The World Didn't End

I took a cab ride in a black SUV without a meter tonight.  Feeling lazy and tired after a flight from Ballymore, I decided to take only one bus from the airport instead of the usual two and get off at South Station for take out and a cab ride.  The Chinese place was still open, so for the second time in as many weeks, I got greasy, bad, Chinese take out and I ordered it all in English so as not to let people know that I am actually Chinese.  Because, yes, I am ashamed of myself every time I order terrible Chinese food.  But I've been an American for too long and sometimes, in the absence of good food, I crave some spring rolls with indiscernible vegetable fillings.  Within seconds of stepping out of South Station, I was approached by a man asking if I needed a cab.  I wasn't sure if he worked for the station or not but told him, yes, I did.  He asked where I was going.  I told him.  He asked if $15 was reasonable.  I had no idea and said sure.  He walked me to a cab.  The cabbie was gone.  And he asked if I wanted to go with him in his SUV.  There was no meter.  I didn't see a license.  I trusted that he would take me home.  It is not as shady as it all sounds.  I'm pretty sure he works for a limo service.  But I am also pretty sure it wasn't the best decision I'd made.  But hey, we had a great talk, a great ride, and other than the last bit where he pretended he didn't have change for my $20, we all got along very well.  His shady SUV smelled very nice.  And it's a much better story than taking a cab.