The two female friends sitting in the rear of my taxi had had it with Burlington and were going to try their luck at a couple of Essex Junction watering holes. Lest there be any confusion, water was the last thing they were after.

“That bouncer at JP’s, what a fuckin’ asshole. I mean it, Crystal — what the fuck did I do? I did’n do nothin’. If I wanna get my ass kicked out a bar, I know what to do. You know I know what to do!”... Read more

The Middlebury College academic calendar is quirky. For hackies like me, this is no mere academic matter; the comings and goings of college students spell taxi fares, and plenty of them. To partake, though, you have to be at the right places at the right times, and, as I said, Middlebury seems to be out of sync with other local schools. They have this crazy, so-called “J-term” — kind of a mini-semester — and every year I seem to lose track of when it falls. Yet, by hook or by crook, I manage to get my share.... Read more

Cruising past the Cherry Street bus stop had landed me a customer headed for the airport. All the local bus routes begin and end at the corner of Cherry and Church, making it fertile ground to troll for fares. “Too cold to wait for the bus today.”... Read more

I was driving two regulars, Ted and Cindy, to a Christmas party being thrown by one of Cindy’s coworkers. Everyone invited to Melanie’s party — I overheard as they spoke with each other in the back of the cab — either worked together at this large nursing home where Cindy was employed as a speech therapist, or was a partner of someone who did. This type of party can be slightly awkward; the guests all know each other, but are they really friends? Mix with alcohol and see what happens. The holidays are a hoot.... Read more

It was the tail end of a hectic Saturday night, and a longtime customer was on the line. There are regulars and there are regulars. I have driven Bonnie no less than once a week since cellphones were the size of home phones. The woman leads an unconventional life: Not to put too fine a point on it, she’s a drinker and a party girl. It’s a lifestyle that entails a lot of cab rides, day and night, from locations far and wide. But judge not lest ye be judged, right? More to the point, however she chooses to live her life, Bonnie is good people, and I dig her.... Read more

Cruising toward Essex Junction, I snuck a peek at my customers. It was not readily apparent whether the two girls — one ensconced in the front and one in the rear of my taxi — were dressed up for Halloween or just being generally festive. On Halloween night, it can be surprisingly hard to tell.... Read more

"Will you go to Jeffersonville?” asked the man standing at the curb in front of Junior’s downtown pizzeria.

“Jeez — lemme think about it,” I hedged, taking a moment to size up the guy. He looked about 30 and wore a maroon wool cap and checked flannel shirt, very rural Vermont-style. “It’s the busiest time of the night, is the only reason I’m hesitating,” I explained. “Where in Jeff?”

“No problem, I understand. Everyone’s got to make a buck. I live up the Mountain Road, not too far from Smuggs.”... Read more

For years, I worked the Burlington bus station, back before it was taken over by Greyhound, when it was still Vermont Transit. I camped out through lazy afternoons when the terminal stood at its historical location — the first-floor corner of the Huntington Apartments at St. Paul and Main streets. After the fire, when the station moved to Pine Street, I dutifully followed, and over the years taxied thousands of travelers. As Burlington’s taxi fleet exploded in the new millennium, I’ve gradually weaned myself off the bus terminal. Too much competition for my blood.... Read more

I was on duty during the first presidential debate, taking it in on my taxi radio. These months leading up to the election are bad times for a political junkie like me. That term is no mere figure of speech: I don’t “enjoy” the media; I need it. I can’t get enough of it, despite its failure to deliver anything approaching a pleasurable experience. Well, perhaps it did early on, but after all these years I’ve been glued to the Internet and television, it’s now a fix. Hit me baby, one more time.... Read more

On a recent Saturday night I had a shift I would classify as great, and by “great” I refer to the money in my pocket when I switched off the taxi light. If this job isn’t all about the money for me, it’s darn close. Yes, I enjoy it, and yes, I do my best to provide high-quality service to my customers. But at the end of the day, this is how I earn my livelihood.... Read more