The Good Cabbie

I know, most of my cabbie stories involve creepy taxi drivers, but here's a nice story about a nice taxi driver...


The Streets That Have Our Names

September 7th, 2002

I stuck out my hand to hail the cab speeding towards me on the outer lane. I cringed as I watched the cab sneak in front of an annoyed car in the inner lane to get to me. The other driver was not impressed and blared his horn while mouthing some not very nice words.

The cab stopped in front of me, and I threw open the door and hopped inside. The taxi driver looked like a kindly gentleman you would want as a grandfather.

"Thanks for that," I said.

"No worries, my dear! Now, where can I take you on this lovely day?" He was whistling along to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

"Kippax Street, please, Surry Hills."

"Ahhh, Kippax...must be named after the great Cricket player, Alan Kippax. We Australians like to name our streets after people." He smiled at me knowingly.

I laughed. "Yes, I picked up on that. It's a nice thing to do, really. Naming streets after interesting people. I just can't believe that in the two years I've worked on Kippax Street, I never thought to ask where that name came from."

He winked at me and smiled warmly. "Maybe they'll name a street after you one day."

I laughed harder. "Yes, maybe they will. Maybe we'll both have streets named after us."

He nodded, beaming. "Yes, that would be nice! Very nice indeed!"

I thought for a moment, then said, "So, where would you like your street to be? And what would it be like?"

He sank back into his seat and sighed gently. It was as though he had waited his entire life for someone to ask him this question. "Oh, I'd like it to be on a beautiful tree-lined street, along the ocean, where families would come to picnic and lovers would sit on benches and embrace, just like they do in the movies. Her hair blowing in the wind, him running his hands through it. He pulls her closer, they hold each other tightly, looking at each other as if they're the only two people in the world. The camera slowly pans across the sea, the trees, the children playing, families eating and laughing, and then the camera slowly zooms in on the happy lovers who are eventually framed perfectly in the shot. They are the only people on the planet. They kiss with a love so powerful, everyone in the audience has to hold their breath. Fade out... Yes, that would be nice."

I caught my face in the side mirror and noticed my jaw hanging open. "Wow, that sounds amazing. You sound like you should be out making that movie."

He took his eyes off the road for a moment to laugh at me. "If only! But I'm too old. Maybe you can make it for me. You didn't study film at Uni did you?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. One of my degrees was in Film and Television. But it sounds like you could teach me a thing or two!"

"Good to know I've got my director and producer right here. So tell me, where do you want your street to be?"

"Oh, like you, I'd like my street to be near the water. It's got to be a beautiful spot - a relaxing, fun place where children can play and people can go for comfort and inspiration."

He turned to me with a big grin. "I'm sure your street would be quite popular!"

"As would yours, no doubt! Oh - my building is just here. If you could just pull over on the left behind that white van, thanks."

I handed him the money and he handed back my change with a big smile.

"Well, so lovely to have met you - I hope you have a great day."

"Thank you, you too." I got out of the cab and shut the door gently behind me.

He leaned over to the passenger side and called out the window. "I hope you get your street named after you... I hope we both do!"

I nodded in agreement. "We're obviously going to be famous, so of course we'll have streets named after us!"

"Oh, I hope so. And maybe our streets will be together." He winked again.

"Yes, I think they'll definitely connect....see ya!"