Excerpt from "I'm Out To Change My World" Ann Kiemel, 1974
Taxi Driver
it was in the summer and i got up into a
beat up old cab in miami beach
and asked the old cab driver to take me
to another hotel.
it was hot and every window was rolled down.
and i asked him,
"what is the one word that describes your life?"
"can i give you two?"
he said.he was old and gnarled
about as beat up as his cab.
"yes," i said.
"what are they?"
"bored and unhappy."
"sir, why are those the two words that
describe your life?"
"i don't know. i guess 'cause i got
nobody in the world."
"nobody, sir?
no wife, no children, no family?
no one in the whole world for you?"
"no."
"tell me, sir,
how did you get to be an old man and
have nobody?"
"cause i never got a good job and
no woman wanted me."
"sir, can i sing you a song?"
"sing?"
"i don't have a very good voice,
but i know you'd like my song."
"just a minute, please."
he rolled up his window. then he nodded at me.
and i began to sing:
something beautiful,
something good,
all my confusion,
He understood.
all i had to offer Him
was brokenness and and strife.
but He's making something beautiful
out of my life.
"sir, do you know who i'm
singing about?
Jesus Christ, He's the Lord of my life.
he laughs with me and cries with me..."
"i'm a Jew."
"sir, He'll walk with you.
He'll laugh with you.
He'll be your friend."
and just then we pulled under the portico of the next hotel
and i was fumbling in my purse for my money
when i saw this old hand reach out
and i let loose of the money in my purse.
i reached out and took his hand
almost afraid to look him in the eye
because i didn't know what he would say.
i lifted my eyes to his and he was crying.
"lady, when i got in this old cab tonight
i was the loneliest person in the whole world.
i never heard anyone talk like you talked tonight
and i want your God.
He and i could ride together."
and i crawled out of that old cab
knowing that somewhere in miami beach
an old, gnarled, wrinkled man
drives a beat up cab.
but he doesn't drive alone.
and i can hardly help but sing
when i know that the eternal God
is willing to invade an old cabbie's life
and love him.
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