I reached back LA at 11+pm after the New York day trip and boarded a cab back to hotel. Upon boarding, I said "I'm going to Ramada Hotel at North Vermont Avenue." The taxi driver said he did not know where is the hotel but would drive me to the exact street and I could give him directions. Well, I felt brave and confident enough to do that, after all, we had driven around and I can kinda recognise the area around the hotel. He also said that he did not know how to go by the minor roads and would take the freeway all the way. Of course I knew taking the freeway was a small detour (imagine taking the MRT from Orchard MRT to Raffles Place or City Hall MRT then to the final destination at Bugis MRT, where taking SBS bus service number 7 is faster), but I was tired out from the day and anyway that gets me back to the hotel is good.
He then started chatting, asking where I am from, what I was doing in the US, what I was studying in Oklahoma, where my flight arrived from, what I was doing in New York, yadda, blah, etc. He then started asking personal questions like if I have a boyfriend, whether we are planning to get married, how long we have been together, yadda, blah, etc. I did not think much of it as I felt he had been "Americanized" (he's a Russian and had been in America for the past 7 years) and was just being very friendly. Furthermore, I could recognise that we were on the correct way back to the hotel, and thus did not sense "danger." But still, we were still not near the hotel yet, and he was freaking me out just a teeny bit...
Then, he commented I was a "good person" and very friendly. Ok, friends say that of me also, so again, I did not think much of it. Furthermore, I kept telling myself that he is just very friendly and chatty and brushed aside any thoughts of him as a scary person. I mean, afterall, he exited correctly on the freeway...
As the taxi was a few buildings away from the hotel, he said he would stop the meter here because I was a "good person". As we were pulling into the hotel driveway, he said that if I was free, he would like to bring me out for dinner because I was a "good person". I FREAKED OUT at this very moment. Where got people so damn freaking super duper uber extremely very friendly one?! Within 25-30 minutes on the taxi chatting, you ask someone out for dinner?!
So, I replied that my days are very packed and I would not be free. But this fella would NOT give up. He continued by asking when I was leaving. I told a lie, "a day after tomorrow." I felt bad because I was no longer a "good person", but I felt I had to because he was just getting toooooooo freaky for my comfort!!! I then thanked him for sending me back and said good night. He replied his byes and good night and wished that I have a nice holiday in the US. I quickly got off the taxi and brisk walked back into the hotel... I almost felt that I was running...
I wished I had bought more stuff but I was kinda scared that my debit card account didn't have enough. Bah!(From left to right, top to bottom) Derek Jeter bobble, stadium commemorative replica, thermal mug, Derek Jeter handphone strap, display car plate, Alex Rodriguez tee, Yankees jacket (the most expensive item in the loot), Derek Jeter tee, souvenir bat, Derek Jeter-jersey-patterned bag and "the only team that counts: Yankees" tee...
Universal Studios coming right up!
p/s: So so sorry about such a delayed update on the US trip.
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