We’re speeding through the streets of Buenos Aires. I’m on my way to dance tango on a Sunday night, heels in my purse. The cab driver is rocking out, drumming his hands on his steering wheel to a pop song. His enthusiasm is remarkable.
It’s Lady Gaga singing “Bad Romance,” that song where she goes, RAAA RAAA RAAA AHH AHH AHH. I take another look at the front of the cab and notice a photo of Lady Gaga hanging from the mirror.
“Do you like Lady Gaga?” I ask.
“Love her! Love her.” While we are stopped at a red light, he shows me a tattoo on his forearm of Lady Gaga’s face.
“What do you like about her?” I ask.
“Everything.”
“One thing. Tell me one thing.”
“Her talent. Her creativity.” he points to his head. “Her body. Her ass.” He laughs.
He then pointed to his keychain. A photo of Lady Gaga. Then he showed me his phone. Also a photo of Lady Gaga.
“Did you ever see her live in concert?”
“Yes, of course. I recorded this.” He is playing a concert recording.
In the recording, Lady Gaga starts to talk about standing up for the lesbian, the bi, the gay, the trans. She’s a big gay rights advocate.
“Do you like her?” he asks.
“For me she is a symbol of individuality,” I say. “I like that about her.”
“That too,” he says. “She’s different. She’s for the different ones.”
My cab driver’s dream is to see her in Madison Square Garden. In Lady Gaga’s hometown of Manhattan.
“I have ten t-shirts of Lady Gaga but I’m not wearing any tonight,” he says.
A grown man, probably in his late 40s, totally wild about Lady Gaga, unafraid to make his passion obvious to everyone who steps into his cab.
The world is a wonderful place. When we arrive at my destination, I have a big smile on my face. I love meeting quirky, passionate characters.
P.S. I was also happy because I think of Lady Gaga as an icon of quirky, and I’m getting ready to teach the first session of my course GetQuirky. Registration for GetQuirky closes Friday, April 19. If you want in on this initial run of GetQuirky sign up today! It’s a 30-day creative and reflective journey of quirky through your own life, writing, reflecting, going on adventures. We’re going to have fun, be creative and look at the world from different angles. You’ll get inspiration to shine as your quirky self (just like Lady Gaga does) in a community of like-minded folks.Sign up today and join us! This is Lady Q Sasha Cagen signing off.
What a beautiful affirmation of quirkiness! “She’s for the different ones…” I hope someone can say that about me someday.