A sweet lesson on patience.....

bluiz13
bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up 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 to be 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 onto 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.

Replies

  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
    Truly beautiful. :heart:

    Thanks for posting. :flowerforyou:
  • amammaa4
    amammaa4 Posts: 176 Member
    How moving! Thank you for sharing.
  • Aquafly
    Aquafly Posts: 12
    That was so touching. TFS.
  • fitnessyeoja
    fitnessyeoja Posts: 357 Member
    Thank you for sharing. So beautiful.
  • cnsmith2
    cnsmith2 Posts: 539 Member
    It does make you think. Thank you for sharing.
  • BeccaB1981
    BeccaB1981 Posts: 456 Member
    That was very sweet. I love reading things like this.
  • classycouture
    classycouture Posts: 888 Member
    :flowerforyou:
  • dejatyja
    dejatyja Posts: 109 Member
    It does make you think. Thank you for sharing.

    That is does.

    Thanks for sharing. Sometimes we need to be reminded to have patience.
  • DiannaMoorer
    DiannaMoorer Posts: 783 Member
    I read this on FB. Made me cry.
  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
    Such a sweet story. Made my eyes water.
  • Extremely touching.
  • Tropical_Turtle
    Tropical_Turtle Posts: 2,236 Member
    beautiful, and extremely moving. Thank you
  • sjeagle30
    sjeagle30 Posts: 292 Member
    Wow that brought tears to my eyes :(
  • Alina75
    Alina75 Posts: 1 Member
    Wow....just wow
  • emmy3111
    emmy3111 Posts: 482 Member
    That was beautiful.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    That was beautiful!! I have tears in my eyes just imaging if it had been a different driver but also tears b/c that was such a beautiful thing to do...This cab driver was amazing to say the least.... :heart: :heart: :heart:


    ETA: A wonderful lesson on patience for sure.....It truly makes you think of how our kindness really affects others lives so much..
  • SirBen81
    SirBen81 Posts: 396 Member
    Hah, he fell for that too? My grandma does that all the time to taxi drivers to get a free ride to places.
  • HeartME511healthy
    HeartME511healthy Posts: 163 Member
    Wow, what a lesson to learn... it just took a momen to think on which choice was best...
  • Denise6914
    Denise6914 Posts: 176
    Very touching.
  • Skeena4
    Skeena4 Posts: 209 Member
    Love it - made me cry...