A Dark Night in Quito

I must look like a Republican tonight. My taxi driver began our drive by asking if I was a "friend of Bush." I assured him that in fact, I had volunteered for the Kerry campaign. He seemed doubtful. "Why did Kerry lose?" he then asked me. "How could the American people have elected Bush again?"

I gave him a few reasons, mostly mistakes I felt were made by the Kerry campaign, but also encompassing outside factors such as Bin Laden's last minute tape. He kept asking for more. "Y la cuarta razon?" he demanded ("And the fourth reason?) I provided one. So he asked for a fifth--"Y la quinta?"

He then asked me if I was here in Ecuador to help someone or another whose name escaped me. I admitted I didn't know who that was. He again seemed doubtful. "Es el presidente!" he chided me. He then invited me to a protest march tomorrow. Apparently all of Quito is going up in arms circa one in the afternoon. I thanked him politely, then noticed that he was overcharging me for the ride by about $4 (out of $5.) When I pointed this out to him, he scowled and said, "I know you're really a friend of Bush's."

I gave him $2. He didn't protest, and I exited the scene a bit amused and more than a bit annoyed.