Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes 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 90'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 1940's 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 and 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 in a soft voice. '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 on to me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and 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.

Last blow out of the summer!

I have 5 days off of work! One of them because I have strep so I'm sitting at home watching movies all day drinking orange juice and cranberry juice hoping I'm better before tomorrow. A bunch of us are heading down to Chicago to go to Howl at the Moon. We went to a piano bar with the same idea in Dells and it was a lot of fun, so this one should be too!

Then on Monday were going to Miller Park for the Cubs vs. Brewers game!! The cubs haven't been doing too good against the Brewers but hopefully they will make up for it on Monday. Were heading up early so we can tailgate all afternoon! Then of course I took Tuesday off to recover, the game doesn't start until 7 and it's 2 hours from DeKalb so we wont get home until late. Now lets just hope I get better before this weekend!!

And people say banks are bad...

Working at the bank I hear people complain all the time about every stupid fee we have....yes we have a lot, but at the same time you're making money off us. I would just like to say to all those people who think bank's nickle and dime you for everything try attending college!

First of all, to take one class it costs almost as much as 6 months of rent for me!! (My rent is pretty cheap, but still) I would love to head to the busar's office to pay my tuition, but I need a parking pass...that costs $75...oh but wait I can't get one because I live less than 5 miles from campus. So I'm going to try and pay it online...now they are going to charge me 2.8% to pay by credit card!

NIU has something called Husky bucks, you can use them like cash at different restaurants around town or the cafeteria and at copy machine's and such. So I tried to add money to it the other day, again online, I wanted to put $60 on it...they were going to charge me $1.88!!

Anytime I try and give this school money they want to charge me for it! So like I said next time you think you're getting nickled and dimed at the bank or where ever enroll yourself in a class at NIU.

Dells Fun

So I've been back for 2 weeks now, but I haven't had much time to write. Angie, Imelda, Jared and I went up to the Dells for the 4th. We had an amazing time! Friday night we met my friend Pat who took us to Monk's (a bar) for drink and to listen to "Piano Fondue." Piano Fondue is 2 guys who duel on their piano's. You can pay $5 to hear your favorite song and trust me they know your song, but then someone else can pay the other guy $7 to hear their favorite song and it goes back and forth. Then we headed back to the hotel and wanted to "sleep" we stayed up for hours talking nonsense and everyone agree's that was one of the best parts of the whole weekend.

Saturday the 4 of us went walking on the strip and went to lunch at the Riverwalk Pub, I had been there before and loved that place we ate outside next to the river it was nice. And of course we had to see some interesting people along the way...

After our walk on the strip we headed back to the hotel room, Angie and I had an urge to dance and bounce on the beds like we were 10 again! It was a learning experience, first make sure you take the sheets of the bed first, second face plants into the bed hurt, third when jumping from one bed to the other judge the distance carefully because the air conditoner hurts when you crash into it and last when plopping onto your butt the big thud is probably the bed breaking but as long as the hotel doesn't realize it during your stay it isn't your fault.

The Face Plant....

Cupid Shuffle...

Crashing into the AC...

Saturday night we went to Buffalo Phil's for dinner and then watch the fireworks. We picked the best spot to watch fireworks, we were able to see 3 shows very well from our spot.

Believe it or not Jared isn't drunk...

After the fireworks we all headed to Marley's a restaurant in the day and dance club at night. We danced our butts off all night, they played the best music and the place we packed! The dance floor turrned into a pool with all the spilled drinks, which I later slipped on, but apparently it was very graceful, landed on my knees and right back up again like nothing happened lol.

Sunday the 5 of us headed to iHop for breakfast, outside again! Then headed to Mt. Olympus for a day of rollercoasters and Go karts and ended the day with Dinner at Moose Jaw where if I got their hats I think they all would have shot me so I opted against it then it was back to IL for the 4 of us....

It was an amazing weekend that none of us will forget that needs to happen again soon....Say July 25th? :)

Tattoo's

Do you ever go hang out with a friend for a day of walking around fun little shops and the beach and then say lets go look at tattoo's? We did! Stephanie and I got our tattoo's last Sunday...

Here's mine!

Here's Stephanie's!