Taxi

TAXI

The sky was crazy. It was raining so hard as if all the clouds were melting over Manhattan. I was soaked from head to toe. I always thought walking in the rain was kinda cool. So I never bought an umbrella. I could never, even in my worst nightmares, imagine that such rainy days would come. Every drop was like being hit by a tennis ball. I could hide in a shelter and wait for the stupid clouds to move away, if I didn’t have a date. I really started to like this girl and here we were right on the second date. I went out early to be on time, so if she calls to cancel I’m not there, and if I’m not there she probably comes because she thinks I’m going.
The funny thing was that I always worried about the crowd in these streets but right now it was a ghost town. Neither a soul passed by to ask time or curse the weather, nor a car passed to splash water on all the sidewalk.
Aw man!!! I gave everything away to see a bus or a bicycle. Even a man with an umbrella would suffice.
“Come on…give me something…there has to be something I could ride in here.” I was talking to myself like idiots. Then, out of nowhere or maybe heaven itself, came a cab.
I wanted to jump on it and hug whoever the driver was. He was my hero. I ran toward the road and shouted:” TAXI…HEY TAXI…”. It stopped right in front of me. I felt like a nearly dead thirsty man in the desert who has been offered a glass of cold icy water.
I didn’t think and opened the door and jumped in without any permission and closed the door behind me. I turned to the driver to give him the address that I noticed the back wasn’t empty. I turned to see a young soaked teenager smiling at me. I wanted to take a better look if it wasn’t for the gun he was pointing at me.
“You want to share the cab, sir?” I froze. I didn’t know what to do. thank him for saving me from the storm or fear from the gun in his hand or laugh at his stupid fake British accent. Everything was so messed up. I couldn’t calculate the rate of my emotions. “56’th & Columbus ” I was staring at his gun and the words just came out of my mouth.
“You heard the man.”
I wondered why the driver looked so comfortable and pleased.
“Hell of a weather, isn’t it sir?”
“aaaaa….yeah yeah…hell…helllll of …..weath…” I couldn’t put my mind into words.
“Don’t worry. It's ok." He just stared at me and said: "So..."
"So?" I just wanted to jump out in the first chance i got.
"Come on, tell me your story.”
“Sssstory???”
“yeah…how did you end up in here? In this storm… In this cab. “
The guy was a maniac. What if he had plans of torturing me? Oh god…. Why doesn’t the freaking police bust these psychos. What if he kills the girl too if he knows I’m on a date. Ok just give him something made up.
“Jjust goin shopping….you know.” It seemed like he bought it. he shook his head and said “in this storm, Sir?”
“Oh yeah…hmmm….well you know…. I like the rain.”
“then why did you call the cab?”
“aaaa…..no reason…just…..I was tired.”
“tired…is that so?” Then he looked at me with a gaze that penetrated through my brain. He smiled and said :”do you like your life, Sir?”
I was sure it was the end for me. I could see death right in front of my nose. All my dreams and wishes started to march in front of my eyes. I just kept listening.
“you know lad? Many people think they’re happy. I don’t know why , many reasons for that. Many people think they’re poor or lost or something like that.”The rest was blabbering for some time. My blood was boiling. I could feel the pulse in my forehead’s veins. “The point is people don’t think these days, you know? They think they’re thinking but they don’t. you get it or did I got you a headache like others?”
“What? Oh no no no…. you’re totally right.” I wasn’t sure what stood between me and that freak pulling the trigger. We just stared at each other for a minute or two. Then the car stopped.
“here we are. 56’th & Columbus”. Apparently this driver was my guardian angel.
“oh by the way name is Lucas. I don’t like going out in the rain like you do but it’s my niece’s birthday. Love the little lad. Promised to buy him a toy gun So here it is. Didn’t have time to wrap it. You think he’ll like it?” and he passed me the toy. A TOY…I passed several heart attacks just because of a toy? I felt embarrassed. But MAN life felt so good…I started laughing….I laughed so hard I thought my stomach imploded.
I took out my money and asked the price but Lucas said :” No lad please. It’s on me…Have a good shopping”
I closed the door and continued laughing…Oh God!!! Suddenly everything was so bright, so colorful. I just stood under the rain and enjoyed the moment…….Just enjoy the moment.
Shoot!!! My date.
I remembered and I ran all the way to the café.
BUT MAN……Life is great.