Big Primpin', Taxi Style

Ribbon vendor showing off her wares to me

When I was in Oaxaca a few months ago, I woke up and set off with my friend to catch a bus at 8am in the morning. The second-class bus station is across the street from the main market in the city, and the early morning saw it bustling and lively with meat and produce shipments and early bird shoppers.

Amidst the delivery trucks were vendors set up with colorful bows the size of a pumpkin in every color of the rainbow. Workers furiously flagged down passing cabs, while others festooned the vehicles with matching ribbons, bows, and - for the big spenders - styrofoam triptychs depicting the Holy Trinity - to the hood, trunk, and roof. A long line of taxis snaked down the street, waiting to be wrapped up like a Christmas present from F.A.O. Schwartz.

I'm not sure what it was all for - though blue collar professions in Mexico often have patron saints to protect their workers, Saint Christopher is the patron saint of taxi drivers, but his day had passed two weeks earlier. It turns out to have been Saint Clare's day, the patron saint of embroiderers, eye disorders, and television. I'm not sure what Saint Clare has to do with cabs... here's hoping all the praying is to keep the vision of those who ferry Oaxacans to and fro in tip-top shape.

My saint's day is coming up soon, for those who feel like decorating their cars with ribbon in hopes I'll look kindly upon you this year.

Bows to match any color cab