你很笨 leh! - One interesting cab ride

Flagged a cab today to campus as I didn't feel like spending over an hour with the bus. The wait was ok but I should've noticed the signs when the cabby didn't even bother driving up to where I stand and made me cross the street instead.
It wasn't until I got really close that I realized he's a really old guy. I later found out that he's in his early 70s.

Anyway it started off as any other cab ride until the guy started interrogating me on the reason why my English was different than the local version. At first he was quite impressed that given my country of origin that I could understand and speak a bit of Chinese, but the discussion then just went tumbling down the hill afterwards. He started interrogating me about what I do and used to do. Silly me didn't think that such an old man can be so scarily fierce and just answered all his questions in a matter-of-factly way.

I really didn't expect the guy just completely go berserk once he heard what I did a few months ago.
" 你很笨leh！为什么要回来？可以住美国不要住？？？你真得很笨 leh!!!"
(Unofficial translation: YOU MORON!! ARE YOU STUPID OR WHAT!??!You could've stayed in US and you chose not to???!?!? )
He was talking at the top of his lungs. He couldn't believe anyone with the right mind would have done what I did. I could see his eyes from the rear view mirror and I could tell he was fuming. I think if I were in any way related to him, he would've yanked my hair and dragged me out of the car and just beat the heck out of me.

Trust me, he was REALLY scary.
He then spent the rest of my cab ride lecturing me about how one should not be a 井底蛙 (literal translation: frog at the bottom of a well -- a dry one, I hope) and how one should aspire to be a 海鸥 (seagull, I think).
He told me about how his son is in Australia and is doing really well and happy there and doesn't even want to come back.
"This place is not for humans to live in" he said. He then asked what I thought I would get from this place. I went for the easy "dunno" way out. Didn't see the use of getting into an argument with him.

He then went on about how US is such a good place to live, with its totally chemical-free fruits and vegetables, and chickens that are not injected with hormones (HUH?!?!??!?), its laid-back lifestyle, where everything is just beautiful and perfect.
It's amazing anyone could be so misled about US, huh?
And even more so, that this is all coming from someone who most probably had never been to US. Or maybe that's actually why he could've been so misled in the first place.

I waited until we got really close to where I was gonna get off, and politely asked:
"Uncle (local way to address older male individuals), since you seem to like the place so much and since you're son is doing so well out there, so how come you're driving a cab here? Why are you not there with him?You should go and stay with him there.Let him take care of you now."
"Ah? Me?"
I must have caught him offguard.
"Yup."
There was a few seconds of silence.
" I don't like bread leh...........I prefer rice."
He laughed and I faked a laugh to go along with it.
" I told my son that I'll go there when I'm older and senile, so I can eat anything."
What a lame excuse, I thought.

And there, right at that second, I felt bad. I felt sorry for him.
I know that some senior citizens nowadays prefer to live by themselves, working to support themselves and to maintain their independence, like my grandparents. However, I also know that not all of them have the benefit of a choice as my grandparents do.What if that's the case with him?
What if I had just made another cut in an open wound?

I remember somewhere along the way, the guy heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head showing a strong disappointment.
" Haiya,......真替你可惜啊...."
He sounded like he was genuinely concerned.

Then I remember my late paternal grampa.
Although he was never as nosy as this guy, I could see some similarities in their "tough guy, tough love" style. Grampa was both the coolest and the grumpiest guy all in one. He said very little when unnecessary but when he's pissed off about something, his old fiery side would come out right away.

I wonder if he would've said the same thing to me:
"你很笨leh!"
I hope not.