Taxi Vignettes

My busy day had been filled with nothing but predictable ho-hum runs to the airport, until I took that one last call...

I pulled up to the address as the door opened. A man and woman came out wearing what I guessed, correctly, were their dinner clothes. The gentleman was holding what looked to be several pieces of cardboard. They waved goodbye to the kids, who were bouncing up and down on a trampoline as the babysitter looked on. The dad said that they were going to Manresa, but first we needed to pick up another couple. Thus four well mannered upper class people going to one of the top restaurants in the world. This would be a profitable and civilized trip.

As their friends were getting into the taxi the man threw the cardboard over the back seat saying to the other guy, "We should wait until it gets dark."

In front of the restaurant I was asked if I would return for them at 10pm. The guys saying that they had some posters (the cardboard) to put up on the way home. Manresa is a lovely little restaurant praised around the world for its innovative menu. It must be outstanding because diners are reluctant to leave, or Chef David Kinch, is not one to be rushed. I knew in reality it would be much later than 10pm, but I had to see what they were planning to do with those posters.

A few minutes after 11:30 we were on our way to a neighborhood in Campbell. My passengers were feeling the drink that had accompanied their dinner, and searching for the illusive house that needed to be decked out in posters, was becoming comical. Suddenly one guy said, "This is it!" He asked me to pull around the corner. The other fellow thought for sure we were at the wrong house. I really hoped not.

As soon as I stopped the taxi the men burst out into the dark with the posters in hand. The women following just behind them, stepping gingerly through the flower beds in their high heeled pumps. Getting into the mood I was bringing up the rear with my camera. Nothing like a photo to document the deed.