It was our cab driver that day. She was always striking up conversations with total strangers at the oddest times.
I smoked a cigarette and watched the trees go by, holding her hand as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"Where are you guys heading? Since I'm the fastest cab driver in the free world, I can get you their sooner for a little extra cash," he said. Then he introduced herself, "My name's Thomas, by the way, and you folks seem to be a little bit different than my normal fares to me."
"We seem different?" She took the bait. I flicked my ash out of the cracked window. At least Thomas let us smoke in the cab, not many cars would let you do that anymore.
"Well, you're obviously in love, and that in itself is pretty unusual. But it's something else. Especially from you," and he pointed into the rear view mirror at her, touching the glass surface briefly and knocking the mirror over at an angle where I couldn't see his face as much anymore.
"Tell you what," he continued. "I’ll prove that I'm the fastest driver you've ever had, and if you're not satisfied when we get to wherever it is that you want to go, the fare's on me. But if you're happy, the fare's double. Deal?"
