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Taxi
I had a decision to make. It was a beautiful Peruvian night, music was blasting behind me, and the falafel in my stomach was exactly what I needed.
I´ve been here for a month, but my friends, the people I´ve met here, felt like lifelong relationships. After weeks together in the same house this usually happens. Most of them stayed home tonight, it’s understandable, this week was insane, but some of us just really like spending every waking second doing something crazy.
But as I told you: decisions to be made. This guys, I can see them dancing, I know they are having a great time, and I´m certainly not going to get in the middle of that, especially since its their last night here. So, I had to decide: take a taxi by myself or wait.
Its 2 in the morning, but with the blasting music, bright city lights and people walking from one place to another, it could be anytime in the day. I know, however, that past this couple streets, this little town is death. I feel tired, not drunk but for sure not sober, as us tourists say here, “it’s the altitude” (I mean Cusco´s elevation is around 3,400 m, it does have some effect). I made up my mind. “I will do it”. This place is safe, they told me which cabs are the good ones (but God, even in the US people get robbed), I for sure can get home.
I went inside and told my friends I was going home. Some tried to stop me, some couldn´t hear me, and most where either too drunk or distracted to stop me. I know they´ll be so mad tomorrow, but I was too exhausted to stay here and home is only a 5 min drive away. I went back outside and apparently there was a cab from the club, that could take me home. I asked the driver for the price, “10 Soles” the driver said, and I knew I could do better. I knew I could get the other taxis down to 8. So me and my cheap self walked to another cab, asked for the priced and bargained to down to 9 (at least it was less than 10). The moment I opened the door and got inside everything felt like a bad decision. With my phone with the emergency numbered dialed, the exact money for the fare and probably a very nervous face, the taxi drove me home. I was attentive every time it stopped, every time the driver looked back to the passenger seat, even when the driver tried to speak to me I tried to keep the conversation as relaxed as possible (I wouldn´t want my nerves to show).
The moment I saw the door I was so relived. I payed the fare, got the key from my jacket´s pocket and even though I struggled for a couple seconds (probably because I was still nervous), I got inside and felt safe. To my surprise almost everyone that stayed home was still awake. I knew I had some explaining to do because I got there by myself. I went up to the roof, or “terrace” as we liked to call it. They asked me and I explained what happened. What they answered after surprised me. “Dude, common, I mean it is Peru, but it’s safe, you are a guy it’s not like something bad could actually happen to you”. They were right. I mean, the taxi driver, she was actually a pretty nice person, the ride wasn´t bad at all and I saved that one Sol.
