One night I got a notification for a pick up in a pretty nice section of the city. When I arrived a woman texted me saying “Be there in a minute.” The woman appeared, walking slowly. Next to hear was an elderly African American woman. She had a hat on and was walking with a cane. When they got to the car, I helped the lady get in the car. The woman who ordered the trip told me, “she’s a walking legend. Take care of her.”
Before I could get in the car the woman said “I’m gonna freeze to death in here.” I assured her I’d take care of it and I did.
As we began the trip to her house, about 15 minutes away, I asked her about her “legendary” status. She told me she was 82 years old and spent most of her adult life playing the piano and singing in black clubs in the area. Much of this was prior to integration in the Deep South. She said she didn’t play the piano much and had trouble getting around because of arthritis. She also said we needed to stop at a place near her house so she wouldn’t have a nicotine fit. As we got a bit closer, she pointed out various buildings and areas where the clubs were located where she used to play. She loved talking about her career.
We got to the smoke shop and I asked her if I could go and get what she needed. “Oh no” she said, “I got to go in and flirt with the boys inside.” I had to physically move her legs out of the car because she had trouble lifting them herself. She slowly went inside….she wasn’t inside long and then started back to the car. I helped her navigate the curb. Someone in a vehicle recognized her and said he was so and so’s baby brother. He was pretty elderly himself and she mumbled, “if he’s the baby brother, the older brother probably knew Moses.”
I helped her back in the car and we went to her house. A man with a bad limp. probably in his 60’s came out to the car and took her purse. I helped her out of the car again and walked with her to her door. She pointed to the man and said, “I’m the cougar. That’s my cub.”
It was the most heartwarming moment I’ve had driving for Uber and one I’ll never forger.