Richard Bostwick Reminiscences

Home Page

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

The Gambler And His Gal
1927

The largest cab fare I ever collected from a customer was from a man and his lady friend. I know them both as I had driven each of them several times in the past. He was known as “Curly” and was one of the most successful gamblers in town. She went by the name of Miss Lee, and she was just as prominent in her own profession as he was in his. She was the madam of a major house of prostitution in the area.

I picked him up at his hotel at 8:00 p.m. on a Monday evening. As he settled himself in the backseat of my cab, he instructed me to drive him over and pick up Miss Lee at her place of business. I was then to drive them out to a certain roadhouse where drinks and meals were both available.

Now this trip started out just as a routine run to take this couple out to an evening of dinner and dancing. When I arrived at the roadhouse, I figured that would be the end of the run. But as they got out of my cab, he instructed me to wait for them, which I did. Well, they wined, dined, and danced until 1:00 a.m. During this time I just sat in my cab and dozed a little while waiting for them. When they finally did come out they climbed into my cab, and I felt sure they would have me drive them back to town. But when we got back to town, Curly had me stop at a local bootleggers where he laid in a supply of liquor. He then directed me to drive them down to a lake resort that was some 48 miles east of town. I first called my dispatcher to tell him I was on a time drive, and I did not know how long I would be engaged. I asked him if I was not back by quitting time if he could call my wife and tell her of the situation.

We finally arrived at the lake resort and while they indulged in a little moonlight bathing and other revelry, I curled up in the front seat and caught a little shut-eye. The sun was just coming up when Curly shook me out of my nap and told me to drive them over to a neighboring town for breakfast at a resort run by a former partner of his. After eating breakfast, they had me drive them from one resort to another, this being in the Lake District of western Minnesota. They spent several hours at each of the resorts I took them to. Curly did quite a bit of gambling at several of these places while I would catch a little sleep. After two days and two nights of gambling, dancing, dining and drinking, their fling finally came to and end and he gave me the much-appreciated order of “Let's go home.”

I arrived back at Miss Lee's place of business at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening. They got out of my cab, and as Miss Lee went on upstairs, Curly asked me what the bill was. I told him, “48 hours @ $3.00 an hour comes to $148.00.” He pulled out a large roll of bills, peeled off $150.00, handed me the money and told me to keep the change. He too went up the stairs. I headed for the cab office where I checked in the largest cab fare I had ever collected for a single trip. Needless to say I did not finish out that night's shift. Instead I headed for home for a good home cooked meal, as I had practically lived on hamburgers the past two days. I also had two days stubble on my face and I longed for a hot shower and a good nights sleep in my own bed.