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By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter



Dubai: A taxi driver, who returned Dh5,000 to a customer who had forgotten his wallet in his taxi, says that he can't remember the number of times he has returned forgotten belongings, but insists that God eventually rewards him "in some way or the other".

Fifty-one-year-old Egyptian, Mustafa Abbas, is a former manager at Egypt's ministry of finance, and has been driving a taxi for Dubai Transport for almost four years.

"I came here with the intention to work at a bank, and even got an offer at a prominent bank in Dubai but my visa didn't work out. I needed the money so I tried again as a taxi driver, and have been driving my taxi since," said the father of three.

Recently, a customer dropped his wallet with credit cards and approximately Dh5,000 in Abbas's taxi, and was astonished to get a phone call notifying him of his loss.

"I didn't know about it till I got a call from the driver ... I checked my pocket and was shocked that the wallet was not there", Aftab Khan, a Pakistan-based lawyer, told Gulf News over the phone. "Usually, when you forget something in a taxi, you don't expect to get it back. Even if the taxi driver is honest, there is a chance that other customers who sit in his car will take it".

According to Abbas, taxi drivers usually report lost items to the company or the police but Abbas opened the wallet and found a picture he could recognise as one of his fares, as well as a name and phone number.

He called the number to notify Khan about his lost wallet not knowing that it contained the equivalent of his two months' salary, as well as a number of credit cards.

Abbas says that he did not charge Khan for the drive back to hand over his wallet because it was on his way, but adds that he eventually accepted a $100 (Dh367) reward which he believes is, along with a reward presented to him by Gulf News, God's appreciation for his good deeds.

While at the offices of Gulf News, Abbas was met by Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief, who praised his honesty.

Abbas claims that being a taxi driver is no easy job. Besides the "obvious" hardships of the job such as traffic, "the odd rude customer" and the ongoing construction, he says, a taxi driver's job entails responsibility.

"A taxi driver is the first person a visitor to Dubai meets when he arrives here. I am his first impression of Dubai. If he doesn't find a nice person in me, he'll get a bad image of Dubai", he says.

"Therefore, my duty is more than dropping a customer to his destination. It is to make people feel comfortable and at ease," he says, adding that he also finds it important to "absorb" the temper of angry fares by trying to be understanding and friendly.

Even at his "old" age, Abbas says, he learns new things every day. According to him, Dubai compensates his need to visit different countries because "the whole world comes here", which he can only truly experience driving a taxi.

Through his encounters with the various nationalities, Abbas has been able to use the five languages he speaks, and sharpen his skills in them. "I can speak Arabic, English, French, German and Italian, and try to speak to all my customers in their own language".

One of the things that are good about living in this city .. if you lose something chances are really high you will get it back ..

what a fantastic story - shame we dont read more articles like that in the papers, it helps to restores one's faith.

wow..im soo impressed..i never knew these kinds of ppl actully exist..we need more ppl like him

Shame he wasn't the taxi driver who carried my friend home, who then took his wallet, and due to circumstances my friend is now going to jail and will be deported.

^ian^ wrote:Shame he wasn't the taxi driver who carried my friend home, who then took his wallet, and due to circumstances my friend is now going to jail and will be deported.

more details Dr. D!!

That taxi driver is a star !

Ian...tell us more

ur friend is being deported cause he lost his wallet?????

Nah its probably something like this:

This did actually happen to one of my friend’s brothers 6 years ago.

The brother was out at the pub and got a little too wrecked, when it was time to go home he took a taxi, the taxi driver noticed he was really wasted, after he left the bar the driver stopped the taxi on a side road stole the guys wallet and then dropped him at the police station where he received jail time.

A few people told me that back in the day the police would give people money if they brought drunk people in, I don’t know if that is a Dubai urban legend or not though.

It's a long story, nothing like what Fayz has said.

^ian^ wrote:It's a long story, nothing like what Fayz has said.

Now you have us all chomping at the bit waiting to hear the story, come on Ian, lets hear it m8.

thanks MaaaD, Very nice story to start the day! hurray to that man, he is a role model

Legend!

iapetus11 wrote:Legend!

Yes?

fayz wrote:A few people told me that back in the day the police would give people money if they brought drunk people in, I don’t know if that is a Dubai urban legend or not though.

The police has no reason to give out money for bringing in drunks. It is easier for them to save money just sitting outside bars.

[quote="MaaaD"]By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter

Fifty-one-year-old Egyptian, Mustafa Abbas, is a former manager at Egypt's ministry of finance, and has been driving a taxi for Dubai Transport for almost four years.

[quote]

Obviously being a Manager at Egypt's Minister of Finance does not pay well!

Great story.

ohhhhhhhhhhh come on Ian, you gotta tell us now, if you wont pm me the story and i will keep it secret

but i wanna know too

fayz wrote:Nah its probably something like this:

This did actually happen to one of my friend’s brothers 6 years ago.

The brother was out at the pub and got a little too wrecked, when it was time to go home he took a taxi, the taxi driver noticed he was really wasted, after he left the bar the driver stopped the taxi on a side road stole the guys wallet and then dropped him at the police station where he received jail time.

A few people told me that back in the day the police would give people money if they brought drunk people in, I don’t know if that is a Dubai urban legend or not though.

this story bought alot of memories hahahhahahhah

coz we used 2 get wasted but then the gangsta part used to pop in as soon as we get tipsy so we used 2 beat the cab driver den run from the nigga hahahahh shit happened lot of times & if we felt sorry for the nigga we used juss run hahahhahahahhah


Don
I$H

hahahahaha ....

memories huh hhahahahhahahah



DON
I$H

u feel me

word to the motha homie cos u know i aint lettin no one take me down like dat

Don
I$H

BIG UP BIG UP

the $.J DON'S massive crew....

lol lets big it up peeps