taxi cab #9

Picked up around Lincoln Square on Lincoln Ave.

“Drunks. There’s nothing but drunk drivers out at this time of night.”

We are at a stoplight. There is a grey Prius to our right. The driver rolls down the window and throws a piece of trash on the ground. We are on the northern side of the city and drive south.

“Yes, there is nothing but drunks. One punched me. He and his friends got in. They got in a fistfight in my backseat and one of them ran out on that side.

So I took him to his home. He went out the right…then came back around to my side of the window and punched me in the face. It cracked my tooth. I had to spend $3000 for a crown.

So now I choose who I pick up this time of night. I don’t pick up drunks.”

We drive though a busy intersection close to my neighborhood. There are a lot of people out on the streets.

“See….drunks everywhere. I never ever work over here. You know…they think they can just come up and pull on the door. You’ll let them in. But no. I pick. I don’t let drunks in. I picked you. I watch as I drive. I don’t pick drunks.

We pull over. He says, “I guess I’ll go home.”