Yes, sa, I see! And do you know the number of your cab?
I'm not sure why, but I've been thinking about an incident that happened in India last September. So I thought I'd recount it here, just to get it down.
I was there for a conference, and they had provided a car for the time. The driver had given me a card, saying that whenever we needed him, just call.
So at the main conference hotel on the last day, I wanted to go back to the hotel where I was staying early. I went outside where the towering man presided over the traffic at the entrance. Tall, dressed in a fancy uniform, an impressive beard, and a good grin - I know that many of the tourists took pictures with him. And he had a group of boys to carry luggage and such. He usually opened the door of the car himself, greeting people with a smile.
Anyway, I handed him the card, since I wasn't sure what he needed to know. And he looked carefully at it, then smiled at me as he handed the card back.
"Yes, sa, I see. And do you know the number of your cab?"
I glanced at the card and read the large four digit number on the upper left corner to him. He pulled the phone out and called the car.
While I waited, I pondered on literacy and appearances. We in America expect everyone to be able to read, and sometimes stumble when reminded that this is not a universal truth.
I was there for a conference, and they had provided a car for the time. The driver had given me a card, saying that whenever we needed him, just call.
So at the main conference hotel on the last day, I wanted to go back to the hotel where I was staying early. I went outside where the towering man presided over the traffic at the entrance. Tall, dressed in a fancy uniform, an impressive beard, and a good grin - I know that many of the tourists took pictures with him. And he had a group of boys to carry luggage and such. He usually opened the door of the car himself, greeting people with a smile.
Anyway, I handed him the card, since I wasn't sure what he needed to know. And he looked carefully at it, then smiled at me as he handed the card back.
"Yes, sa, I see. And do you know the number of your cab?"
I glanced at the card and read the large four digit number on the upper left corner to him. He pulled the phone out and called the car.
While I waited, I pondered on literacy and appearances. We in America expect everyone to be able to read, and sometimes stumble when reminded that this is not a universal truth.