Confessions of a Taxi Driver

I have met and dated some very handsome, good men who I've met in very different places and under very different circumstances. Some I met in class at school, others I met at church. Some I met through my work, others I was introduced by a mutual friend or by a family member. There was a time I winked at a boy in my class, the time a boy told me he heard I was dating the most handsome man at church and I simply said, "I didn't realize you and I were dating." There was the boy my soul fell in love with at first glance but I refused to allow it for several years and the gave into him. I will never be the same.

I've also turned men down. There was the boy who thought I needed company while running, the man who just loved to hear me sing, the guy who insisted after only a few minutes of knowing me that we must be soul mates, the one who asked for my friends phone number after I told him I didn't think it was gunna work and others. I've hid from men in the bathroom, given men the wrong name, I've told men I just want to be friends.

The moments of confession of love have come in many different ways and different places. Cooking a new recipe in the kitchen, horse back riding through the streets of Rexburg, walking temple grounds, an emotional conversation, a kiss on the porch...such fun memories.

With that said, let me tell you about my cab ride earlier this week. The ride seemed normal as far as cab rides go. I was on my way to the airport and the cab driver asks me in Thai which way I wanted to go. I preferred the expressway. He took a turn heading in a direction that I hadn't gone before. I wasn't concerned but interested to see if this would be any faster. Along the way the driver asked me questions, like most taxi drivers. How long have I been in Thailand? Do I like it? What work do I do? Am I here alone or with family? I tried in my best Thai to understand each question and reply but there times when I had to tell him "Mai cow jai", I don't understand. He asked my name and I told him. He was nice and it was fun to practice speaking Thai. Then he asked for my phone number. In Thailand it's not uncommon to have a taxi driver's number and he he have yours so you can call on him when needed yet I felt a little funny about it. But, as it's important in Thai culture not to make someone lose face I thought it would be ok to give him my phone number...a little jumbled up and take his number for any future need. But then the conversation started getting a little uncomfortable. He started telling me that I'm beautiful. "Yes," I responded, "Thailand is beautiful, I like it here". He said other things that I didn't understand. Then he said, "I love you". Oh! um...well...thank you. It was kind of cute because after he said it he blushed and got all shy but it was still creepy. I wasn't sure what to say so I just sat back and looked out the window. Then he pulled out his phone, took my phone number and dialed. Oh crap! Well the phone number obviously didn't ring through to my phone. I ignored that and soon enough we arrived at the airport. He asked which door I wanted and I just told him to stop where he was, I handed him my money (which ended up being the most expensive cab ride to the airport I've ever had here) and he tried to give some of it back. I declined and insisted that he keep the money and scooted out as quickly as I could.

And that is the story of the confession of love of my taxi driver.