My sister was visiting Boston, all the way from Dubai for her son’s graduation with an MBA from MIT. Of course I had to visit her. Since my trip was a last minute decision, I had to get me a burner phone, to appease my daiughter, and complete a number of tasks ahead of my trip, since I was London bound after I returned.
Finally on Saturday, May 17, 2025, I boarded my flight to Boston. I had woken up at 4:30 am and showered, made myself coffee in a takeaway cup and driven to the airport. I used Park n fly instead of Ubering. My flight was at 8:15 and I thought I had checked in a comfortable 2 hours before my flight. However, the lines were long both at security and US immigration - which happens in Toronto- and so it was touch and go. I made it to the gate just 10 minutes before takeoff. Being the Canadian long weekend, lots of people were travelling to all destinations and, it appeared, a good chunk to the US. I had miscalculated the rush to the US since road border crossings have greatly reduced due to the tariff feud between the two countries. Also they may not have planned for this surge on this particular day?
I landed in Boston at 9:55 AM. I followed the signs for the Ride App. I requested an Uber. I was not surprised to find Ride Apps being championed with designated spots for drivers to wait for their fares. After all, this was Boston! The app first indicated #22 as the spot where I could find my driver. On the phone the Uber App said my driver was on their way initially and then that they had arrived . So I looked around and not seeing the car texted to ask them where they were. They said #22. I turned to see #22 and a shiny white car packed there. Did I check the make and model? Did I check the license plate? No to both! I just asssumed the driver had indicated she had arrived and was already parked there. I was soon to learn that Uber drivers in Boston are mostly Hispanic, with no English. When I headed towards the car the driver immediately opened the boot as if they were expecting me. I put my bag in and settled down comfortably in the car. It occurred to me the driver looked less “pretty” than in the picture on the Apo. In fact he was an average looking middle aged man! I immediately wondered if he was the driver associated with the car or if he was subbing for his pretty wife. Goes to show how the mind will go to absurd places to justify its decision to get into the wrong car! About 5 minutes, he perhaps realized I was not as young or as pretty as the picture of the fare that popped up on his phone?! What can I say, he was smarter than me?! He somehow dredged up enough English to point to his phone and ask me if I was “Ravneet”. In that moment I too realized he had picked up the wrong fare. I am sure he uttered a few choice curses and called me choice names under his breath! I immediately texted my driver who was still waiting at the designated #22 spot. I was dinged with an USD 8 waiting fee! At least not twice the fare! She was indeed a beautiful Latin American woman whose picture had been on the app. So my trip to Boston started with some drama adding spice to my trip!
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