It was a raw, rainy morning when I decided to leave the car at home and take the train into town. Normally, I would have walked to my destination, but given the miserable weather and that I was lugging a couple of bags, walking nearly a mile through the wet streets of Philadelphia didn’t seem like an enjoyable task. So I hailed a cab.

Imagine my surprise as the driver threw up his hands and grunted disgust when I gave him the address. “It’s right down there,” he pointed. “I know it’s just a short ride. I apologize, but it’s pouring and I have a lot to carry.” Then he yelled at me. “You need to be considerate of taxi drivers.”

No longer wanting his ride, I offered to take another cab, but he quickly pulled out muttering words that I didn’t understand. And just in case I dared to question who was in charge, when I paid the fare and asked for change, he refused to give it to me. I wasn’t about to argue. [Read more…]