Richard Bostwick Reminiscences

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Welfare Office Stories
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Cab Driving Stories
Introduction
The Way It Was - 1930
The Gambler And His Gal 1927
The Last One To Know 1926
Just A Couple Of Hustlers 1925
Cash On Delivery 1923
One Born Every Minute 1923
Fun Is Where You Find It 1923
An Ace In The Hole 1922
And A Little Child Shall…
Gold Tooth Murphy
Aiding And Abetting 1929
Buried Treasure 1927
The Good Samaritan
Just A Country Trip
The Prodigal Son
Occupational Hazard
Four Bags Full
Overtime Pay
Above And Beyond The Call
Fourth Down And Ten
Let There Be Light
Take It Or Leave It
Double Or Nothing
Bandit
The Champ
Three Of A Kind
My Silent Big Spender
N.P.R.R. (Northern Pacific Railroad) Mr. Moody

Extras

Prohibition Stories
A Little Competition
Some Did Burn
Last Words

Bandit

There had recently been several cab drivers held up at gunpoint during the night shift. But luckily, none of them had been injured and none of our drivers had been victims of this apparently same gunman. All of us drivers were a little jittery due to these stick-ups, but I considered it an occupational hazard and one would just have to take his chances and hope it wouldn't happen to him.

We did not have two-way radios back in those days, so when we would finish a run, we would rush to the nearest telephone (most every place of business had one on their front counter) and call our dispatcher for another run. This was the case on this very cold and busy night. I pulled up in front of a small café on one of the side streets, jumped out of my cab and dashed in. I called my dispatcher who told me he was all caught up with no calls waiting.

I stopped long enough for a hot cup of coffee and then returned to my cab. As I started to pull away from the curb, I felt something brush against the back of my neck and shoulders. I felt the cold sweat on my forehead as I jammed on the brakes and jumped out of my cab-which came to an abrupt stop. I fully expected to see the ‘taxi-cab bandit' emerge from my cab. Instead, the only thing that came from the darkened interior was a very loud “Meow!” On closer examination, I saw a very large coal black tomcat perched on the back of my seat.

When I had rushed out of my cab to call my dispatcher, I had swung the door shut but it must have latched and remained slightly ajar. So when the tomcat came along looking for some place to get in out of the cold, he took refuge in my cab.

I got back in my cab and took the big tom and petted him as he snuggled close to me in the front seat. I took him to the office where he really found a home. All of the drivers made a pet out of him. One of the drivers put a pad on top of the safe in the corner of the office, which became his favorite spot.

We named him Bandit.