Cabbie and Polygamy...

I've had the same cabdriver for the last 3 rides. He's an immigrant from Mali and we've talked on a lot of topics.

Immigration, sports (he likes the Eagles), women, marriage, fatherhood (#3 is coming next week), religion (he's Muslim and I felt a bit anxious telling him that I didn't view Mohammed as the last prophet--this after he told me that Christians are "wrong"), and more.

I like his attitude and we have good banter.

You know I like talking to cabbies. Plus, having my own driver makes me feel special (kind of like my own waitress). Masstige, right?

Anyway, I ask him today:

"So, how many kids to do you want to have?"

"Five."

"OK, and your wife is on board with that?"

"No, this one (#3) is her last one."

"So how are you going to get #4 and #5?"

"I'm going to have a 2nd wife."

"So, since having two wives is illegal in this country [unless you are Mormon in remote Utah/Arizona!], how do you plan on doing that?"

"I am going to have a 2nd wife back in Mali."

"And how are you going to convince your first wife that this is a good idea?"

"I don't have to. When we got married, she signed a document saying it would be ok if I had a 2nd wife."

"Wow. Impressive. So, do you know who the 2nd wife is going to be?"

"Yes, here's a picture of her. Her name is Fatima."

"Do you have a picture of your first wife?"

"Uh, no."

It turns out that the 2nd wife agrees to be totally subservient to the first wife.

The first wife (and her kids) get all of the inheritance from the husband. In Mali, it's ok to have up to four wives. Some guys make a mistake, he says, because they are so "in love" with their first wives that they don't get the clause in the marriage document allowing them future wives, so "they are stuck later, when they realize they want one."

Such a fascinating world we live in.