Cupid Cabbie

A New York cab driver has dubbed himself ‘the Cupid Cabbie.’ His shtick is that he listens to his passengers’ problems and if it’s a relationship problem, he offers solutions. Ahmed Ibrahim (the cab driving yenta) tells passengers that he can solve their relationship dilemmas and gets their phone number and email address. Then he keeps his eyes peeled (not literally, of course) for someone to match this person up with. By his count, Ibrahim has set up 70 dates, 19 of which have led to actual relationships. Prett-y good.

Not to be too NYCentric, but this makes sense. The cabbie has replaced the bartender (a person who tends bar, not a person that ends Barts) as the go-to for life advice. These guys bring their Caribbean, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian wisdom to every problem. We’ve never gotten such good advice riding home at 3 AM, hammered drunk. So, it’s not surprising that one of these guys has decided to match some of theses complainers up. Good times. This guy plans on putting roses and hearts on his cab for Valentine’s Day. So there’s that.

Some of these dudes have ridiculously interesting stories, arranged marriages, homes in east Queens, eleven kids, twice-yearly visits to Bangladesh, an in-depth knowledge of the life of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the works. We’re not sure that we’d meet someone that a cab driver recommended to us, but we’re glad that there someone out there is trying. Tango's Marnie Hanel should have considered this an option for her take on matchmakers.

Read more about the Cupid Cabbie at the San Francisco Gate…