I go up to Daejeon to give a talk at the IBS Discrete Math seminar.  I take the KTX, the high speed train,  to Daejeon and then get in a taxi to go to IBS.  

I ask the driver to take me to the Basic Science Institute on Expo road.  

"No problem, up by KAIST." he says.  It isn't a question.

"It's not so far from KAIST, but I wouldn't say 'by KAIST' I think."  I say.

I'm a foreigner though,  so even if I said what I thought I said, my nit-picking his choice of preposition doesn't seem to properly convey my meaning.  

"Just after the Main entrance to KAIST. I got it."  

"It's about a kilometre from KAIST. And probably before KAIST, not after."

"Hmm?"

"There are a lot of research institutes in that area with similar names."

"There sure are."

"This one is in Do-ryong-dong. It's just across the river from Expo Park."

"By the something-or-other Hotel?"

"I don't know. I think you probably got it, but I have a map."

He pulls over and I pass him the map that I fish out of the bag.

"Ah!  The Basic Science Institute."

"Yep. Man, you're a lot smarter than most taxi drivers I've talked to."

He pulls back into traffic, and drives, as many taxi drivers tend to, pulsing on the accelerator.  I wonder if somehow frenetic accelerating and braking makes the meter go faster, or if it is just something the drivers do to break the monotony.  Maybe they are pretending they are racing.  It's the Taxi Grand Prix.  

The main road going north from Daejeon Station is a lot of industrial shops, a little bit ugly; but still there are many people around.    I wonder where the downtown is from there.  I watch out the window as the industrial shops start changing to Mom-and-pop restaurants, and gas stations, schools and... less industrial, but still a little dated.  Not what I am used to in a bigger Korean city, where retail turnover is startlingly quick.  

I'm not sure if I offended the driver with my last comment.  Sometimes things I say have an unexpected effect. I'm thinking hard of something else friendly to say.  I run through the usual topics: weather? nothing much to say.  Daejeon? nothing much to say.  Recent movies?  He probably hasn't seen anything good.  

As we are sitting in traffic, I see a older lady come out of a restaurant to talk to some customers sitting at a patio table. She has round rosy cheeks.

"Hey," I say to the driver, "That lady is pretty nice looking. Maybe after you drop me off you should come back here and try to talk to her."  

He looks.

"That old lady?"

"She has healthy looking cheeks."

"How old do you think I am?"

"I can't really tell with taxi drivers," I apologise, "maybe 70?"

"I'm 53."

"Sure." I accept, "But taxi drivers can't be picky, right?  I think you should give her a go."

"I'm married!"

"Oh! Really?" I am surprised, "To a lady taxi driver?"

He doesn't answer.  I'm not having a lot of luck.  Sometimes I can be too friendly.  

After 10 minutes of silence, we get to the front gate of the IBS.  

"Where do you want to be let off?" he asks.  

"I'm not sure what building I need," I say, "Just let me off here, please."

He rolls down his window and yells to the  guard at the gate. "I have a foreigner here. He needs some help getting around.  Where should I let him off?"

The guard points to the main building, saying that I can get information in there. The driver drives up there and explains to me that I can get information in there.  

I pay, and, getting out, say, "Thanks.  You did really well!"  People love to be appreciated. I think this fixed things, and put him in a real good mood. I think he probably went back to hit on that rosy-cheeked lady.