1111111/111wats......
might be nice for birthdays,
but they're no fun in residential
construction.
1, 1 7 g For Sam and Lori Gray the element of
surprise was never a factor when working
with Gittleman Construction on the recent,
800-square-foot addition to their
Bloomfield Hills home.
"They met their schedule and kept within
budget," Lori said. "Plus, they kept us up .
to speed on the job, step by step, day by
day. There were none of the surprises
you sometimes hear about with projects
like this."
While Gittleman stayed true to its word on
timing and price, their design and style
also managed to impress without shocking
the Grays or their neighbors.
"We really wanted this addition to match
the existing home, and were very concerned about how it would come out," Lori said. "Gittleman matched
it perfectly. Our friends come by and can't tell. That's exactly the effect we wanted."
So, if you're looking to remodel or add on, why not put one of Southeast Michigan's most trusted names
in residential construction to work for you? From our top management to our skilled trades people, we
place an emphasis on function, aesthetics and budget that exceed the highest expectations.
S urprises
Fare Advice
VICTOR WISHNA
Special Commentary
New York City
ow that the U.N. has been
rendered "irrelevant," the
most pertinent governing
body of international Opin-
ion in New York may just be the TLC.
The Taxi & Limousine Commission
oversees the city's 12,187 licensed yel-
low cabs and their drivers, men and
women who hail from all corners of
the globe, from South America to
Singapore to Siberia (but as far as I
know, not France).
One of the wonderful things about
New York City cabdrivers is that —
with the possible exception of the
address you're looking for — they
know everything. Whether the topic is a
fellow motorist's right of way or George
W. Bush's right to invade Iraq, they are
willing to dispense their wisdom, some-
times when you don't even ask for it
(but especially when you do). Devoid
of all diplomatic double talk, cabbies
get right to what they're driving at —
so to speak — and some of what they
have to share is quite sagacious.
"I don't think war solves problems
today," says Michael, once a police cap-
tain in Grenada, who has been driving
a cab in New York for 14 years. "In the
17th and 18th centuries, war solved
problems, but not now Everybody has
strength today. If you can build a
bomb, I can build one, too."
As he speaks, we weave around
Washington Square Park, where hun-
dreds of weekend protesters have start-
ed to gather with signs covered in slo-
gans like "Bush is a WAR criminal,"
"No Blood for Oil," and, of course,
"Freedom for Palestine" (but no
"Freedom for Iraq"). I ask Michael
what he makes of the scene.
"See, America is a great country
because it is free, and it is peaceful,"
he says philosophically. "But if We say
that we are peaceful, we should seek
peaceful solutions."
Embedded in the back &eat of the
bright yellow Ford driven by a Pakistani
named Sanji, I find another worldly
perspective I could never get from
CNN or MSNBC. "I have a satellite
dish at home and I watch all the chan-
nels, and on the computer I read our
country's paper, too," says the Karachi-
born immigrant who worked as a clerk
in one of those "Everything-Must-Go!"
electronics emporiums in Times Square
N
Victor Wishna, a Kansas City native,
is a freelance writer. His e-mail address
is LetterFromNY@juno.com
before getting behind the wheel. "I get
the news and it is very different. They
think they are going [to war] complete-
ly for the oil. This way, all over the
world, people are thinking this."
At a stoplight, he turns back to me to
deliver his punch line. "But I think
America — I think they understand it
better than everyone else. I am American
now and I am going to support it."
Of course, not every cabby is so
reflective, or so quick to join the coali-
tion of the willing. It's not hard to
find even a bit of homegrown dissent.
"Look, there are exactly two guys
who are giving Bush their support for
this insane war," says Bill, a former
insurance salesman from Long Island
who in this city of immigrants proudly
boasts that his family has been here
"forever." "He's got Rumsfeld and Dick
Cheney. Otherwise, nobody is for it."
Even as he says this, we pass a
Jewish fast-food joint advertising
"FREEDOM Fries Only $0.50! We
Support You, Mr. President!" —
which makes for an interesting pro-
war axis of approval: the secretary of
defense, the vice president and the
good folks at Kosher Delight.
Other opinions I hear on my rush-
hour listening tour range from shock
("Saddam is very strict, but this is
wrong!" bellows Hussein, from
Bangladesh) to awe ("On TV, it is like a
video game," says Tony, a native of
Taiwan) to detached, capitalistic self
interest ("I don't know why they are
fighting," offers a Honduran named
Jose. 'All I know is that it is bad for
business, so I hope it will be over soon").
On yet another ride home, I strike up
conversation with the vehicle's licensed
operator, a cheerful man named Ahmed
from India, and before long we again
tackle the moral conundrum of Iraq: Is
this a just war? Or just war?
Perhaps my inquisitiveness about the
Middle East marks me as more excep-
tional than his standard fare. "Are you
Muslim?" he asks.
No, just Jewish, I say.
He nods. "I think ... Israel ... make
it one country," he smiles, getting
right to the point he thinks interests
me most (OK, so he's right). "Just ...
everyone is ... being there. Don't fight
and kill each other."
We ride for a little bit in silence, as
Ahmed ponders the potholes in the
road, and in his own roadmap for
peace. His smile finally fades. "Eh ...
but I am a taxi driver," he says, with a
shrug. "I am not going to come up
with the answer."
Alas. Even a cabdriver who knows
everything can only take you so far. ❑
Just ask the Grays.
Call today, and discover how easily Gittleman can convert your house into your dream home.
28580 ORCHARD LAKE RD., SUITE 102
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334
248.538.5400
www.gittleman.net
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