I hear many interesting stories from the people I serve as a taxicab driver. Some are warmhearted and inspirational. Others are so extremely sad that they make you cry. Then there are tales that make you wonder about the subject or the storyteller themselves. This story is classified in the last group.
I received a call to pick up a passenger at the Huntsville Marriott one Friday afternoon. I walked into the lobby when I arrived and found a young lady dressed in fine business attire waiting on me. I took her luggage and escorted her to the automobile for a trip to the airport. Little did I know what lay in store for me during the short journey I was about to embark on.
The fare started out innocent enough with the usual professional pleasantries and small talk. I adjusted the rear view mirror so that I could look her in the eyes and talk on the trip. She was a very beautiful and fit blonde with a dazzling smile and sparkling eyes. She could have easily passed for a model with her deep tan, hour-glass figure and fashion sense. I estimated that she was in her mid-forties. She struck me as one of those girls they sing about in country music songs that have the corner office but likes to party at the honky tonk on the weekend. She told me that she was a computer analyst from Dallas when I asked her where she was from and what she did for a living. I sensed that she was slightly agitated and frustrated. I asked her if there was anything I could do for her when my curiosity about what was bothering her got the best of me.
“I just don’t understand men!” she said as she lit a cigarette and looked out the window. “I graduated egregia cum laude from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas; I’m a high ranking official in my company and responsible for solving major problems. I’m well versed in Shakespeare and a chess grandmaster. But the two things that men focus on when I’m around are my large breasts and my rear! I’m nothing more than eye candy to them!” My passenger lamented about how she continually works to have a meaningful conversation with her colleagues that doesn’t involve romance but can’t seem to hold their attention. She decried her belief that the men in her office preferred to undress her with their eyes from across the room. She was obviously perturbed considering her circumstance.
“There’s a federal law against sexual harassment. Have you ever thought of filing a complaint?” I asked doing my best psychiatrist imitation.
“I did once. I was told that there was nothing that could be done because all the men do is stare. I was also informed that my outgoing personality and my constant attempts at meaningful interaction with my office mates works against me. None of them have ever commented on my physical attributes. I’ve never been propositioned. But the constant staring is really unnerving! The way they act you’d think we were all still in junior high.”
I wanted to leave the impression on her that I was sensitive to her predicament so I tried to get her mind off of the problem by shifting her attention to something positive. I asked about her hobbies and interests aside from work.
“My passion is my home. I bought my home because it was a fixer-upper and I had so many ideas on how to make it perfect. I designed and built an awesome home theater. It’s equipped with HD TV, HD stereo, 2,500 movies in my collection, surround sound, theater seating and a bar I built myself in the corner. That’s where you’ll find me when I’m home. I’m totally into the outdoors. I like to spend time in and around my pool when the weather is nice. And I have a beautiful garden. I really baby my flowers and plants. I like to travel and visit tourist attraction like museums and theaters in various places. But traveling isn’t much fun when you’re on the road alone.”
“You don’t have a special someone?” I tired not to sound too chauvinistic.
“No. I don’t have a boyfriend right now. And I’m not gay! I feel like I always have to say that. As a matter of fact, I’ve been celibate for a year and a half now.” She found some relief in that statement. I don’t know why she shared that much about herself. She confided in me that she attracts the opposite from the type of man she is looking for. “I have to be in charge all day long at work. I have to make decisions and take care of my employees. It would be so nice to have someone to be in charge of the house, to made the decisions and take care of me when I get home. Unfortunately, most men don’t want anything to do with a woman with a little authority.”
As we turned onto the road that leads into the airport I could tell that my passenger realized that the life course she plotted really isn’t as fulfilling as she had planned. I could see that she knew what changes needed to be made to get her desired results. The only question that remained was if she was really ready to make them.
I parked on the curb at the terminal, opened the trunk, walked to the back of the car and handed my customer’s luggage to the sky captain. My client paid her fare and began to walk away. Just as I was ready to get back into the car she yelled, “Hey! Thanks for everything. You’re really good!” she smiled at me and gave me a wink. I looked over at the sky captain and he had a puzzled look on his face. I sat down in the driver’s seat and drove away.
