This made my day: Cabby turns up at passenger's door with phone and other belongings he left behind

Most of us have experienced losing a personal item before — be it a mobile phone, wallet, or some cash. It’s frustrating so imagine losing a number of your most important belongings, all at once.

That was what happened to Rex Woon on Monday (May 24). He posted about it on Facebook group ROADS.sg a day later, and thankfully for him, his story ended on a happy note. 

It all began with him taking a cab ride and having a casual conversation with the taxi driver. Both men were chatting over how Covid-19 had impacted their lives and made it hard for them to make ends meet. 

Deep in conversation, the cabby almost missed the intended drop-off point. As he was in a hurry, Woon exited the taxi, not realising that he left his mobile phone, identification card, two credit cards, and $100 cash behind in the cab.

When he discovered this, the passenger panicked as he didn't take notice of the taxi's license plate.

He continuously called his mobile number but no one picked up his calls. 

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"I even rushed all the way back to the taxi stand at Jurong Point, hoping to find him. Nothing," Woon wrote.

Resigned to the fact that he’d lost all those items, he went home devastated.

To his surprise, the cabby later turned up at Woon's door with his lost mobile phone and other belongings all intact. 

This was when he found out that the cabby did not pick up his calls earlier as he did not know how to operate the man’s smartphone.

Woon then decided to pass him the $100 cash as a thank you gesture.

“I forgot to ask his name. I wish I could have given him more as it is really hard to find a kind and helpful person like him,” he added.

The cabby's honest act received plenty of praise from Facebook users. Most were glad to see positive stories being shared on social media.

Others said that Facebook posts tend to be skewed towards the negative or focus on bad deeds but that should be no reflection of Singapore as a society.

They went on to say that people in Singapore are generally nice.

Other Facebook users appreciated the feel-good story in such dire times.

"I really cannot do much to help him. I plea with the public, if you ever board his taxi SHD 2047L, give a little tip and a smile. He truly deserves better. I sincerely thank you from my heart," Woon said as he ended the post.

Taxi drivers and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have been badly hit by the pandemic over the past year.

They've seen their earnings fall with a drop in the number of passengers after Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) kicked in on May 16, and many people in Singapore started working from home or having home-based learning.

With dining in prohibited during this period, some drivers also faced difficulties finding a place to eat or rest.

ALSO READ: No dine-in, no problem: A list of eating and rest spots for essential workers, drivers and frontliners

amierul@asiaone.com