Date: Feb. 5, 2006
From: Wicker Park
To: Roscoe Village
The Cab: It is very easy in this day and age for a cab driver to fake cleanliness. The easiest way is to confuse the issue with scent. Some cabbies drown out any dirtiness with a forest of tiny tree air fresheners. Others allow a million little smells to build up. Is it bleachy or musty? Musty because it was cleaned too much or because it wasn’t actually cleaned at all? There is so much nasal obfuscation that we forget what true cleanliness smells like. Readers, I invite you to step into Cab #1717 and remember. An honest-to-goodness clean vehicle smells natural and calm; it’s like a warm hug from your grandma. And that is how clean Cab #1717 is.
The Driver: I don’t like to waste time, so when I saw that cab #1717 had its Not For Hire lights on I didn’t bother waving at it. I just stood and braced myself for an indeterminate spell of waiting on a chilly February night. Then, like a knight in shining armor, the Driver #1717 pulled over anyway. He was heading home, he said, but couldn’t let my me and my companion wait out in the cold. No cell phone in sight, he regaled us with exciting, genuine, real conversation. And consider this: you’ve probably argued with cabbies over tips before, but how many times were they arguing that you gave them too much? Driver #1717 steadfastly refused to accept my generous tip, forcing money into my hand and insisting I use it for something more important.
The Driving: Safe, proficient, even moderately stylish. The driver of course knew our final address and the most efficient way to get there.
Overall rating: Five extended arms
– Natasha Julius
Posted on February 5, 2006