First impressions are not always important

About a month ago, I picked a gentleman from JFK into the city in perfect unexpected time. He was impressed. He asked for me one Wednesday afternoon on his way to Laguardia. It was a 1.15pm pick up on the corner of 54th street and 5th ave (flight at 3pm). I was on 70th st and 2nd ave at 12.55 when I got the job. SO I acknowlegded the job and headed downtown.

At 1.10pm I was still at Park ave and 60th st. Since traffic was slow, I changed course. You guessed it, it was worse and I spent another 10 minutes going across two blocks. So at 1.20pm I turned onto 5th ave and boy oh boy, even worse, this couldnt have been my day. The gentleman was frantic and the base kept calling me. I was eight blocks away and traffic was indeed murder. At this point I almost got out of the car, put the car on my shoulders and stretched my imaginary long legs over all the cars to 54th and 5th. Or I could have pushed the all the cars out of the way. Ideas did keep coming up. I should have a siren, wail it and watch as 5th avenue parted in half like the red sea.

That was wishful thinking, bottom line it took another 15 minutes to get to 54th and 5th. That meant I was 20 minutes late and boy was I sweating not from the heat but from seeing the look and reaction of this frantic gentleman. This gentleman did not say hello, I tried to explain and he clearly wasnt paying attention. If steam could come out of his ears and nose and the rest of his body, it would have. He went on his blackberry and I headed to the airport. It took less than 25 minutes to get to the airport as all the traffic was going the opposite direction. My wish was to get stuck in traffic so he would understand what I had to go through. But no, the roads were clean and clear. My wishes came true, either my siren was wailing or I was pushing the traffic out of the way cause I was totally cruising.

As he got off to get his bag in the trunk, I asked if his back was any better. He said "better and good memory". Those were the only words we exchanged. I said to myself "positive energy" as I drove off.

This time I am sure he was both impressed and uninmpressed.

My run in with the law

Part Dos

Almost 6 weeks ago, about 10pm, rainy night by the way I had my second run in with the law. I went through a yellow light in front of a cop car. They rang their sirens and came towards me fast. I didnt think they were calling for me cause I hadnt broken any laws as far as I was concerned. I turned onto 144th street in harlem to drop off my passenger. They ordered me through the bull horn to pull over which I did, in the middle of the one way street (in other words the road was narrow pulling over was like remaining in the middle of the street).

Two rookie officers came to my left and my right hand side (what's new and whats with officers and the flashing with the torch in one's eyes).

officer rookie: Do you realize you went through the red light?
cabbie: No I didnt, it was amber
officer: it wasnt amber, it was a steady red. And what is amber?
cabbie: I believe it is orange like.
officer: that's not orange, that's a yellow and no it was not yellow, was red.
Hand me your trip sheet.
cabbie: trip sheet, that's for a yellow cab not a black car.
(another clue that this was a rookie for sure)

After I was slapped with a ticket, he handed my documents over and went back into their van. He orders me to move through his horn as I was putting away the documents. I proceeded slowly at 2 miles an hour down the block cause I was so angry. He wailed and I said back to him I was afraid to be slapped with a speeding ticket. I felt better driving that slow and as I went through the light, he zoomed passed me and I chuckled to myself. How else could I get over that ticket. Anyway, I have to schedule a court date to prove my innocence. I believe in going down with a fight.

For those that are wondering, flirting with rookies does not work, only with the veterans. Officer rookie and friend were trying to meet their quota for the day or just trying to exercise their authority. Whatever the reason, it's on, on my court date. Like I've always said, I am not going down without a fight officer rookie! muhahaha muhahaha!

Innocent till proven guilty......