how to not catch a cab

about the de'niro pic, i found the taxi driver movie photo to be so appropriate for this post..."you talkin to me?"
anyway, on to the craziness.

the plan: get to work early.

7:45 am
this morning my car ALMOST broke down on me...i know the deal. i was braking and my foot went all the way down on the floor; yikes, one would think. no biggie - i just need some brake fluid.... oh, btw my car started smoking like crazy. this has happened before and i know the solution (basically i need a master cylinder, why won't i just get the car fixed! geez). so if you saw a smoking lexus this morning, it was mine. i park the car, put on the flashers.

8:10 am
anyway, i walk up the street to the 7-11, no brake fluid.

8:15 am
walking to next nearest gas station. mind you, i have on my blouse and slacks, floor length slim fitted black wool coat, and high heels as i'm marching down the street. i need a ride.

8:17 am
hoorah! i see a cab. i prance over to the cab and did the "i need a ride" motion. the brother cracks his passenger side window down like 1 inch and asked me something. i don't know what that something was b/c the damn window on the passenger's side was cracked 1 inch!

8:17:55 am
*thoughts*maybe i looked like a threat, no maybe a menace. maybe the brother thought i may reach in and choke the hell out of him. i immediately grew pissed. that's what us engineers/law students do (notice the plug to cover my shame of acting out)!

me: "roll that damn window down! i can't hear a word you are saying" in my best authoritative voice, southern accent included.

cab driver: "i'm not going anywhere you want to go" *hits the gas*

well i be damn. the damn cab driver just drove off and left me hanging. i would have paid the man over what he wanted, just to help a brother out - but forget helping this sister out, he left my ass hanging. all i could do at this point is laugh at the fact that i have a long ass way to walk in this high heels. great. now, i have to finish walking to the gas station.

8:22 am
i made it; brake fluid - $3.65. cool.

8:35 am
i make it back to my car and i see a nice young man. now ladies, you know what i mean here. i could have put the brake fluid in myself; but as soon as a man sees you doing this, they all stop to help. thank you men, i LOVE you all :) so, i killed two birds with one stone and decided to ask for help:
me: "hello, my name is *** could you please help me with my car"
man: "huh"
me: "could you help with the brake fluid in my car"
man: "english not good"
*thinking* great.i point to car and he comes over and helps. still, a nice young man.

8:40 am
we're finished.
man: "can get phone number"
me: "we dont speak the same language, it would be hard over the phone, i don't know french"
man: "telephone number"
me: "i don't know french"
man: frustrated "telephone number!" motions with the hand to ear gesture.
me: makes the hand talking gesture and shakes head
man: cracks up laughing and says, "yes, yes" hahaha!

8:45 am
we're all finished. the guy was sweet, walks away - all is good.

9:40 am
all that damn traffic! i'm finally at work! what a lost cause this morning.
needless to say, i have had some experiences with cab drivers. i had one ask me to be his "ho" and to "come home with" oh yeah... good times in the cab.
btw, the pictures in this post in no way suggest that taxi drivers are sick like de'niro was in the movie "taxi driver" i just love that movie and i thought to add those pics as i was writing :) make your own judgements on taxi drivers. ok one more pic for the road!