Taxi
Illustration by Aadya R
It was a cold Thursday night and Robert had just come out of his office. He took out his phone and checked the time - it was 9:06. He put his phone back in his pocket and started walking briskly towards the nearby grocery store, all the while removing a small piece of paper on which his wife had written what he had to buy.
As Robert entered the store, he noticed that there were only two people in the shop apart from the cashier. He quickly took a basket and started looking for all the things he had to buy. By the time he had reached the cashier, his stomach had rumbled thrice. His last meal had been at 4 and now he was hungry.
“That will be 20 dollars, sir,” said the cashier pleasantly. Robert took out the money and handed it to him.
He picked up his grocery bag and marched out quickly. He had to quickly find a cab.
He put his hand out when he saw the distant headlights of a coming car, but the car did not stop. Robert changed hands and put the other hand up. The grocery bag was heavy. The next car that came did not stop either.
This annoyed Robert. Here he was, hungry and cold, with no way to get home. He checked the time again - 9:27. His wife would be waiting for him. He put his phone back in his pocket and stuck out his hand desperately. The third taxi was the charm and finally stopped.
Robert quickly said the memorized address to the driver and got into the car. The taxi took off immediately.
Once Robert had comfortably settled down in the car, he saw that a glass screen separated him from the driver. He found it unusual but decided to say nothing about it. At least not until he realized that the driver had taken the wrong turn.
Robert tapped on the glass and said that they had missed the turn, but the driver paid him no attention. Instead, he only increased the speed of the car, forcing Robert to fall back into his seat. The taxi finally stopped at a police station. Robert quickly got out with his grocery bag and before he could shout or even pay the driver, the taxi had already taken off.
Robert walked into the police station, totally bewildered at what was happening. He told the policeman, at the register, his name and address. He didn’t know why he was doing it. Something compelled him to.
The policeman escorted him to his crying children. Robert was even more bewildered. His children ran to him and hugged him. But the policeman in the corner took out his gun and shot him(where?).
Robert falls out of his office chair. He quickly gets up, dazed. He rubs his eyes and looks at the clock - 9:06. He then realizes that he had a strange dream, but that does not bother him as such.
He puts his coat on and makes his way out of the office. He takes his wife’s grocery list out and makes his way to the nearby grocery shop. He buys everything and waits for the taxi.
The taxi stops and Robert gets in. He does not notice that the taxi has a glass screen separating him from the driver.