Only In New York. Story #69.
The Taxi Driver

I was on the way back from a business lunch at Sal Anthony’s Restaurant near Irving Place and 14th Street.

As a grizzled New Yorker, I knew the fastest way back to my office at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near the United Nations was to hail a cab and head northbound on First Avenue.

At first blush, it was my lucky day. No sooner had I raised my hand than a shiny yellow cab driven by a clean-shaven guy with a bowtie pulled up next to me. Next surprise, he was courteous and spoke perfect English (please forgive the politically-incorrect descriptor; that’s the racist in me).

Before long, the conversation went from small talk to Vietnam. It turned out he was a vet who had driven tanks through the forests. He also clearly had PTSD (Post Traumatic Syndrome). I tried to keep him calm as he drove, but there were Gooks hiding in the bushes on every street corner and lots of other weird stuff.

To learn more about my cab ride to hell, and the challenges they had to overcome, you might want to check out my latest book, an entertaining collection of short stories, ONLY IN NEW YORK. 36 True Stories that Celebrate New York’s Unique DNA.

“A thoroughly captivating and entertaining collection of stories about the real New York.”
– International Review of Books

“You’ll turn every page with a smile on your face.”
– San Francisco Book Review

“Engaging snapshots of a life lived across New York City by a born-and-raised New Yorker.”
– Manhattan Book Review