Terry's Taxi
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series III, Cycle C
Terry is a taxi driver in Dallas, Texas. She drives a six-passenger van, complete with a small television screen, a CD player, and a cooler. Terry is not a typical taxi driver.
When Terry was in school, she quickly realized something was very wrong. They called it a "learning difficulty," but for all she knew, it was really a death sentence. She couldn't go to the regular classes and in high school she always thought that if she had to go to one more remedial class, she would quit. She was so bright and witty, yet she couldn't put words on paper. She barely passed.
She had considered what she could do in life. She knew she wasn't as dumb as she felt when she had to write something. Terry had courage and determination, yet she didn't know what to do in life. She wanted to do something helpful, but she needed to be independent. She couldn't do much administration, but she loved people.
She was going to go to beauty school, but they had told her there were extensive tests and reading about biology and how the hair and nails are made and about skin conditions. That sounded like too much paperwork.
She thought about being a receptionist. Terry loves people and is very outgoing. But she was afraid of the numbers she would have to punch in to transfer calls. She hated to think of the all the letters she would have to type!
It was on a trip to New York that she got the idea to become a taxi driver. It was part of a graduation trip and she and her mom had a great time seeing all the sights. They even had a two-day stopover in Washington, D.C., to see all the monuments. The taxi drivers were very kind and gave Terry and her mom tips on where to go and what to do. Terry loved to drive. She would try it!
Terry talked to many taxi drivers in Dallas. She got training and tried it. She passed the tests! At first she had a regular mid-sized car and took people to their destinations. She often would try to read people's moods. Quickly she could see who wanted just to be driven, who wanted to chat, and who wanted to take the time to see sights. Terry bragged to her mother that she could read people; she knew when to play rock, instrumental, or easy listening music. She got really good at listening and asking questions to pull stories out of people. She was sensitive to when she needed to be quiet.
She became more particular as she became more successful. She refused to give rides to people who reeked of alcohol or who couldn't look at her in the rear view mirror when she asked for the address. She didn't put up with anything questionable in her ten-hour shifts. She loved her job.
But she wasn't satisfied. She wanted to be a different kind of taxi driver. She wanted to make a difference to people. She prayed about it with her weekly church prayer group. She wanted to know how to be of service to people. One day, in prayer, she got the answer.
Terry saved for and bought a beautiful new van. She had a small television set put in with a video player. The video list was short: a family comedy, a toddler movie featuring a friendly dinosaur, a music video, and sports bloopers were all she offered. She made a small sign listing the CDs she had available if anyone wanted to hear music. A cooler held small, cold bottles of water. The Wall Street Journal and the most recent Good Housekeeping magazine were in the pocket behind her seat.
Soon people were calling and asking for Terry. She had more calls than she could handle. She is someone who takes her job of serving others very seriously. People tip her well and it is well deserved. More than once she has offered to give a homeless person a ride without charge. "It all comes out in the wash in the end," she once told a reporter.
"I love people. I love my job. This is one way I could do something extra." Serving others and being different is Terry's success. Lucky for those who encounter her!
When Terry was in school, she quickly realized something was very wrong. They called it a "learning difficulty," but for all she knew, it was really a death sentence. She couldn't go to the regular classes and in high school she always thought that if she had to go to one more remedial class, she would quit. She was so bright and witty, yet she couldn't put words on paper. She barely passed.
She had considered what she could do in life. She knew she wasn't as dumb as she felt when she had to write something. Terry had courage and determination, yet she didn't know what to do in life. She wanted to do something helpful, but she needed to be independent. She couldn't do much administration, but she loved people.
She was going to go to beauty school, but they had told her there were extensive tests and reading about biology and how the hair and nails are made and about skin conditions. That sounded like too much paperwork.
She thought about being a receptionist. Terry loves people and is very outgoing. But she was afraid of the numbers she would have to punch in to transfer calls. She hated to think of the all the letters she would have to type!
It was on a trip to New York that she got the idea to become a taxi driver. It was part of a graduation trip and she and her mom had a great time seeing all the sights. They even had a two-day stopover in Washington, D.C., to see all the monuments. The taxi drivers were very kind and gave Terry and her mom tips on where to go and what to do. Terry loved to drive. She would try it!
Terry talked to many taxi drivers in Dallas. She got training and tried it. She passed the tests! At first she had a regular mid-sized car and took people to their destinations. She often would try to read people's moods. Quickly she could see who wanted just to be driven, who wanted to chat, and who wanted to take the time to see sights. Terry bragged to her mother that she could read people; she knew when to play rock, instrumental, or easy listening music. She got really good at listening and asking questions to pull stories out of people. She was sensitive to when she needed to be quiet.
She became more particular as she became more successful. She refused to give rides to people who reeked of alcohol or who couldn't look at her in the rear view mirror when she asked for the address. She didn't put up with anything questionable in her ten-hour shifts. She loved her job.
But she wasn't satisfied. She wanted to be a different kind of taxi driver. She wanted to make a difference to people. She prayed about it with her weekly church prayer group. She wanted to know how to be of service to people. One day, in prayer, she got the answer.
Terry saved for and bought a beautiful new van. She had a small television set put in with a video player. The video list was short: a family comedy, a toddler movie featuring a friendly dinosaur, a music video, and sports bloopers were all she offered. She made a small sign listing the CDs she had available if anyone wanted to hear music. A cooler held small, cold bottles of water. The Wall Street Journal and the most recent Good Housekeeping magazine were in the pocket behind her seat.
Soon people were calling and asking for Terry. She had more calls than she could handle. She is someone who takes her job of serving others very seriously. People tip her well and it is well deserved. More than once she has offered to give a homeless person a ride without charge. "It all comes out in the wash in the end," she once told a reporter.
"I love people. I love my job. This is one way I could do something extra." Serving others and being different is Terry's success. Lucky for those who encounter her!
