Every morning around 4 o’clock I start my day. Every day of the week I normally go to Hilton Hotel hoping to get an airport bound passenger so that I can go to the Taxi waiting lot and sleep. Sleep is a big problem for all the drivers whether he/she works day shift or night shift. As we grow older our sleep pattern changes and resulting in much less sleep than our body needs. I sleep only 5 hours a night and sometimes even less. Anyway ..but on Saturday early morning I always head south on 2nd Ave to Houston St and make a right turn to go to the Village which is around Bleecker St and Sullivan and Thomson St to pick up the last batch of passengers who had an evening filled up with drinks and dances. Almost every Saturday morning I would get someone drunk or semi drunk. Normally I choose my passenger by carefully observing to make sure he or she would not throw-up inside my cab and so far I did not have any incident of throwing up.
So today around 4.15 in the morning I was stopped by a man and a girl on Thomson St. The girl got in the cab and the man told me to take care of her. She had to go to 105th St in between Manhattan Ave and Central Park West. I did not know what was the meaning of taking care of her but as the time went by it became more and more apparent to me that I was getting myself into kind of trouble by taking her in my cab.
As I was driving to her destination she was complaining that she had too much drink and I was literally soft-yelling at her,” Miss..why did you put yourself in this kind of compromising situation..? Don’t you know that it could be dangerous and even fatal for you that some bad guy will take advantage of you and may be even kill you..? How would you even remember if you are being violated..” and so on..She was trying to say that she does not do this every time she goes to a club..that she was with friends..and so on. So I asked her,” Do you know the guy who helped you getting in the cab..? In fact you should thank him for getting a cab for you..” She said that she knew the guy..he was the boyfriend of one of her friend.
She started to sing loudly and it really made me mad. She did not have a voice for singing, she was drunk and she was just making things up just to say something.
I was smelling some alcohol and all I wanted to do is to drop her off and then would open all the windows so that the smell would go way. I looked back when she was out of the rear view mirror and found out that she was asleep. I let her sleep because she was not at least singing.
I told you friends that I have a daughter who is 20 years old. I was thinking what would I do if I found out that my daughter was in a bar until 4 a.m. drinking..? What if she was attacked by a rapist..what if someone robbed her..what if she fell down and hurt herself because she was drunk..? All of these and so many other thought came into my mind and I thank my daughter whom we are trying to raise as best as possible that she would come home by 6 o clock in the evening. I made sure that she took her classes and finish by 5 pm so that she could come home by 6 p.m. I don’t allow her to go anywhere as I am afraid of the guys who bothers girls. I was not born and raised here in the USA so I still try to hold on to those rules and cultures what our sisters had gone through. Every night when the TV announcer says..”It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are..?” It feels so safe to see that my 2 kids are right in front of my eyes, they are safe and sound. This is the most satisfying scene when a father sees his children are right in front of his eyes.
Anyway finally I came to her destination. I called her,” Miss..we are here..” But she did not answer me..It was dark..and a remote area..I was kind of scare too that there was no one around. I called her..raised my voice but she was in deep sleep…I even thought that she might have passed out…but she moved a bit. I was happy to see her move as she was not passed out.
But she was not getting up. I started to think what should I do..? I turned the lights on ..but she was in sleep. Finally about 4/5 minutes later I got off the driver’s seat and opened her side of the door. I did not want to touch her and I was hesitant to touch her to wake her up…finally I pushed her head and told her that we were in the address. She woke up but I could see that she was totally confused. She did not know where she was. I told her that we were in front of her building. She asked me how much and she paid me plus few dollars for tip. I was actually amazed by the fact that even though she was drunk she still had the decency to tip me.
I helped her get off the car but she could not stand straight. I tried to keep her straight but she was leaning against me. I thought for a minute what to do..I again shook her hand and told her to go to her home. This time she asked me without opening her eyes and in a slurred voice if I would not mind to take her to her apartment. I knew it was not right to go to her apartment but the alternative was plain wrong. If I had left her there on the street..I am sure she would be sleeping on the street. And who knew what could have happened to her..So whatever happens.I just could not let her walk alone .
So I parked the car in front of her building near a fire hydrant an literally carried her to her apartment. She was about 105 pounds, small built girl. She told me (still did not open her eyes) to get the key from her coat pocket. I took the key out and opened the door (she lives on the first floor). I turned the light on and I dropped her on her bed. When I entered into her apartment I found that the apartment was totally empty. There was one big room with four twin size mattresses on the floor..some pillows and comforters. The floor has all the girls clothing which made me think that she shares the apartment with 3 other girls and all of the girls were out for the evening. Her feet were out side of her bed. I felt that she was my daughter. I took her bag from underneath of her as she dropped her bag on the bed and I dropped her ..put her feet on the bed…took her socks and boots off, pull the comforter over her, put a pillow under her head. I wanted to tell her that there was someone brought her home safe. I was looking for a piece of paper but could not find a paper so I went to the bathroom, got a piece of toilet tissue and wrote,” Ms…I am the cab driver who carried you to your apartment. I don’t think you would even remember ..Please don’t drink so much that you would put yourself in a very dangerous situation. Not everyone is like me who thinks all the girls are his children..hope my behavior will make you think that you were very fortunate today and hopefully you will change your behavior.- A father.” I left the note on the floor , on top of her bag so that she finds it when she wakes up. I looked back at her. She was sleeping like a baby. I don’t know why my eyes got teary….I shutoff the light, locked the door from inside, pulled the door and walked way.
I know I could get into big problem by helping that girl but all I was thinking was my daughter. God forbid..if my daughter ever in that kind of situation I would hope that some good people will help her. It felt good to help someone. I drove off to get a new passenger. Good night my friends.

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