Not Just Another Taxi Driver In Beijing

I have to go back a bit to explain this story. Back in May/June, Thunder was coming out of work to hail a cab, just like every day. A driver came up to him and asked in good English if we needed a ride. So began the saga of Mr. Ma. Since that day Mr. Ma has been our number one driver! He takes me to the airport, picks me up and has done the same for Dude and Matt. He is the driver that took us to the Great Wall and any special events we may need a driver. He has arranged for his friend Lee Dong to pick David up every morning at the apartment to get him to work. (She lives closer than Mr. Ma)

I noticed on my first ride with him that he had a list of all of the States quarters. Some had check marks but most didn't. So I made a note of this and brought him all of the ones he was misssing. He was so grateful, because we also brought him a five dollar bill "with color" and a two dollar bill! As he told me one day, "For many year, paper money in America, just one color?"

Well for some time now he's been wanting to take us out for dinner, saying "I pay". So last night we finally got the chance to go. He took us to an authentic Hot Pot out in the country. Oh my, such good food and he trully seemed to enjoy himself and learning more English. He has also helped David and me with the Chinese language! We gave him a stocking with candy from "America" and all of the stray coins we have amassed from the states, Malayasia, Europe, Japan and whatever else we had on hand. You see, his daughter had just gotten her first "Pickey bank" which we explained was really a "Piggy Bank".

We asked him on the ride home how many taxis there are in Beijing? His reply, "Over 70,000". I think with odds like that Thunder should hit the casinos when he gets back home, because he really did hit the jackpot in finding Mr. Ma, we will miss him!