Close up CSX on Flickr.A freight train pulls out of Berea, Ohio...

Carol Morris, Miss Universe 1956

Boston

Photo Courtesy: Werner Kunz

Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon by Robert Crum on Flickr.

New York Taxi by Trash-Photography on Flickr.

When most people think of taxis, they imagine the hustle and bustle going-ons in New York, when busy cityfolk jump into a cab, only to get stuck in two-hour traffic, get out and walk the rest of the way to their destination.

But in Chicago, where traffic tends to be more milder, different types of concerns emerge instead. Which takes us back to sping 2007.

Like any typical third year university student, the looming reality of graduation and a forced simulation into the real world threw me into a flurry as I sought to find some internship from which I coudl determine if my unviersity degree would help me find the perfect marriage, er, career path in which I would find great satisfaction. Incidentally, I had secured myself enough interviews to last me a whole week of interview, at the expense of any needed rest that came with spring break. However, when living out of a suitcase came king sized beds, reimbused meals and a week in the city, what more could a broke university student as for?

Snow at the end of the week, lots of it.

Needless to say, Chicago was hit by a large snowstorm, not as great as the one this year, but still one. As a result, the walk from the hotel to the office for my final interview was not going to work. Thus, I resorted to my last solution, one that someone with a minor fear of wreckless driving would continue to have nightmares over for the next five years.

I hailed a taxi cab with my classmate.

Approximately ten minutes and a whitened knuckle clenching the arm rest later, we finally reach the office. All this while, as we get out of the car, the driver is shatting with their friend/family on the phone. At this point, I realize that my suitcase is in the trunk and that this guy had no intention of getting out of the car to help me with my case. The situation caused me to frown, but I had an interview to get to, so doing it myself would be faster.

Politely knocking on the glass, I signal to the trunk and ask for the guy to open it, which he does. For a moment, I stared into the dark abyss of the trunk in its black lining that threatened to swallow my already dark suitcase. It was deep and my suitcase weighed like a dead body (not that I would know from experience). But being of short stature, I do the only sensible thing to do for someone who is in a rush to an interview. I start dragging the thing out like my life depended on it and manage to get the thing halfway out when the unthinkable happened.

The taxi started.

In Chicago, it is good to keep in mind that drivers will sometimes not close the trunk and resort to starting up their cars quickly and letting the force cause the door to close. But fortunately for me, morning rush hour has the car slowly easing its way into the traffic, as I walk rapidly (hand still on the suitcase) and trying to get this thing out before the door slammed on me or I lose my endurance. But as things went on, the force of the car speeding up caused me to fall in, feel hanging out as the car drove a few feet. At this point, I start screaming obscenities as the person I was with ran after the car, knocking desperately to get the man to stop the car.

Fortunately I managed to pull my suitcase out of the car with only my ego slightly dented and my arsenal of amusing stories increased by one.

Now if only people would stop voting this story as fake when I give two truths and a lie.

Close up CSX on Flickr.

A freight train pulls out of Berea, Ohio close up 2007