How to Haggle with a Panamanian Taxi Driver

First, some context. Taxi drivers complained and raised a ruckus to prevent Uber from bringing disruption to Panamá. Other than airport taxis, where fares are regulated, there are no set fares and taxis don’t have meters. If you flag a taxi on the street, you should negotiate price up front. And have in mind what… Continue reading How to Haggle with a Panamanian Taxi Driver

My First Vaccination

In my first memory of being vaccinated, I wasn’t quite 6 years old. Early 1970s. The nurse, a tall man dressed completely in white except for shiny black shoes, set a stainless steel tray of paraphernalia on a table beside me. He sat on a stool which he rolled up to me and injected one… Continue reading My First Vaccination

Sibling Story, not for the Squeamish

Warning: this story isn’t for the squeamish. My sister lived with me for a few years in Tallahassee while she studied at Florida State University. We shared a two-bedroom, one bath apartment on the ground floor of a fourplex in a leafy neighborhood close to downtown. One night, I roused from bed by a commotion… Continue reading Sibling Story, not for the Squeamish