Junya.s eyes moved up and down the large buildings while lights painted
the city streets of NYC. The white Excursion was about half of a block ahead of
the cab. It was a good thing the cabbie drove fast, for Junya felt for sure he
would have been left for dead in front of the club. The truck Khevasiah was in
drove on various turns and one way streets, like it was looking for a next party,
not paying any attention to evade the cab that secretly followed in pursuit. The
larger buildings turned into smaller residences and corner stores. The cab driver
started to slow down, then he eventually stopped.
"Why you stopping?"
"You kiddi me man! I no drive there, no way, no way..." The cab driver
was a Far East Indian with a full beard and a turban wrapped around his head.
"The fuck you mean you no go there! What I pay you for man!"
Junya said irately to the cab driver.
"No way, no way...I not going to Brooklyn this time of night, you get out
here."
"Brooklyn? Junya said. The fact that he did not recognize he was in one
of the most infamous parts of New York City drew a look of confusion on
Junya.s face, and a look of ridicule on the cab drivers. By this time, the white
truck was no where in site.
"Damn...never mind, we fucking lost them. We fucking lost them!"
Junya yelled at the cab driver vociferously. He beat his right hand on the glass
separating the cab driver from the passengers.
Junya stopped instantaneously, yelping in pain.
"My fucking side still hurts..." Junya said mumbling to himself as he
grabbed at his ribs.
"You get ass kicked! Ha ha... the cab driver bellowed. Stop have me
chase pretty girl in pretty truck...I take you to hospital right away!
"The hospital? Aw shit man...aight, but how far is the hospital from the
club you picked me up from? Junya responded.
"About 25, 35 minute in cab...no worry, I get there, ten minute." The cab
driver uttered as he pressed down hard on the accelerator on his way to the
hospital. Junya slumped back in the seat of the cab during the seemingly long
drive. His eyes fluttered open and closed as the city lights grew dim under the
passing night into dawn.
After looking at the cab drivers operator license posted
on the back of the front seat, Junya strikes up a conversation.
"So you originally from New York...Then why you still have that accent?"
Junya asked sarcastically.
"Oh...but this accent get me nuff bitches, as you people say! Heh! Shit, I
do not know how they fall for it sometimes, but that shit be working! The cab
driver said with a more easily understood accent. You see my friend, there are
many things you need to know about Brooklyn: Number one, everybody is out
to get over on everybody! And as a cab driver, I have seen and heard the best of
them. I have taken famous actors to go see their boyfriends, I have taken rich
businessmen and political figures to places just for them to tell me they left their
money in a briefcase at a meeting...for me to bill their corporate accounts and
their offices, just for them to hang up in my face! Women dressing up as men to
spy on their husbands, girls running away from home offering blowjob just to
get across town! People shooting at cab drivers like me! Shooting at other
people! This place is no place to be Mr. Nice Guy!"
"That is why it is called the city that never sleeps I guess..." Junya said
quite confused.
"No, they call it the city that never sleeps, because they never sleep. There
is always something going on. Look outside!" The cab driver said confidently.
"I meant sleep in a different context. We black people say sleep like you
are minimizing ones character or abilities before they are witnessed, like they
can.t do something they say they can, so we sleep..."
"I know what you people mean! I grow up in Bronx, lived there 25 years.
Moved to Uptown, lived there 3 years. Now, I move with white people in White
Plains, I hate it out there!" The cab driver stated while interrupting Junya.
"So you know this city like your wife.s ass!" Junya said as he offed a
chuckle.
"I know city, but I don't know wife.s ass! The cab driver responded. We
can never know our women, no matter how much we know them...look at you
young man. You have me chase ass that is not mine! Why did she leave you
behind? The cab driver said as he looked back at Junya.
The cab was at a light near a gas station and a brick building that housed a
church. Junya stared out the window up at the stop lights shadow to see if the
light had changed; the cabbie stalled until Junya gave him an answer. Junya
looked up at the cab driver, only to see him still looking at Junya as if he was
waiting for an answer.