We approach a bend at 150 km/h. Suddenly my cab driver lets go the wheel, jerks around in his seat and starts hissing like a snake.

I freeze in the backseat. Is he for real? He seemed so normal when I boarded the cab at KLIA.

“Senawang," I had said.

“Senawang…” He jokingly added, “Bukan Sungei Wang ah?”

I said “Sungei Wang sudah tutup la.”

He gave a small laugh and we were off – routine small talk for a routine cab ride.

However, within the first minute, I realized that my journey tonight was to be anything but routine.

He picked up speed way too quickly and drove too close to the divider. And this is before we even get to the highway.

Now, as we approach our first bend, he suddenly lets go the wheel, performs some “silat” movements (local martial arts) and starts hissing and snorting.

I’m tempted to pray in tongues – thinking that there might be more than just the two of us in the cab. But faith gives way to logic, and I foolishly stop myself for fear that my prayers will cause him to manifest and drive the cab into a divider. Sigh, when will I ever learn to trust?

Halfway into this bizarre journey, I notice a pattern. He becomes subhuman only when there’s a car blocking his path. Using his fingers, he seems to be “using the force” to get the guy in front to let him pass – failing which, he would lapse into another bout of cabbie kung-fu – all this while pushing 150 (naturally with rock music blasting in the background).

When we approach the toll, I’m curious as to how he would handle himself. Lo and behold, the moment the window goes down, he becomes Mr. Polite, and even manages a smile, a nod and a “thank you”.

“Oh good”, I thought. “Jet Li will behave himself now.” Alas, the moment the windows go up, pedal hits metal again. And again, the bouts of highway karate follow suit.

My journey ends none too soon in Seremban Garden. He stops the car in front to my parents’ house. Then, like a switch, he’s back to normal. He gets out of the cab and offers to help me with my luggage – mocking me, pretending that he’s the most normal guy in the world.

As he gets into the cab, I can’t help but ask if he’s OK. He nods, smiles and drives off into the still night.