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 answered.
'You have to make a living,' she said.
'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.
PEOPLE
MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR
WHAT YOU SAID. BUT THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER
HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.
At the bottom of this great story was a
request to forward this - I deleted that
request because if you have read to this
point, you won't have to be asked to
pass it along, you just will...
Thank you, my friend...
Life may not be the party we hoped for,
but while we are here
we might as well dance.
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