DESCRIPTION
Four people ride the same taxi at different times and the cabbie realizes between all of them.And in one night they all affect one another's lives. [927 words]
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
I worked in a comic store where I met many a strange person.Some of those people inspired characters for my stories.This is my first short-story I've done in a while. [March 2002]
The Cab Jeremy Shackleford
It was a cold night like most of the night's Lenny worked.Lenny had bbeen in the Cabb driving business almost 10 years.Leaf Falls Taxi Co. had always paid him a good amount of money for a job he considered pretty simple.Of course Lenny was a people person.He liked to talk.He had grown up in Leaf Falls,In. all his life and he had really got to know the people.Little did he know what would happen this night would go beyond just knowing people.He spotted a man on the side of the street.The man waved eagerly to him.He pulled over and let the man in."Thank God,my car just broke down a few blocks ago and I thought I could walk to work but I didn't realize how cold it was."He said rubbing his hand together to squeeze out even the smallest bit of warmth."Where you need to go?"Lenny said looking at the man's bright red face.He suddenly realized the man was very young probably in his twenties."Oh,I just need to be dropped off at "The Busy Beaver Convience store I'm running the register tonight."Lenny noticed the man seemed very anxious about something."You seem excited."Leenyy said but wished he had just thought."Well see there's this girl who I've been trying to date for a while but she had this boyfriend right?So anyway a few nights ago her and her boyfriend got into this huge argument and I comforted her and everything and she asked me if I was doing anything Friday and...well here I am."Lenny smiled to himself.Lenny had once been young and in love.He looked at his tired old face in the mirror.Time sure had a way of changing things."My mom and dad keep telling me I gotta go to college you know like I.U. but at this point in my life college is the last thing on my mind."The boy said warming his hands."Need the heater up some more?"Lenny asked."Nah.I'm fine."The boy lied.The Busy Beaver was just ahead."Well here we are."Lenny said stopping the car.The boy handed his fare over and once more thanked Lenny for the ride.Lenny picked up a few more people before he spotted a young girl in the road looking about the same age as Lenny's first customer."I borrowed my ex-boyfirend's car and what does it do?Runs out of gas.Just like him a good for nothing.Oh,well I don't care about that car I've got a date.Busy Beaver convience store on North Pike Ave. please."The girl said putting on some makeup.Lenny realized who it was."I got a sweet guy taking me out to a nice restaraunt and even Ren can't stop that."Lenny wondered what Ren must be thinking."So you listen to music?"Lenny asked."Oh could you turn it on 93.3?"She said putting her makeup back in her purse.Lenny turned on the radio a slow sad song was playing.He dropped her off at the Busy Beaver."It looks like he's still working."The girl said looking at the man at the resgister."Oh,well I can wait.Thanks for the ride."She said handing him his money and a rather large tip.He drove down the road and saw an angry man waving for him.He pulled up next to the guy.He got in."Not a good night I suppose?"Lenny asked looking at the angry expression on the man's face."That's putting it pretty simple."The man said."My ex announces that just because I didn't get her what she exactly wanted for her birthday and that I showed up late for it because I slept in that I'm a lazy good for nothing person which I'm not.Afterwards she dumps me for a guy she's knwon since High School and steals my car."Lenny suddenly realized who this was too."Anyway one of her friends told me she's meeting the guy at the Busy Beaver tonight I'm gonna confront her about the car."Lenny smiled a small smile."You know how much that car costed me 20,000 that I've been saving since I was 14."They pulled up to parking lot of the Busy Beaver.The man got out quickly leaving the money on the dashboard.Lenny was driving down near Joe's Bar when he came upon a man stggering as if he were drunk.He was drunk."The man got into the car slowly."Ohhh...I would've taken the car but I'm afraid I'd hit a tree.Doctor always said drinking would be the end of me.I guess that's why I'm in this mess."Lenny who had had quite an evening asked,"What you mean?"The man fidgeted."I've been in some financial trouble lately.I'm going on up to the Busy Beaver to get some money."Lenny looked back at the man who looked as if he could vomit any minute."You work there?"Lenny asked."Well I guess you could say that."The man replied grinning.Lenny sat up uncomfortably.He dropped off the man at the Busy Beaver and he was done for the night.The next morning he was reading the papre when he came upon an article about the Busy Beaver."ARMED ROBBER TAKES LIFE AT LOCAL CONVINENCE STORE.Last night during an argument between a man and a woman who had broken up earlier and a clerk was interuppted when an old employee of the store walked in and with a handgun and robbed the place.The police have caught the man and have confirmed that he was not sober tthe night of the shooting.The clerk that was working the register took a blow to the heart and died almost instantly.The other two were unharmed as the robber took his goods.The two are comforting each other as the man who was killed had been a friend of theirs."Lenny read on,put down the paper,and thought to himself "What a night indeed."
READER'S REVIEWS (4) DISCLAIMER: STORYMANIA DOES NOT PROVIDE AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWS. ALL REVIEWS ARE PROVIDED BY NON-ASSOCIATED VISITORS, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
"Don't mind the occasional spelling and grammar mistakes.I was pretty tired when I wrote this." -- Jeremy Shackleford.
"I personally liked this somewhat ironic and twisted story.The end was sort of surprising and the characters were wonderful." -- Tom River, Indiana, United States.
"IT was pretty good it could've been longer but still I give it an 8." -- Arnold Glove.
"it was good but it reminded me of some other movie or book...im noy sure what though" -- Ronald Bandi, NY.
TO DELETE UNWANTED REVIEWS CLICK HERE! (SELECT "MANAGE TITLE REVIEWS" ACTION)
Submit Your Review for The Cab
Required fields are marked with (*). Your e-mail address will not be displayed.