It's Always Interesting

I can pretty much guarantee that going to a restaurant to meet some people for dinner rarely causes this much thought process to occur; then again, it's not nearly so amusing anywhere else either!
So this evening I was walking to the intersection where I could get a taxi, and thinking to myself how at the same time people around you can feel reasurring and threatening. I got to a spot where several taxi drivers were waiting, told one where I was headed (to which his "I know where that is" was slightly dubious), and asked for the price. His was ridiculous, and when I won the price war a minute later by telling him in no uncertain Amharic that that was my final price, the other drivers laughed and called me "Gobez" (smart). I chuckled about that for awhile. About 2/3 way through our bumpy trip, the taxi driver turned on the headlights (yes, it was dark the whole time). Hmm, those could be useful, I guess! We got to the general vicinity of where we were going and ended up turning around; then my taxi driver stopped the car in the road and left to go ask another taxi driver if he knew where the restaurant was (this happens frequently). When he got back in the car, of course it wouldn't start! So my ever so gobez taxi driver proceeded to attempt to push and drive the car at the same time--onto a busy road with oncoming traffic!! After some guys hanging out on the roadside gave us a little push (and we almost ran into some federal police), we were up and running; obviously, I made it there and back alive:)
I'm still smiling. Life is never dull!