Post by Wildstar on Mar 9, 2011 7:16:10 GMT -6
The cool Spring clouds drizzled over the streets of Chicago. The light rain dampened the roads and covered the windshields of all the passing vehicles. Lenny the cab driver turned his wipers up to make sure that he could see through his window. He scanned the crowds for people calling a taxi. All of the pedestrians huddled under the awnings of the buildings, and covered their heads with briefcases and umbrellas when they had to step out. Lenny glanced at his built-in car and saw that it was noon. The lunch crowd started to swarm the city, and Lenny knew his cab wouldn’t be empty for long. Just moments later, he saw a woman in a bright yellow raincoat and matching goulashes who sloshed through the deepening muddy puddles. The woman flagged Lenny down, so he pulled over for her to get in.
She filled the cab with the scent of macaroni and cheese, and sweet, sugary candy. Judging by the fake smile plastered onto her face, and the large bag filled with toys that she clutched, the woman was a daycare worker. The woman leaned forward and asked Lenny to take her to a Dunkin’ Doughnuts, so Lenny pulled away from the curb and headed for the doughnut shop. As he drove, the lady jabbered away in a fake, childish voice. She went on about the macaroni project her charges were working on, and how “lovelytastic” it was. With every word she spoke, her sugary cheesy breath suffocated Lenny, and her high-pitched voice deafened him. He tried to ignore her as best he could, and focus only on the road ahead. Within moments, they arrived at the Dunkin’ Doughnuts. Lenny pulled over and wished the woman a nice day. As the large lady stepped out, a new person stepped in, clearly, in a rush.
The new man smelled of cheap cologne and coffee. He had thick-rimmed glasses, and his jet black hair was gelled back. He wore a dark business suit, and snapped his mint gum as he told Lenny to take him to the nearest Starbucks, and to step on it. Without another word, Lenny stepped on it, and sped away, fearful of what this crabby business man would do to him if he didn’t. Unlike the last woman, this man didn’t bother to chat with Lenny. Instead, he screamed into his cell phone which was glued to his ear. Lenny really thought he was going to go deaf now. The man’s harsh tone rang in the cab, and gave Lenny a migraine. Lenny tried passing all of the traffic ahead of him to see if he could get this man to his location and out of his cab any sooner. Lenny gripped his smooth leather steering wheel and pressed down a little harder on the accelerator. Before he knew it, the green word “Starbucks” loomed over in the distance. About a half a block away, Lenny pulled over and told the man to get out because the traffic was too heavy. The man, still talking angrily into his phone, threw the money he owed Lenny right at his face, and got out. Lenny’s face stung from the coins. He gathered up the money and put it in his tray. He popped a piece of fruity gum into his mouth, and sipped the aromatic coffee as he drove around, stubbornly looking for another client. A new man flagged him down.
When Lenny pulled over, an old man jumped into the cab. He wore an oversized, heather green jacket, and a black Winter cap. He smelled of old fish that had been rotting in a dumpster, and spoke in a raspy voice that screeched Lenny’s ears. The man wanted to go to a local hot dog restaurant, so Lenny drove in that direction. As he drove, the man wheezed loudly in the backseat. Lenny looked in the mirror to see the man, and the man looked up and smiled, revealing two rows of crooked yellow teeth. Lenny shivered at the sight. He felt bad for the homeless looking man, but he had nothing to offer him but a ride. When they reached the hot dog place, the man threw his amount owed in the cash tray, and with a coy laugh, he told Lenny to keep the change. Lenny did not care to see what he had thrown in. He did not care to make any more money for the afternoon. He only wanted to do one thing; get out.
Lenny stepped on the gas pedal and drove away. He headed for the suburbs. It was time for Lenny to take a lunch break of his own after that hectic noon.
She filled the cab with the scent of macaroni and cheese, and sweet, sugary candy. Judging by the fake smile plastered onto her face, and the large bag filled with toys that she clutched, the woman was a daycare worker. The woman leaned forward and asked Lenny to take her to a Dunkin’ Doughnuts, so Lenny pulled away from the curb and headed for the doughnut shop. As he drove, the lady jabbered away in a fake, childish voice. She went on about the macaroni project her charges were working on, and how “lovelytastic” it was. With every word she spoke, her sugary cheesy breath suffocated Lenny, and her high-pitched voice deafened him. He tried to ignore her as best he could, and focus only on the road ahead. Within moments, they arrived at the Dunkin’ Doughnuts. Lenny pulled over and wished the woman a nice day. As the large lady stepped out, a new person stepped in, clearly, in a rush.
The new man smelled of cheap cologne and coffee. He had thick-rimmed glasses, and his jet black hair was gelled back. He wore a dark business suit, and snapped his mint gum as he told Lenny to take him to the nearest Starbucks, and to step on it. Without another word, Lenny stepped on it, and sped away, fearful of what this crabby business man would do to him if he didn’t. Unlike the last woman, this man didn’t bother to chat with Lenny. Instead, he screamed into his cell phone which was glued to his ear. Lenny really thought he was going to go deaf now. The man’s harsh tone rang in the cab, and gave Lenny a migraine. Lenny tried passing all of the traffic ahead of him to see if he could get this man to his location and out of his cab any sooner. Lenny gripped his smooth leather steering wheel and pressed down a little harder on the accelerator. Before he knew it, the green word “Starbucks” loomed over in the distance. About a half a block away, Lenny pulled over and told the man to get out because the traffic was too heavy. The man, still talking angrily into his phone, threw the money he owed Lenny right at his face, and got out. Lenny’s face stung from the coins. He gathered up the money and put it in his tray. He popped a piece of fruity gum into his mouth, and sipped the aromatic coffee as he drove around, stubbornly looking for another client. A new man flagged him down.
When Lenny pulled over, an old man jumped into the cab. He wore an oversized, heather green jacket, and a black Winter cap. He smelled of old fish that had been rotting in a dumpster, and spoke in a raspy voice that screeched Lenny’s ears. The man wanted to go to a local hot dog restaurant, so Lenny drove in that direction. As he drove, the man wheezed loudly in the backseat. Lenny looked in the mirror to see the man, and the man looked up and smiled, revealing two rows of crooked yellow teeth. Lenny shivered at the sight. He felt bad for the homeless looking man, but he had nothing to offer him but a ride. When they reached the hot dog place, the man threw his amount owed in the cash tray, and with a coy laugh, he told Lenny to keep the change. Lenny did not care to see what he had thrown in. He did not care to make any more money for the afternoon. He only wanted to do one thing; get out.
Lenny stepped on the gas pedal and drove away. He headed for the suburbs. It was time for Lenny to take a lunch break of his own after that hectic noon.