Enver Memet
Enver Memet was the cabbie that drove Tony and I from Manhattan's Parker Meridien hotel to JFK airport on saturday afternoon. I'm glad we got in Enver's cab, because it was a journey that ended up bolstering my faith in humanity.
'You guys eaten?' he asked, looking in the rear view mirror and scratching his beard. 'I'm fine, thanks', we replied in unison. 'You mind if I stop at my place and pick up lunch?' he asked. Tony looked at me and raised one eyebrow. 'Er, yeah, cool'.
We pulled up in a quiet Brooklyn street and a young guy ran out to the car with a plastic bag. 'You've gotta try this', said Enver, passing a paper plate through the hatch in the clear perspex panel dividing his car. 'Shubies', he added, 'from Romania'.
I've had no luck Googling, so I'll take Enver's word for it. A shuby ('shoe-bee') is made from a traditional Romanian recipe – a bit like empanadas, but thinner and less greasy. Homemade by Enver's wife, we tried two varieties: beef and potato.
We drove on towards the airport. 'You see' said Enver, dabbing the corner of his mouth with a paper napkin, 'people are good. Governments, they're bad… but people are good'.
I joined the check-in queue with a full stomach, greasy fingers, and a smile on my face. People are good.
— Filed under Rumination