TAXI!

I hop into the open door which automatically closes behind me. Hooray for Japanese taxis I say ! Hooray for getting outta this cruel wind into a cab with warm seats and the lingering smell of tabacco!
I am a little drunk.I am feeling chatty.So obviously is the taxi driver! Its a 10 minute ride.We talk in broken english and broken japanese! we talk about the weather.We talk about his time in Denver and Hawaii.We talk about his two jobs .Toki doki taxi driver and mostly money lender.Hes an aging fella I would guess at 55. I imagine his wife sleeping soundly in her tatami room on her futon. I imagine his grandchildren (who he most definately adores)playing around his slippered feet on the weekend.I imagine his friends some a little older and some a little younger playing ego on a sunday evening.I imagine himas he falls asleep in fromt of the t.V late at night .
He whisks out his mobile phone.I think he is going to show me a picture.The sound of "and so this is Christmas" starts to play in a high pitched tone.We sing together for a while.The we sing "I am dreaming of a white Christmas" this time without the keitai accompanying us.
We get to my house.I hand him the fare.He says Ahhhhhh @00 yen for me 1,500 for my wife.I laugh! I ask him if he has bought his wife a Christmas present."Yes" he says as he grabs a bag and pulls out a little box."Diamond and Sapphire he says as he pulls out a beautiful ring! Its not my style but pretty all the same.I ask him how much.He says 500,000 .Oh its lovely! Its expensive neh?? Oh he says "I am rich" as he pulls out a big zip up bag stuffed with more yen than I have ever seen in one day! Ohhhhhhhhh! I say "Your wife will be very happy! its a beautiful ring!". "Yes" he says "She is 23"................ I get out of the taxi and wish him a happy new year. I imagine him going home to stockings and lace.