By: Andrew Uyeno
One of the best ways to learn life lessons is to sit down and listen. As everyone and their moms now take Uber, it’s the perfect place to do just that. Every driver has his or her own advice and stories, and they could change your perspective of the world. After taking hundreds of Ubers from home to work, GO stations and just around LA, here are some of the most interesting people I’ve met and the lessons I’ve learned.
John:
John picked me up in Oshawa late-May. He waved me over to his Hyundai Sonata by the GO Station. Once the car started, he began to tell me his life story. John explains to me about how he used to be a high school teacher who taught computers. Before moving to the GTA, he lived in Montreal for a few years. The way John talks about his past, he sounds like he was a little bit of a rebel. I have never seen an Uber driver happier than John when he was talking to me about trains. At first you might not have guessed but he is one of the biggest train aficionados you will meet. On his spare time, he enjoys taking pictures of locomotives for a newsletter based out of Quebec. So no matter where John goes, he always has his camera in the trunk of his Hyundai. After about 15 minutes of driving, John really started to open up. He mentioned that he has been divorced, but don’t worry because he is now happily remarried to an amazing woman. The greatest thing John taught me was to take what life throws at you and go with the flow. Life didn’t go as expected for him, but he says he’s never been happier.
Harmeet:
The friendly driver of a Nissan Sentra picked up my girlfriend and me from my house. Harmeet looked tired as he had just finished an overnight shift at a hotel. He’s currently saving up for a house with his wife of 6 years. After hearing that, my girlfriend immediately wanted to know the secret to being in a long-term relationship. Harmeet proceeds to tell us that compromise is huge in a healthy relationship. He laughs while ge looked at me. “Just say, yes dear a lot,” he said. Harmeet tells us that we are going to have to change our ways so that we are both comfortable in the relationship. Compromise, he stressed, is key.
Mark:
Sometimes all you have to do is listen, so open your ears. Our driver Mark was eager to tell us his Uber tales. As we stepped into his car, he talked about how he basically saved a guy from a bar fight. Okay, sort of. He picked someone up from the Thompson Dinner who came in and instantly hit the floor. Mark wondered whether he should hit the floor too until he saw a fight break out a few feet away from his car. In the heat of the action, Mark sped off in reverse, losing them in a tight alleyway. While listening to these stories, I said “No way” and “Are you kidding me?” a lot. And if those stories weren’t enough for us he continues to tell us more and more insane tales. After minutes of begging, he finally tells us one of his top ten stories of all time. He tells us of the time he picked up a couple who couldn’t wait to get home. Let’s just say Mark saw a lot more than he wanted to.
Vivek:
The biggest thing we can learn from Vivek is no dream is ever too big. He is not just an Uber driver, Vivek is also a classically-trained singer who has dreams of being in a world famous metal band. As he played my dad and me his Iron Maiden covers, you could hear the passion in his voice. It was during one of the worst storms this year, and even as the car swerved through the snow, he never once stopped singing or talking about music. Vivek explained to us how hard it is to find a solid band who is as passionate about the music as he his. The lesson we can learn here, is no matter who you are or where you work, never ever give up on your dreams. Vivek, I hope to see you on the stage soon.
