An Interview with A Taxi Uncle

Following the interview with Catherine Lim, we asked Mr Patrick Lim, a taxi driver with Comfort Delgro, for his help for the project. We asked him to read 'The Taximan's Story' in preparation for the interview. These were the questions we asked him, in brief.

1. His background
2. His opinion on the story
3. His own observations
4. His experiences as a taxidriver

Below is the the interview:

Mr Lim agrees mostly with what he has read in 'The Taximan's Story', and proceeds to share some of his own observations. His sojourn with the story seems to have brought back some of his memories about those days - such as how he worked in the day and how he had had a few encounters similar to the one shown in the story. When asked about change in Singapore and whether the values of those days still apply, he concurs with what he has read. He reminisces fondly about some of the traditions and practices of the past, but seems to readily embrace this change that Singapore has been going through.

The interview with Mr Lim gives us a more modern context for 'The Taximan's Story'. Even though it was written decades ago, the sentiments expressed in the story are still held by more "modern" taximen. The parallel between the fictional taximan and our real taximan are many - both are middle aged Singaporean males and both have daughters and have been driving a taxi for a while. Through the course of the interview, we also can see how similar their views are. 

When we compare his input to that of Catherine Lim's, we noted that their views are congruous to each other's. Both note that there is change in Singapore; it is now different from when they were younger. The progress that Singapore has made through the years has eroded some of the traditions that were emphasised in those days, and both Catherine Lim and the taxi uncle hint at the sadness that they are now no longer as practised, especially for the value of respect for the elderly. The conflict between tradition and modernity has also been discussed, and both agree that it is an issue still relevant today. Mr Lim's observation that the change comes with progress is echoed also by Catherine Lim. Citing examples of traditions being not as stringently enforced as it was in the past, the taxi uncle suggests laughingly through a joke that some traditional values are only seen when there is a pragmatic driver behind it (such as receiving a red packet). Catherine Lim points at the same thing, as it "almost pains [her] to see the elderly resigned, sighingly deferring to the young", suggesting a practice not tolerated in the yesteryears. Tradition and modernity are still struggling to find their place in society as the country progresses tremendously through the years, although it is now manifested differently.

With the perspectives of Catherine Lim and Mr Lim, we are able to appreciate 'The Taximan's Story' better than when we first came across it. There is a deeper understanding of the concerns raised through the story, and while perhaps it should be a little worrying that they are still issues in Singapore today, we are now more aware of some of the views that the older generation may have of us. 'The Taximan's Story' grows on us a little more every time we read it, and the opportunity to explore the perspectives in the story has been extremely interesting.