Riding Uptown. In Soft Rain.

Posted on by Live & Learn

3:25 pm. I step out of 111 Wall Street, downtown Manhattan.
30 min to get to midtown. Tight.
Rain sprinkles.
Uber: “Car unavailable at this time.” Wow.
I walk up the block to the intersection.  Look in all directions. No cabs. Please.
Walk up another block. Nothing.
Walk across the street. Nothing.
Walk across another street, and he rounds the corner, my right arm flies up. Bam.

“525 5th please…”
He doesn’t repeat it. Did he get it?
He has no smartphone. No GPS. No smart re-routing around traffic.
24 minutes.

No radio blaring. No TV screen behind front seat shouting ads.
No water bottle or coffee cup on console.
No crucifix on thin chain hanging from rearview mirror. No patron saint. No Jesus Saves.
No pics of loved one(s) on dash.
No ring on his finger. None on his ear or his nose.
No sunglasses on visor. No eyeglasses.
No NY Post on the seat.
No box of Kleenex or NY Mets baseball cap in door pocket.
12 min and 3 miles out.

Pale white skin…but something deep here. Sadness. Loss. Grief. Pastiloff’s, “We never know when we might face things that topple our hearts over and bring us to our knees…”
His right hand at 2pm on steering wheel.
His head, unmoved. Still. Like if he were to move, it would hurt, all over.
Polo shirt. Green. Khaki slacks, neat.
Hair, clean cut above the collar. Grey streaks. Early 50’s.
Cabin is silent.

Rain continues to spit, wipers flap intermittently.

We exit into midtown, traffic snarls. I’m going to be late.
“You can let me off anywhere within two blocks of 5th”
No response.
There’s a delivery truck stalled on 42nd. Traffic is merging into left lane. Horns are blaring.
6 minutes.
Other cabs, cars and delivery trucks squeeze by and avoid oncoming traffic. Chaos.
Driver keeps his cool, slides into clearing and pulls me up to the curb.
“Will this work?” No accent. Clear, crisply spoken English.
“Perfect.”
I hand him the fare, he silently clasps his hand over the cash, and pulls away.
I stand on curb, rain falls softly, and I watch him disappear into traffic.

Days later I’m flipping through blog posts, and excerpts of Barbara Greenfell Fairhead’s poem “Soft Rain” take me back.

What I remember of the day: soft rain… / and hearing / so deeply / far deeper than words the heart-beat of unspoken things.

I’ll remember this moment.

Notes: Photo – NY City Cab by JJ

36 thoughts on “Riding Uptown. In Soft Rain.”

  1. You do these so well, David. Sharing a moment, your thoughts, observances and then quoting all these perfect bits of poetry to go with. You truly have a gift.

  3. A ride to remember. Beautifully captured. The unspoken word leaves our minds reeling with different life scenarios, that we can never confirm, or connect with again. 😔

  4. He is probably tired of making small talk. Or maybe he’s not a social type – just doing the job because he needs the money. But wow, what a weird trip for you. You’ll be thinking about him for a long time. Well written piece, DK. I was there with you.

  5. Projecting silent sorrow as the wipers keep time with the rhythm of heartache. This man was far more than the blank slate of his cab. You acknowledged his subtle hues and shadings – and I’ll remember that.

  6. Incredibly well perceived and voiced trip, Dave. THIS is why we stay so happily with you. THIS. Had my heart in my mouth, riding with you …..

    1. Beautiful quote by Sontag. Thanks for sharing Lori. And thank you for your kindness. And love, love, “limned”. Put that in my mental cupboard for use later.

  9. I had Ray Lamontagne radio on yesterday and a song I never heard before came on. There’s just something about this hotel…
    The song is New York City’s killing me.
    I didn’t like it. I love New York. And your Rides or Walking cross this town make me love it evenmore.
    Thank you.

    Glad you finally got your silent driver. And you made something beautiful out of it.

    1. Who knew you were a Ray Lamontagne fan. Me too. A groupie. I had not heard the song either. Just flipped it on. Not a fan either. But his Voice. Oh, swept away.

      1. Uber and Lyft have a “Zen” option coming soon. Where you can request a no-conversation ride.

  10. Ray Lamontagne, love him…been rec’ his emails for years…Oh the song “Let it Be Me” a fav…

  12. Seems, his taxi was a refuge, a zen bubble from the bustling metropolis of a modern world…where the quiet overtakes, decompression allowed…is the gift of peaceful breath accepted…while floating through mid-town embraced by the cool, silent, slow, soft rain, washing away the present concerns…perhaps his depth, is wisdom unforced…

Leave a Reply to Live & LearnCancel reply