My two cents on taxi s

[captaind]

Cause a penny is not accepted as a form of currency in Negril?

On the contrary the Jamaican penny is alive and we...at least on paper

[Accompong]

Just returned for about my 50 th trip so here are my thoughts. I noticed more than usual that the drivers were willing to negotiate. Even of the driver said 10 dollars from idle awhile to around chicken
Lavish I could say 3 and they would say that's fine. I would end up giving 5 or so as I do not like to waste money but realize they need to make a living . It helps of course to have exact money .

I am reminded of a day I spent with a clothes higgler it the Montego Bay Market. I was just browsing and asked a price and he gave me a fair price but I really didn't want to buy anything just then. I guess you would call it "window shopping"

Anyways, we struck up a conversation and he invited me to sit in the shade of his booth as it was brutally hot that day. This day was a day when a large cruise ship came into port and some tourists started to file in and check out the souvenirs. One particular guy was from Texas and his mouth, attitude and hat were as big as all outdoors... if you get my drift.

Lanie (I will call him) showed the Texan some very nice shirts and the Texan seemed to like one in particular very much. He ask Lanie "How much" and Lanie told him $15 the Texan said "That's too much" and offered $5 which Lanie countered with $10 but the Texan would have none of that and said "$5 take it or leave it".

Lanie took the $5 reluctantly and as the Texan walked away with the shirt he shouted over to his significant other. "See what this boy sold me for $5?" proud of the way he was able to get a steal of a price.

After the guy was out of earshot, I asked Lanie "Why did you accept that offer?". He told me about his wife and two kids and how whatever he made that day would be needed to feed his family. Even if he had to take a loss (which he did) from his purchase price.

I just couldn't be proud to know that I got one over on someone the way the Texan did. If a driver told me $10 then I couldn't in good conscious offer $3 for a trip that I know usually costs $5 even if I planned to give the $5 anyways. Maybe it is just me and the way I look at life but living in Jamaica has taught me to be more humble and more understanding of another's plight.

And Lanie? I took a shirt that did not even fit me and gave him $15 because it was the right thing to do. I will never get the image of that tear in the corner of his eye when he shook my hand so vigorously out of my mind.

Just the way I look at things.

Peace and Guidance

[need some sun]

"I took a shirt that did not even fit me and gave him $15 because it was the right thing to do."

Dam straight it was...(*&%#in' Texans'!)

[NikkiB]

Accompong - I love reading your posts. I find them very thoughtful and insightful. Thank you!

[Tanfastic]

Accompong I too like your posts generally but not happy about the generalization of Texans. If I'm reading into this then I'm sorry, but so used to this being the stereotype of Texans that many people continue to perpetrate.

[STRIPER]

There's arseholes everwhere,I live in il,......oh wait.

[Big_frank]

You're right Tan; the guy was really from Arizona but Bill thought Texas would be more believable. (ducking).

[dash]

Yup you smartly paid double the rate...let's count pennys

Save your pennies and buy a sense of humour

[booger]

You're right Tan; the guy was really from Arizona but Bill thought Texas would be more believable. (ducking).

LoL!

I like to give back to Jamaicans by paying for a service/ product. Accompang, why not just buy a shirt that fit?

Before my last reach a local restaurant owner hit me up to help pay the current bill. Really? No way, but I did eat there more than usual as I love the food anyway. Not enough to pay the current I'm certain, however they were closer than they were before.

[Bluez]

Accompong, you are a very kind hearted man.