One block into the ride I leaned forward and said, “Your meter’s off.”
“Oh, thank you! I’m so tired.”
“Are you almost done for the night?” I like talking to cab drivers.
“Yes. You know, I don’t get tired if I am doing a lot of driving but sometimes I just wait and wait. It’s been very slow.”
“Recently?”
“Since September 11th, you know?”
I didn’t think that required any comment so I didn’t make one. We crossed into Boston. He asked, “Do you think the economy will get any better?”
“I don’t know. They say it is, but I still have a lot of friends out of work.”
He nodded at the rear view mirror. “What are you going to do, you know?” He shrugged.
I said nothing.
“We are in America. Everyone wants to come here. If things are bad in America, where else is there to go?”