Cab Driver

"Gotta go, folks"

I grab a car key on my right pocket and left the other cab drivers as soon as I spotted a customer stood by my cab. It is square, and about 4 centimeters long. No, not the customer, the car key. Others often make fun of this key that I'm still using as people nowadays just wave at their vehicle and the door will open up.

"Hop in, Sir" smiling, I invited the man with what looks like a borrowed suit on and a briefcase by his side into my cab.

He jumps in instantly with a half smile on his face. "Thank you."

I placed the square key on the dashboard and the engine starts. Can't keep everything old school. Sometimes you just have to give in. A camera rested on my lap.

"So, where are you heading to? You look well dressed," I pulled the cab out from the parking lot as soon as it starts floating and hovers about half metre above the street.

"Triple Tower, I have an interview at 2"

His anxious face can be seen from the rear view mirror as he leans towards the backseat. I snap a photo of his expression. A camera always accompanied me when I'm driving. I'm a cab driver who loves to take random photos, or a photographer who love to give ride to random people on a cab. You decide.

"You're pretty early. That's a good sign. What job, if you don't mind?"

"No, not at all. People at Triple Tower have a new project. They needed some manpower and I'm just trying my luck."

With the briefcase on his lap, he closes his eyes and starts mumbling without me asking anything further.

"Can't quite believe there is still vacancy for human there when I first saw their ad. You know since The Dawn, androids and technologies took over everything. I used to work at this architecture company, but human contribution doesn't fancy them anymore. Got kicked out just like that, after 15 years of service."

The Dawn, year of 2050. Where science and technology hit their peak. They are so dissolved into today's life that people got replaced by them little by little, leaving human struggling to put the bread on the table.

"Worry not Sir, we always found ways to live. After all, we're the one who created those androids, we should be able to control them instead of the other way around."

"Well, God created us. Look at us now."

"Hmm.."

I take a photo of National Museum from the side mirror as the cab pass through the building.

"Fuck the technology, fuck the androids! We don't need them," said the man while he pulls out a brand new high-tech cigarette and put it on his lips. It lights on its own.

I chuckle and let him continue.

"You heard about what happened at Taman South kindergarten last week? A child died under an androids' watch. It was just another proof that human can't simply be replaced by them. No matter how developed the technologies are, there are certain set of skills that cannot be replaced, are you with me?"

"Yes and no. Lack of emotion can be channelled to the right way. Working well under pressure, or following orders without questions for instance. They eliminate a lot of negative mind-set and attitude possessed by human. Plus, they don't go missing for breakfast for 2 hours, and then another 2 hours for lunch. Androids are efficient."

"Following order? Are you sure these things are just following orders? The microchip inside them is nerve-racking; it's like their own brain. God knows what they have in their mind."