"Penn Station," I told the cab driver. The young, heavy-set man peered at me through his sunglasses and motioned me to get in.
"I've got to get to JFK airport by 2:30PM. You think I'll be able to get there via LIRR (Long Island Rail Road ) or should I cab it all the way?" I ask him, as I get comfortable in the back seat.
"Hmmm? You should be okay. Yeah, you'll make it? It will be much cheaper to take the train," he replied in a mild South Asian accent.
"Thanks," I told him. Given his engaging（迷人的） nature, we naturally started a conversation, which went from the weather and quickly veered into the struggles of a cab driver's life.
"How long have you been driving cabs?"
"Three years."
"You like it?"
"It's really hard work. Not all people are so nice. I get tired, but what can you do? You have to pay the bills."
"I hear you."
Like most New York cab drivers, he accelerated constantly and braked often, zoomed through red lights, almost nicked a couple of cars and still, never broke a sweat.
"What do you do?" he asked curiously. "I help a nonprofit organization trying to bring some goodness in the world," I responded.
"Do they pay you well?"
"Well, no, but I get by（过得去）. I don't have many material things in life, the IRS would consider me poor, but you know, I've realized that I don't need all that to keep me happy. If I die tomorrow, I want to go out knowing that I've made a few people smile."
The young cab driver, perhaps in his late thirties, looked back through the sliding glass as if extending his hand for a hand shake- "Man, it is nice to meet you. It is really nice to meet you." Although we were strangers, both of us felt deeply connected as human beings. And by now, 7 minutes into our ride, we were on a first-name basis. He even spelled his name for me: H-a-k-e-e-m.
Hakeem and I talked a bit
"So who comes to this restaurant?"
"It's not like a soup-kitchen for the homeless; it's a place where everyone comes in."
"Wow, really? That is something."
Our conversation was one of those lively, happy conversations. We were both laughing it up and sharing stories, when he turns to me and says, "Can I keep in touch with you? I want to help. I want to be associated with this."
Perhaps it broke protocol for a cab driver to ask for the business card of his customer, but Hakeem and I felt like old friends. "Sure thing, buddy." We traded e-mail addresses as he informed me that he has a laptop at home from which he can check e-mails once every couple of days.
"You know what you could do, Hakeem," I suggested in a conspiring tone. "You could give free ride to people every so often, and see how they respond. Imagine the dinner conversation that they will have with their family that night."
"Wow. Yeah. I will do it. Every week, I can give away a $5 cab ride." After a reflective pause, he added, "Man, I'm moved."
We arrived at Penn Station. "$14.15" was the total. I gave him $15, and was looking through my wallet for more when he immediately planted a dollar bill into my hands and insisted that I don't tip him- "No, no.? Please, please." It was 15 cents from a cabbie（出租车司机）, but in his heart, Hakeem was giving me a free ride and I was blessed to receive it.
As I was heading out, I turn to him and say, "Hakeem, you know how we talked
Hearing this, Hakeem was visibly moved. "Really? Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"I will give them your e-mail address too."
"No, no. This is not
Standing on the streets, I looked in through the back window and said, "Alright, my friend, be well."
Almost speechless, he repeated one last time: "Man, I'm moved."
So was I.
相关单词：peered
peered解释：去皮的
peered例句：
He peeled away the plastic wrapping. 他去掉塑料包装。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The paint on the wall has peeled off. 墙上涂料已剥落了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
相关单词：veered
veered解释：v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转
veered例句：
The bus veered onto the wrong side of the road. 公共汽车突然驶入了逆行道。
The truck veered off the road and crashed into a tree. 卡车突然驶离公路撞上了一棵树。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：zoomed
zoomed解释：v.（飞机、汽车等）急速移动( zoom的过去式 )；（价格、费用等）急升，猛涨
zoomed例句：
Traffic zoomed past us. 车辆从我们身边疾驰而过。
Cars zoomed helter-skelter, honking belligerently. 大街上来往车辆穿梭不停，喇叭声刺耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：curiously
curiously解释：adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
curiously例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
相关单词：generosity
generosity解释：n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为
generosity例句：
We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。
相关单词：protocol
protocol解释：n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节
protocol例句：
We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。
相关单词：buddy
buddy解释：n.（美口）密友，伙伴
buddy例句：
Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！
相关单词：conspiring
conspiring解释：密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致
conspiring例句：
They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。
相关单词：tone
tone解释：n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强
tone例句：
There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。
相关单词：standing
standing解释：n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
standing例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
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