As a dispatcher I am forever amazed at how driving a cab can
make a person so unfeeling towards the plight of their fellow man.
I have even had a driver kick someone out of their cab for having a seeing
eye dog!
But this, I think, tops even that.
It was towards the end of a shift all dispatchers hate, too many drivers
not enough calls,the police dispatcher called asking if a certain driver
was working. After confirming that he was driving they requested a meeting
between the driver and an officer at the office. Since it was nearing the
first of the month there were also several drivers at the office waiting
on cabs. The police arrived first. When he came in the waiting drivers
wanted to know what was going on I had to feign ignorance. All of the drivers
had a theory about why the cop was here but none were close to the truth,which
was a minor infraction. When the driver arrived they talked for a short
time and it was decided he had to go downtown. After he got into the cruiser
the other drivers, instead of inquiring if he needed anything, wanted to
know which cab he was driving and if it was for lease. After finding out
that he had the keys in his pocket one of them actually got mad. As it
turned out the driver was booked and released immediately, he wasn't gone
for more than 45 min. before returning.