Friday, September 12, 2008

An Ode to the Marshutka Drivers*

Long are the days sitting upon your seat commanding the wheel of your minibus
Rain or shine (mostly rain) you toil -
Weaving adeptly through traffic, making change with one hand, changing "lanes" with the other
Jumping curbs when necessary, dutifully delivering your passengers to their destinations
Oh the joys of swerving to avoid pedestrians and eluding the police
Cleverly laying your seat belt across you without clipping it in place
The appearance of safety and adherence to law without the pesky bother of either
Your skill at squeezing your marshutka between a tram and oncoming traffic is to be admired
As all passengers stare amazed into each others' widened eyes
And so, Mr. Marshutka Driver, I salute you.
Drive on, my friend
Drive on.


* note: marshutkas are minibus taxis and are my predominant mode of transportation

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