The story of our 1st car

Ok, literally speaking it was not a car. It was a van. We had a van as our first car in Pakistan.

We have been in Pakistan for a few weeks now. We badly needed transport of our own. Shabbir our Uber driver is ready waiting to join us anytime.

On one fine evening, while we were having our dinner, our friend from another subsidiary in Pakistan informed us that they can spare a van for our use, but the van now is in Islamabad. We need to bring it here to Lahore.

It is the job for our hero, Shabbir. We told him that he needs to go to Islamabad and bring back Toyota Hiace to Lahore. “Are you familiar with Islamabad?”. I asked.
“No problem sir!, I have 12 years of driving experience”, he was quick to ‘angkat bakul’ (bragging about oneself in Malay).

So, there he was on a public bus to Islamabad. We have informed our colleague in Islamabad and gave the details about Shabbir.

By this time, we have already moved in from a hotel to a rental house and it was Ramadhan. Fasting experience in Pakistan was totally different for us. As it was summer, sahur was early. We need to have our sahur at around 2 am as fajar was around 3 am. However, maghrib was still the same as Malaysia around 7 pm. Total fasting hours are more than in Malaysia.

Shabbir came back the next day with our van. As much as we were relieved to have our first car but the sight of the van reminded me of the Suzuki FX Uber drive only this time with AC.

Shabbir was furious. “Sir, we cannot use this Hiace tomorrow. There is an urgent repair needed”. By the sight of the van, I can’t agree more. But I told him that we should plan the repairs that needed to be done during the weekends. “You have driven the van all the way from Islamabad. It will be a much shorter trip to the site from here”.
“Yes sir, I took the risk to drive it all the way here. If I were given a chance I would have sent it to get this one critical repair done before driving it all the way here”.

Was it a yes or no?! I have started to get used to his ‘yes sir’. He almost uses yes sir for all things even when he disagrees with us.

He continued his ranting. “This repair needs to be done immediately 1st thing in the morning tomorrow. It will be dangerous to drive this van in this condition. I know a nearby workshop here that can fix this problem.
If you allow me, I will go early morning tomorrow and get it fixed before we go to the office”.

I was shocked, did we risk his life by letting him drive the van all the way from Islamabad to here in this condition. The drive was equivalent from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. Both the cities are connected by a conducive toll motorway (highway). They also have an elaborate R&R along the motorway. The motorway was built for a dual purpose. Part of the motorway can be transformed into a runway during the war.

We didn’t want to take any unnecessary risk, so we told him that he can go and get the repair done tomorrow. “How much would be the repair cost?”, I quipped.
“It would be around a few hundred rupees, sir”. Back then 100 rupees equal to RM4.

Now I’m confused, what kind of critical repair will cost only a few ringgits.
“Shabbir, what is the critical problem that you want to repair. You told me that you can’t drive it without repairing it but the price sounds very cheap.”.

“Sir, the repair cost is cheap because the spare is readily available here for the parts. The workshop will charge very cheap labor for the replacement”.
“I understand that. But what part that you are talking about?”.
“Sir, it is the horn”.
I cannot explain my feelings hearing that. I thought I might have heard it wrongly. “Pom pom…horn?” I sounded funny but serious in getting the clarification.
“Yes sir…pom pom horn!” he answered seriously.
I don’t have any more words to say. I stood there still for few minutes getting my composure back trying to rationalize what just happened.

Did he get the horn repaired the next day before we go to our office?
You can guess. 

#pakistan #expatriate #culture #powerplant #toyota #uberride #english