I have been know to be impatient. If one were to ask my family, friends or colleague whether I am a patient guy, I believe all of them would say NO  in a jiffy.

I am impatient with bad services,  rude service providers, snail pace responses, some people’s lack of common sense and sometimes to people who do not see my simple point of view. Yeahhhh … I  know its not good, I admit.

Well, until as I was having my vacation in Paris recently with my family, I realized that living in Jakarta has taught me to be PATIENT in one area. The TRAFFIC.

I happpend to be in Paris on the 2 days (23-24 June) where they had a “demonstration carnival” in their push to bid as host for the 2024 Olympic Games. Roads were closed, sites were quardonned off and naturally traffic was in total chaos.

I rode in 2 taxis and they told me they have not experienced such “bad traffic” before. I could see them being frustrated, honking, driving precariously as they tried to not give way at all to whatever that is in front of them. Braking, accelerating, jerking. Geez it was really an unpleasant ride. Their body language showed annoyance. They seemed to be uttering words which I believe are some curse words in French.

Yes they were really VERY IMPATIENT. They told me that a normal 20 minute ride has now taken them 40 minutes and they are PISSED OFF.

I looked at my wife and smiled. Besides the jerking, we were completely at ease with a 40 minute ride. Ha ha …. we are from Jakarta, monsieur  !! Our normal car rides would be 1-2 hours on average.

I even guided the taxi driver using google maps and asking him to avoid all the “red stretch of roads”, with a smile and some humour. He was impressed at my cheerfulness and PATIENCE.

We arrived at our destination finally after a 20 minutes delay. We were calm but our driver was fuming mad, cursing the govt for not thinking of the public and he could not understand why or how an Olympic event can be organized in Paris. He dropped us off at 4 pm and he told us that he is going straight home and he will be home the next day too. 

” It is stupid to be out here” he said.

I turned to my wife and told her smugly  ” Dear, I am not so impatient after all, am I “