New Friends: Osama

Everybody, meet Osama:

  For that last four and some months that we have been here, this guy has definitely been a highlight.  He’s a taxi driver, and our friend. 

The first time I got into his cab, we had some small talk (he taught himself english from picking up tourists over the last couple years and from tv and pop songs).  He discovered I was American and he lit up “I LOVE America” (in super thick accent).  I asked him his name and got real quiet and said “ehhhh, no.”  so I pushed him a little bit more and finally he gave in: “Um, well my name is Osama, but I am NOT Osama bin laden!  He very bad!  My new name: Obama!”

Since then, we seem to cross paths an awful lot.  I’ll be walking down the street when I hear someone laying on their horn, I look over and there’s Osama, stopped straight in the middle of the road, hanging halfway out of his window, waving his arms “HELLO DREW!! HELLO FRIEND!!”  How can I no miss that?

Every time he sees me walking anywhere, he offers me free rides: “Where you going?  Get in Get in!!  I don’t need the money, no money from friend!!”

The other night Callan, Austin, Char and I had just walked through the checkpoint and were headed home (about 1.5-2 hr walk) when Osama comes around the corner, sees us and slams on the breaks.  Hanging out the window (this time with a very serious look and a car full of people) “Drew, you stay right there, don’t move, two minutes, don’t move!”

So we waited.

Then we see Osama, squealing around the corner, lights flashing, horn blaring.  We get in, and he’s wearing a jacket that says FBI on it.  He wears it all the time, he loves ot.  I introduce him to our new friends (from America, He loved that) and now that  he had a new audience to perform for, he sang to us, honking and shouting out the window “FBI! Clear the road! American people with me!!”  Ridiculous.   He stopped by the store and waited while I went in and got something. Then he took us home, and of course, wouldn’t accept any money.  So I gave him a hug instead. 

Anyway, he’s one of the locals that I have grown fond of and will be missed.