07-14-2002, 09:03 AM | #1 (permalink) |
Join Date: Jan 17 2002
Posts: 4,339
Rep Power: 24 | Good Sunday Morning to Everyone: This was sent to me from my dear friend Mitzi this morning on my e-mail.. It touched my heart very much. I want to share it with ya'll though it has nothing to do with skin care.. It does have alot to do with human caring.. Love to everyone.. Chris This is worth reading and pondering. > > THE CAB RIDE > > > > > > > > Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. > > > > When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was > > > dark > > > > except for a single light in a ground floor > > > window. > > > > Under these circumstances, many drivers would > > > just honk > > > > once or twice, wait a minute, then drive > > > away. > > > > But, I had seen too many impoverished people > > > who > > > > depended on taxis as their only means of > > > transportation. > > > > Unless a situation smelled of danger, I > > > always went to > > > > the door. This passenger might be someone who > > > needs my > > > > assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked > > > to the door > > > > and knocked. "Just a minute", answered a > > > frail, elderly > > > > voice. I could hear something being dragged > > > across the floor. > > > > > > > > After a long pause, the door opened. A small > > > woman in > > > > her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a > > > print dress and a > > > > pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like > > > somebody out of a > > > > 1940s movie. > > > > > > > > By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The > > > apartment > > > > looked as if no one had lived in it for > > > years. All the > > > > furniture was covered with sheets. > > > > > > > > There were no clocks on the walls, no > > > knickknacks or utensils > > > > on the counters. In the corner was a > > > cardboard box filled with > > > > photos and glassware. > > > > > > > > "Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she > > > said. I took the > > > > suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist > > > the woman. > > > > > > > > She took my arm and we walked slowly toward > > > the curb. She kept > > > > thanking me for my kindness. > > > > > > > > "It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to > > > treat my > > > > passengers the way I would want my mother > > > treated". > > > > > > > > "Oh, you're such a good boy", she said. > > > > > > > > When we got in the cab, she gave me an > > > address, then > > > > asked, "Could you drive through downtown?" > > > > > > > > "It's not the shortest way," I answered > > > quickly. > > > > > > > > "Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no > > > hurry. I'm on > > > > my way to a hospice". > > > > > > > > I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes > > > were glistening. > > > > > > > > "I don't have any family left," she > > > continued. "The > > > > doctor says I don't have very long." > > > > > > > > I quietly reached over and shut off the > > > meter. "What > > > > route would you like me to take?" I asked. > > > > > > > > For the next two hours, we drove through the > > > city. She > > > > showed me the building where she had once > > > worked as an > > > > elevator operator. We drove through the > > > neighborhood > > > > where she and her husband had lived when they > > > were > > > > newlyweds. > > > > > > > > She had me pull up in front of a furniture > > > warehouse > > > > that had once been a ballroom where she had > > > gone dancing > > > > as a girl. > > > > > > > > Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a > > > particular > > > > building or corner and would sit staring into > > > the darkness, > > > > saying nothing. > > > > > > > > As the first hint of sun was creasing the > > > horizon, she > > > > suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now." > > > > > > > > We drove in silence to the address she had > > > given me. It > > > > was a low building like a small convalescent > > > home, with a > > > > driveway that passed under a portico. > > > > > > > > Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as > > > we pulled > > > > up. They were solicitous and intent, watching > > > her every move. > > > > They must have been expecting her. > > > > > > > > I opened the trunk and took the small > > > suitcase to the door. > > > > The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. > > > > > > > > "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching > > > into her purse. > > > > > > > > "Nothing," I said. > > > > > > > > "You have to make a living," she answered. > > > > > > > > "There are other passengers," I responded. > > > Almost > > > > without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. > > > She held > > > > onto me tightly. > > > > > > > > "You gave an old woman a little moment of > > > joy," she > > > > said. "Thank you." > > > > > > > > I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim > > > morning > > > > light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the > > > sound of the closing > > > > of a life. > > > > > > > > I didn't pick up any more passengers that > > > shift. I drove > > > > aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of > > > that day, > > > > I could hardly talk. > > > > > > > > What if that woman had gotten an angry > > > driver, or one > > > > who was impatient to end his shift? What if I > > > had refused > > > > to take the run, or had honked once, then > > > driven away? > > > > > > > > On a quick review, I don't think that I have > > > done > > > > anything more important in my life. We're > > > conditioned to > > > > think that our lives revolve around great > > > moments. But great > > > > moments often catch us unaware--beautifully > > > wrapped in what > > > > others may consider a small one. > > > > > > > > > > > > PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT `YOU > > > DID, OR WHAT > > > > YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW > > > YOU MADE > > > > THEM FEEL. |
07-16-2002, 10:40 AM | #6 (permalink) |
Join Date: Apr 19 2001
Posts: 2,262
Rep Power: 23 | The end to the story was left out............Chippp was left in to cold to freeze All his suposedly friends got tired o hii bulldooggie. So now he is in no no land, where all schit dogs are.[ This Message was edited by: Mitzi on 2002-07-16 19:55 ] |
Bookmarks |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
| |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Happy Sally Ride Day !!! | Neon Beach | Say What ????? | 4 | 05-26-2005 07:17 AM |
Any good jokes? | aymi | Say What ????? | 71 | 11-19-2004 12:13 PM |
Anyone ride Snowmobiles? | K-tina | Say What ????? | 20 | 11-10-2004 02:20 PM |
My NEW ride.......... | Neon Beach | General Tanning Industry Discussions | 13 | 02-22-2004 09:30 AM |