Do You Have a Nemesis?
by Marian Lorraine
Sadly, we have, like, 30-odd nemeses: the little guy at the deli who undercooked our eggs this morning, the guy down the block who’s always washing his car, the guy across the hall who won’t stop listening to Appetite for Destruction, the guy who publishes this magazine…
muhammad
Where I hailed him: Soho
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Always a driver
My neighbor, definitely. I’m always having to yell out the window to have him turn his music off. He has stuff playing at two in the morning. I have little kids! I can’t deal with that, you know?
hugo
Where I hailed him: Port Authority
Where he hails from: Puerto Rico
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Busboy
Like, if I was the hero, who would be the bad guy? I don’t know. I am a hero. Probably the biggest enemy I’ve had as a driver is people who try to run out without paying, or one man who yelled at me for everything. It’s not my fault there’s traffic, buddy. That guy is probably not my real enemy, but I think if I were to see him again I would recognize him, then drive off just as he was trying to enter.
sufe
Where I hailed him: West Village
Where he hails from: North Africa
Years as a cabbie: 2
Previous profession: Tailor
I get into fights sometimes, but I have no nemesis. I do what I gotta do, and I don’t hate nobody from the bottom of my heart. After a day or two, if I have a disagreement, I will forgive you, and then we both keep doing what we gotta do.
victor
Where I hailed him: Hell’s Kitchen
Where he hails from: Queens
Years as a cabbie: 2
Previous profession: Delivery truck driver
I can’t think of one, but a buddy of mine, he has one. His wife left him. An ex-wife, now there’s a nemesis. In fact, when they started dating he got a tattoo of her name on his arm. Then she left him, and he got a big black line drawn through the name.
mian
Where I hailed her: East Village
Where she hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 2
Previous profession: Teacher’s assistant
I’m a girl, so all my enemies are girls. Obviously, I’m not afraid of them. I have no male nemesis, but I have a girl one. Girls just can’t be happy for each other. Let’s just say this girl is my nemesis because she’s jealous. But I don’t focus on her. I focus on the people who love me.
