How Do You Avoid Crime in the City?
by Marian Lorraine
ISMAIL
Where I hailed him: LES
Where he hails from: Pakistan
Years as a cabbie: 18
Previous profession: Always a driver
This one time, I saw three boys standing in the rain in Times Square
at two o'clock in the morning. I saw two cabs pass by them, and I knew
they weren't going to get picked up. But I felt so bad because they
were my son's age, and I could just see my son standing there. I picked
them up. Sure enough, they take me to one stop in Washington Heights,
and one boy gets out. Then another boy gets out at the second stop,
then the third boy goes to his stop and he says, "Oh no, I don't have
any money but the second one went to get the money." We wait for five
minutes. Then he's like, "Oh, I'll go find him." I said, "Listen, I
know by now you don't have any money, but you remind me of my son, so
that's why I picked you up, I felt sorry for you. So you can do what
you like, but just know that." And he said, "Uncle, I only have seven
dollars." And he gave me the seven dollars. And I told him not to do
that again. He said he wouldn't do it anymore, but who knows. Teenagers
are teenagers.
CALVIN
Where I hailed him: Grand Central
Where he hails from: Brooklyn
Years as a cabbie: 12
Previous profession: Worked in a drug store
Well, don't be an idiot. Don't do anything stupid. This is a safe
city now, and it's easy to stay out of trouble. It wasn't always that
way; I got mugged twice as a kid. Punks. I probably didn't even have $1
on me. One time I even had to go to the police station to look at
pictures to try and point out who did it.
KHAM
Where I hailed him: Nolita
Where he hails from: Hong Kong
Years as a cabbie: 6
Previous profession: Restaurant owner
You know what to fight crime with? The sixth sense. Look at people,
the way they talk and carry themselves. Like if a guy you've never seen
before wants you to let him into your apartment building? Don't do it.
Giuliani really cleaned up the city, and for that I am thankful, but
things could get bad again, with so many people having lost their
jobs.
JARABE
Where I hailed him: Port Authority
Where he hails from: Nigeria
Years as a cabbie: 8
Previous profession: No previous profession
I've never had a problem with anything like that. Look at me, I'm
pretty tough. No one wants to mess with me. I think if someone were
looking to rob a cab, they'd wait for a weaker driver, to be honest. So
I don't worry.
