A Conversation with a Jordanian Taxi Driver
I've heard that a lot of Jordanian taxi drivers are spies of the government sent to keep watch on the Jordanian people. Someone told me 1 in 10. I don't know if it's true, but this conversation was definitely strange. I was taking a taxi across town, which took about a half an hour in the traffic, so we had a while to talk. For your information, the driver was around 40 years old, an avid smoker, and had a booming voice. We started talking about the war, how I'm going to America, and what Beirut is like to live in. Here is what it became, in loose translation:
Mostly, I'm just amazed at how open he was, even after my pretending to be straight. Is he really that free with his words? Am I obviously gay? Or am I just too hot to resist? (Haha.)
I'm not going to call him, if you're wondering.
Taxi Driver: Do you have a boyfriend of girlfriend in Beirut?I got out of the car quite quickly, but gave him a nice tip - I always tip gay people well. It was scary, but interesting, and not the only gay come-on I've gotten in Jordan. The conversation would be funnier if I included the parts cut out, but I cannot, in good taste, do that. I try to keep this site clean.
Me: I have a girlfriend.
TD: Really? What's her name?
Me: Amal. She's Shi'a.
TD: Is she pretty?
Me: She's okay. (Here I explain what my imaginary girlfriend looks like. For the record, I do not tell random taxi drivers I'm gay. It's not a good policy.)
TD: Do you like only girls?
Me: Yes. You?
TD: I like men only.
Me: (Laughing.) You say it so openly.
TD: What do I care what people think?
Me: Do you have a boyfriend?
TD: No. I had a boyfriend three years ago. He was American. Every been with a black?
Me: No.
TD: (Some things about black people I won't repeat.) He was great. He was here for 8 weeks. Every day for 56 days, I would go to his apartment after work and we'd...(Some gestures I won't explain.)
Me: (Laughing hard and trying to move on to another subject.) Really? Do you meet people often?
TD: Sometimes.
Me: How do you meet them? Is there a bar or something you go to? (I'm trying not to seem too interested, but I'm truly very curious.)
TD: I meet them in the taxi. (Of course!)
Me: Interesting. (We pull up to where I'm getting out.)
TD: If you ever need a taxi, here's my number. (He writes his number on a pack of cigarettes and gives it to me.) Call me any time.
Mostly, I'm just amazed at how open he was, even after my pretending to be straight. Is he really that free with his words? Am I obviously gay? Or am I just too hot to resist? (Haha.)
I'm not going to call him, if you're wondering.
posted by Al-Fil at 10:35 PM
13 Comments:
My bet is on obviously gay.
I had similar 'problems' with hotel staff when I was in Jordan. Oh! the difficulties of foreign travel. Yum.
I wouldn't worry; some people just have superhuman gaydars. Sadly, I'm not one of them.
My vote is for irresistable :)
was he cute??
i've had this same conversation with several cabbies here in nyc.
Jordanians are very bisexual. I am european but I visit Jordan regularly for work. I have had countless experiences with taxi drivers, and especially the boys from the army. A few years back when there was not so much police presence in the streets, there were lots of bored horny lonely soldiers looking after embassies and all sort of official buildings. I am not obviosly gay but after a short conversation sooner or later we would start talking about sex and I would be invited into the building, where things would happen to different degree depending on the person. But they always seemed so relaxed and comfortable about it :-) a lot more than me, I would always be so nervous! The machine gun didnt help either.
Passionately kissing a beautiful fully uniformed and armed blue eyed jordanian soldier, in the street, in the middle of the night, is a great memory to treasure!
It cant happen anymore, there are too many police running around checking on everybody. I blame Bin Laden and Al Qaeda for it :-(
Anyway I have a beautiful boyfriend now and I dont play those games anymore, but it was great fun!
Cool! .I might as well go visit jordan . If only there were women taxi drivers ,lol .Any other jordanian gay/lesbian stories ?.
Yep, there are Jordanian dykes! I was working there earlier this year and while it seemed a lot easier for the boys to pick up (A LOT of the guys seemed interested in boys, interesting indeed...), there were certainly girls too. It was trickier in the sense that the girls usually couldn't stay out all night so that made things difficult to get together, but they are there. There used to be a bit of a girl bar but it was closed down because the secret police got a bit nosey, from what I understand.
i would have loved the follow up, (LOL) good to know that you like gays..^^
I had a similar encounter with the Jordanian police officer at the Movenpick Hotel in Petra, Im Australian with Lebanese heritage so I was speaking to him in Arabic, then he started asking the questions, do you have a gf or bf, how is the gaylife in Australia and I would answer Im not sure but im sure there is one, Id like to visit Australia rah rah rah then he brought out his cell phone and started watching porn (straight ofcourse)... Was a great looking guy but unfortunate I wouldnt risk it.
Oh my god! I had a similar experience just last week. This guy however couldn't resist and grabbed my crotch!
see http://ajaanib.blogspot.com for the story
all you gay, bisexual people will burn in hell,God is watching.... Now laugh at that I dare you
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