August 27th, 2008
“Son of a bitch, you’re running up the meter!”7 comments
August 20th, 2008
"Hey bro, remember me? You wrote that story about me in the paper."3 comments
August 13th, 2008
“It’s the Californians, man, the Californians are the worst.”13 comments
August 6th, 2008
The middle-aged man I picked up at Vendetta is in a hyperactively verbose lather ...0 comments
July 23rd, 2008
When I step into the obese old woman's apartment5 comments
July 16th, 2008
The obese old woman at Fred Meyer has a bad hip and a wheelchair...8 comments
July 9th, 2008
“...I need to take a shower first and wash all of this blood off.”6 comments
July 2nd, 2008
“So I’ve got these two women in the back of my cab who just refuse to get out...”8 comments
June 25th, 2008
“My friend’s getting divorced, and he’s really drunk,” says the bartender...8 comments
June 18th, 2008
There’s nothing like a good Friday night, and I’m referring to the money.3 comments
[April 19th, 2006] "Take me to Dove Lewis." My passenger has a cat in a carrier; her voice is shaking. I start gunning it—why is everyone driving so SLOW!? "What's wrong with him?" "He just...collapsed," she says.
I am racing across the Hawthorne when she suddenly sobs. "Oh god, I think he's gone." Long pause. "What should I do?"
She'll need to have him cremated, so we keep going, more slowly now. We talk about our cats. "They're your family," I say. "They're my only family," she says. I talk about losing my girl Meera. "I can't believe I'm not crying more," she says.
"You will," I reply. "I got the news about Meera while I was changing a flat on the cab. I only cried for a few seconds. It wasn't until I was home that I really cried." I drop her off, and get out to hug her goodbye. She's reaching for her wallet. "No, don't worry about it. I'm so sorry."
I run another two fares, tears streaming, and end up near Dove Lewis again. On a hunch, I walk in. "There was this girl with her cat, he had just died?" "Yes, we're calling her a cab now." "No, I've got it."
I knock on the examining room door. "You want to stop anywhere on the way home? Twelve-pack of beer?" "No, I have a bottle of wine at home." Long pause. "I wonder if the others will smell it on his blanket." "They'll be too busy taking care of you." That's what mine did when Meera died.
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RECENT COMMENTS ON “Take me to Dove Lewis.”
Take me to Dove Lewis.Both the main article and your story about Boris brought tears to my eyes. I've made a few late-night trips to Dove Lewis. I wish more people would take the opportunity ...
Take me to Dove Lewis.Night Cabbie, you are the cat's pajamas. This was the first time I stopped to read your column and now I'm hooked. As a (54 year old) cat lover, I must say that "DARWIN"...
Take me to Dove Lewis.I have just today discovered your column and am enjoying the archives. I will from now on make a point of logging on to look for it. That said, I read with tears "Take me...
Take me to Dove Lewis.This is the first time for me to read a Night Cabbie article & I found it a treat to read. I grew up always having a cat and dog. Now, that I'm adult and married to someon...
