My coworker and I were trying to get a cab to go to lunch the other day, and several taxis with no passengers passed us by (not super common but happens occasionally to Westerners here). Another coworker, who was walking back from lunch and is black, shouted “Now you know what we feel like.”
It was funny to all three of us at the time.
Some of the black humor is funny as hell since its bitingly sarcastic and revealing of discrimination at the same time.
The Irish cannot get away with this exact brand of humor, one time I told an Irish joke to a fellow, and he got mad because
he is Irish, little did he know I’m half Irish myself.
AB
I am surprised that you didn’t get away with the Irish joke. I thought we were the only ones left tough enough to take it. Or at least still laughing at jokes.
Passed the black humour, who hasn t experienced that empty seat next to them. I m always amused at how easy it is to forget how the same scene would go in our own country… In France for example, I d rather sit in front of a visible tourist than next to him. I am curious, want to look at them, so I don t choose to sit next to them.
As far as the taxi episode goes… even Japanese people can t understand the behaviour of cabs. I take the cab almost everyday and the only time I had troubles was when I was trying to pick up a taxi 50m fromHyatt in RoppHills, of course, even though the taxis around are free, they want to pick up at the hotel, not you… and if there is a big taxi stop close to there, they wil never stop.
But all this makes for funny situation and improvisation… DO go crazy next time smbd doesn t sit next to you, or move to the sit next to them… and just step on the road in front of the taxi when you want them to stop… I did resort to that once…
But then, about the taxi… I could go on and on about how they will stop talking to me smtimes when they realise that I can speak Japanese, like they’re completely frozen… Or on the other hand, will try to recite all the names of famous French actors and actresses that they know… We get it all…
I love the empty seat! There are days I look menacing to ensure I receive the necessary space to pull out my large, black PowerBook.