Читать книгу I'm Out to Change My World - Ann Kiemel - Страница 9

taxi driver

it was in the summer

and i got into a beat up old cab in miami beach

and asked the old cab driver

to take me to another hotel.

it was hot

and every window was rolled down.

and i asked him,

“what is the one word

that describes your life?”

“can i give you two?”

he said.

he was old and gnarled,

about as beat up as his cab.

“yes,” i said.

“what are they?”

“bored

and unhappy.”

“sir,

why are those the two words

that describe your life?”

“i don’t know.

i guess ‘cause

i got nobody in the world.”

“nobody, sir?

no wife, no children, no family?

no one in the whole world for you?”

“no.”

“tell me, sir,

how did you get to be an old man

and have nobody?”

“ ‘cause i never got a good job

and no woman wanted me.”

“sir,

can i sing you a song?”

“sing?”

“i don’t have a very good voice,

but i know you’d like my song.”

“just a minute, please”

he rolled up his window,

then he nodded at me.

and i began to sing:

something beautiful,

something good.

all my confusion

He understood.

all i had to offer Him

was brokenness and strife.

but He’s making something beautiful

out of my life.

“sir,

do you know who i’m singing about?

Jesus Christ, He’s the Lord of my life

He laughs with me

and cries with me—”

“i’m a jew.”

“sir, He’ll walk with you

He’ll laugh with you.

He’ll be your friend.”

and just then we pulled under the portico of the next hotel

and i was fumbling in my purse for my money

when i saw this old hand reach out

and i let loose of the money in my purse.

i reached out and took his hand

almost afraid to look him in the eye

because i didn’t know what he would say.

i lifted my eyes to his

and he was crying.

“lady,

when i got in this old cab tonight

i was the loneliest person in the whole world.

i never heard anyone talk like you talked tonight

and i want your God.

He and i could ride together.”

and i crawled out of that old cab

knowing that somewhere in miami beach

an old, gnarled, wrinkled man

drives a beat up old cab.

but he doesn’t drive alone.

and i can hardly help but sing

when i know that the eternal God

is willing to invade an old cabbie’s life

and love him.