An elderly cabby proved to be the saving grace of one woman’s difficult morning when he generously told her that he would stop the meter while they were in a traffic jam on Orchard Road.
Ms Laila White, a TV and podcast host and a longtime fitness advocate, took to Facebook on Friday (Nov 25) to tell of her encounter with the taxi driver.
“I took a cab from ION and if you live in Singapore, you know Takashimaya and CTE is A NIGHTMARE of a road.
Mr Lim Kek Wah, taxi driver of SHF 754 G, told me this road is a nightmare during this hour and he will stop the meter, until the road clears,” she wrote in a post that has since gone viral.
When the cabby told Ms White, “Uncle comes from poor family, money is not easy to make, so don’t worry, if i can help, i help,” it choked her up, perhaps because what he said reflects her own life principles.
“People that knows me, knows how i view $. It pays the bills but i would not sell my soul to earn it,” she wrote.
She then asked the cabby about his life, finding out that Mr Lim is already 70 years old and that he had to leave school after his father died when he was only 10.
He then took it upon himself as a duty to take care of his family, leaving “no time for anxiety, worry or try to follow his passion.
He had to do the right thing for his mother,” she added.
In order to support the family, Mr Lim worked as a “coolie carrying rice on his back” at Clarke quay, getting paid 20 cents a bag to carry sacks that were 100 kilos.
“When i arrived, paid him extra not because i feel sorry for him, but that kindness and lessons he shared with me . It is invaluable and he made up for my sh**ty morning.
And that my friend is Human Connection,” wrote Ms White, who tells her own story of overcoming adversity here.
She has also reached out to TransCab to commend Mr Lim.
Her post about mutual kindness inspired many netizens, who told her so in the comments.
/TISG