Wednesday, May 25, 2005

“You’ve got to keep movin’ or you’ll be left behind.”

We just finished watching Star Wars and decided to take a cab home. Now, as any NYC resident knows, you stick you body out as far out into the street as possible to grab the attention of the driver. You need to be just far enough out into the street that you can grab a cab but not get hit by one or by a bike messenger. You don’t wait at the corner with your hand up and expect them to stop for you. We’ve seen many out-of-towners desperately try to flag a cab this way.

As Lrudlrick flung his body out into the street, a lady in Pink shouted, “Excuse me, sir, but I was here first.” Throngs of moviegoers have just exited the theatre and are now milling around the street looking for a cab. This woman chooses to tell us that we’re in her ‘turf’. Everyone around us at the movie theatre looked at her like she had two heads. We smiled and politely moved up one block and chuckled. Tourist, we said.

It didn’t end there though. She followed us up the block. Apparently her territory expands past 68th and Broadway. As she followed us, I spied three different couples grabbing taxis in her ‘space’ but for some reason, she latched onto us. Clearly, this was a personal vendetta.

For the next 5 minutes we watched her run around the perimeter of Broadway b/w 67th and 68th trying to out beat us to a taxi. It was like watching Pacman. She weaved in and out of lanes going northbound then southbound in the hopes a cab would stop for her. It became so comical that at one point, she stopped traffic going southbound to get into a cab. She rolled down her window and gave us a charming gesture. We smiled and gave her the thumbs up.

10 seconds later, her taxi halts, leaving a bottle neck of cars honking. 20 seconds later, she gets out of the taxi. She shouts, “He won’t turn the cab around for me.” We smile and shrug our shoulders.

I’m not sure what was more entertaining that night, the pink lady trying to hail a cab or Star Wars. Pink Lady, if you are reading this, thank you for your street performance. Let us know where you’ll be playing next and we’ll tell friends.