Driven By Christmas Spirit

Cabbie’s Driven By Christmas Spirit

By Barbara Medlen Tylie

My friend Renee and her three children grew more depressed as Christmas loomed closer. Renee was newly widowed, and medical expenses had taken nearly all their savings. She decided, though, at least to treat the children to dinner and a taxi ride through Manhattan to see the Christmas decorations. On the big night they ate steak on 42nd Street, and tried to hail a taxi. It was theater time and available cabs were scarce, but at last one pulled up to the curb. Renee checked her purse. She had only $4. "Excuse me," she said to the driver. "I promised my children a ride to see the decorations. What kind of ride could you give us for $4?" The driver looked incredulous. "Lady, this is my busiest day. I’m not a tour guide. I can get another six fares before curtain time." He turned away from Renee’s pleading eyes. Finally he groaned. "I gotta be crazy to do this, but get in." Excitedly the children piled into the back seat and the ride began.

They drove up Broadway, then cut across the town to Rockefeller Plaza to see the tree.

There the children got out and watched the ice skaters on the pond below.

 By this time they were all chattering like old friends.

On Fifth Avenue the driver pointed out the decorations with an air of proud possession.

At 59th Street when the meter clicked over at $4, the driver pulled down the flag.

But when Renee leaned forward to pay him he waved her back.

"Heck Lady," he grumbled, "that four bucks didn’t show them nothing.

You sit tight. This ride ain’t over yet." Too startled to protest, Renee nodded and sat back.

For an hour and a half they drove around Manhattan. They went through Central Park,

saw the decorations at Macy’s, and had hot chocolate in a Greenwich Village coffee house.

 At 10:30 the taxi pulled up to their 82nd Street apartment house. In grateful confusion, Renee reached into her purse. But the driver waved her out of the taxi impatiently. "Lady, I’ve been driving a cab for 12 years and tonight’s the first time I’ve had fun doin’ it. You ain’t gonna cheat me out of it now."

Then he grinned. "Merry Christmas."