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.