Cab Driver Conspiracy du Jour

If you're ever bored and looking for good cheap entertainment in Beirut, just jump in a cab. Once I rode with the improvisational poetry champion on "Almumayazoun", another time I had a driver fall asleep at the wheel. Of course there is the regular fight on where the drop off point is. Also, always be ready for the indecisive driver who tells you to get in and then changes his mind half way to your destination and just tells you to get out. This one time I got in a cab in Hamra to Downtown, I get into my newspaper when bubba decided he doesn't like downtown anymore and asks me to get out. I had no idea where I was , after a few inquiries it turns out I was in El Basta. Wait, I was closer to Downtown when I got in the Cab.

... and there are always the political conspiracy theories.

Today as we passed in front of the Saudi Embassy and saw the heavy security presence there, I was let in on this little secret:
"Russia was behind 9-11 and all the terrorism attacks against U.S. and their allies. They can't compete with the U.S. cleanly so they are doing it thuggishly. Now the Russians want to sabotage Lebanon because we are getting closer to the U.S. and that son of a bitch Aoun is their man here."



Shhhh.... Don't tell anyone.