Toda semana teremos uma história do Mauro Castro, autor do livro “Taxitramas – Diário de um Taxista”, traduzida para o Inglês. Assim, você pode se divertir com as histórias que ocorrem a bordo do táxi do Mauro e ao mesmo tempo, praticar seu Inglês.
Stories of an Unforgettable Forum
With so many foreigners in Porto Alegre during the World Social Forum, the communication difficulties caused some embarrassments.
After many years working at the taxi rank, Bagual’s cab, currently, was on life support. With the windows closed (locked with a screwdriver) and the heater on and with its control stuck on High, my colleague’s car felt like the gaucho unit of hell.
Bagual told me that a Forum attendee tried to protest against the heat inside the taxi. “Very hot, very hot!”, he screamed. Since my colleague pretended not to understand, the man tried some Spanish: “muy caliente, muy caliente!”. Bagual, pretending everything was fine, just kept driving. When he left the car, the foreigner handled the 100-degree temperature as if he was in heaven.
My story happened with a Hindu man. The man, with a huge beard, around 6’7¨, and using a turban that looked like a jackfruit stuck on his head, was bent inside my taxi – in India, probably the taxis are convertible. I tried to ask him, using gestures, if he would like to recline his seat. He, clearly, not understanding a word I said, gave me a forced smile.
Bothered by the uncomfortable position of my passenger, I decided to pull the lever that reclines the seat. The seat plunged back! The man was basically laying, but after being scared at first, he was comfortable and spent the rest of the trip in that position.
If somebody saw that scene would have thought that I have captured Bin Laden and was taking him to get my reward.
People say that the Forum will not return soon to Porto Alegre… I already miss it.
Gostou da história? Veja mais no blog do Taxitramas ou compre o livro do Mauro, “Taxitramas – Diário de um Taxista, Volume 2” no site da Livraria Cultura.
