 is a good age.

- Yes, so I must meet the families, meet the girls, it’s all very well-supervised but with any luck…

- It should work! You have a better chance at a good relationship that way instead of meeting some random girl in a club.

- Yes! I’m not really big on the night-club thing. It’s like ‘putting on your snake-suit’ I call it.

- It’s fake.

- Yes, exactly, it’s so fake. I guess I could have met a nice girl in University, there were lots of nice people there to meet. Where would I meet someone now, I just drive people around in a cab! University is a great place to meet people.

- That’s true, I met my girlfriend in one of my French classes. Much better that a night-club!

- See, a class. That’s nice. I never really found anyone at University. But maybe it’s for the best. She probably would not have wanted to come back home with me when I had to go back.

- Your life would have been completely different. Sometimes I think everything happens for a reason.

- Yes, I believe so. We’ll see what the future holds. Maybe you’ll call me next year if you’re back in Montreal and I won’t be here anymore! Maybe I’ll be married back home! My niece will probably keep my phone, she’ll tell you where I am.

- I will definitely call you when I’m in Montreal again. Hopefully everything works out for the best.

- I think so. Well, Air Canada is right through this door here. Have a nice trip back to your home.

- Good luck with everything. I hope it all works out.

- Thank you. Good night.