The Cab Ride

Photo by Scott Gummerson on Unsplash

Keiko finished giving her shift report to the oncoming nurse and headed to the break room to shower and change before gathering her things to head home. After leaving her hospital scrubs in the hamper, she put on her mask and left the hospital. She walked outside for a bit to enjoy the chilly morning air giving her the energy she needed to hail a cab. Keiko dismissed the first two cabs because the drivers weren’t wearing masks, but the third one was the charm, as they say. The little woman driving had a mask on that depicted a brightly colored emoji, also wearing a mask. It made Keiko smile as she climbed in the back seat and recited the address to the hotel she was staying in.
The driver, who enthusiastically introduced herself as Penny, drove in silence as she merged back into traffic and headed downtown. After a while Penny asked, “How’s your day been going?”
Keiko chuckled to herself. Her day had been hell, with an extra serving of ignorance, and she was tired. “Well, no one died,” she said dryly. Penny was silent for a moment, looking at Keiko in the rearview mirror. Probably trying to decide if she picked up a psychopath, Keiko thought.
“Those are your standards?” Penny finally asked.
“I’m a nurse at Baptist Hospital; I work in the ICU,” Keiko explained.
Understanding and sadness filled Penny’s eyes. “Well then, nobody died today, that’s something,” she said, turning her focus back on driving. Penny didn’t speak again until they neared the hotel. “How come you’re going here? Are you one of the emergency staff?”
Keiko looked up at the looming building and beat back the homesickness. “No,” she said, “but my parents and daughter are in the high risk group. As long as I’m working in the ICU, I can’t risk going home and making them sick.”
“Oh,” Penny was silent again as she pulled up to the front lobby. “Keiko,” she called as Keiko climbed out of the cab. She stopped and looked in the cab and Penny said, “Thank you. For the work you do at the hospital.”
Keiko paused and could only nod in response then said, “Thank you for wearing a mask. Have a good day and stay safe.” Then headed into the hotel and up to her room. She spent an hour with her family over Zoom before going to bed.