Robert Baker makes an uncanny link with his taxi driving job and the multiple relationships he has with women: “Mi show everybody respect because we are all humans,” he says.
While it may be difficult for the average person to make the connection, Baker is convinced that, by extending courtesy to his passengers, even those who, by their behaviour, irritate him, he is able to spread love.
“Dem slam the door and dem come inna di car wid dem muddy shoes,” he argues. “Dem cyaa wipe off the shoes when them come inna di vehicle? Them nuh care!”
“To the way them passenger here gwaan sometimes, it come een like some a dem a duppy. But you just have to be nice, yaah. But me is a man weh hold my composure and just go through because you cyaa please everybody, so mi just waan drive and go through; mi nuh watch no face,” he states.
Baker admits that his penchant for sharing love has landed him in a few uncomfortable situations with his female friends.
“Woman fight over me all the time,” she claims.
“Mi did married and have sweetheart and divorce and living it up,” he continues, explaining, though, that he's not a possessive man.
“Mi nuh own or possess [no one], mi just love. If yu waan love mi, mi will love you back. But mi nah own yu or possess yu. If you feel fi go 'bout yu business, I'll say 'Alright, have a nice time'. If yu come back, I'll say 'Thank you, welcome back',” he says.
Adding that he has always lived by this code, Baker states, “People fi just live dem life and let people live fi dem life. Mi have woman weh fight over mi and mi nah shame dem.
“Dem fight over who fah turn it supposed to be. Who fi come today and who fi come tomorrow. It happen 'bout two times now. Everybody have fi hold dem respect and who fi go home, go home, and who fi stay, stay. Mi nuh choose; who waan stay, stay, and who waan go, go. A part a life, man, just live life,” he states.
He related an encounter at his cousin's house a few years ago when two women with whom he was having relationships confronted each other.
“Mi deh deh wid the girl and when mi look is another girl that show up a the gate. She start mek a whole heap a noise and a tell the other girl fi leave, but she nah move, until them start fight and all mi a try calm them down, dem nah listen. But a just so life go, all mi cousin had to get involved,” he claims.
However, he admits that he could have had handled the situation differently.
“Well, you know how it go already, once a woman realise you have a next woman she a go get mad,” he states.
Name: Robert Baker
Age: 52 years old
Length of career: More than 20 years
Route: Junction to Treasure Beach
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