Short Story: Come To A Halt

Short Story: Come To A Halt

The minute I closed the car door, I knew he’d ask.

‘So… Are you a student there, or…?’ he pretended to hesitate, as if trying to sound polite, but he was really interested and curious above all.

‘No,’ I replied briskly. I thought about not answering at all, but then my super-sized ego nudged me into, well, spilling the beans. ‘I teach there.’

‘Oh really? Oh… Wow… Why that’s… Awesome!’ he sort of half-cried out, turning at me, with his eyes bulging happily. ‘Wow!’

I smirked back, and turned to look out of the window, hoping he would eventually, just maybe, shut up.

‘That’s great, my boy. Great. You’ve always been a clever one – the cleverest in your fam!’ and then he burst into a loud laughter. I kept ignoring him.

‘Could we go a bit faster? I have a meeting in about two minutes,’ I lied guiltlessly, just to silence him.

‘Of course, of course, me dear boy,’ he agreed instantly, and forced the old battered car to run a bit faster than it was physically able to. I should so get a car, I thought.

‘School is good, me boy. Great, really really great. It gives you a chance to become someone better, ay. You did good attendin’ school all those years. Look at you,’ and he turned at me again, admiring the Armani suit I was wearing, with those popping doggy-eyes of his. I sighed and looked out of the window again.

‘A real fine gentleman you are for sure. Not a bloody taxi driver like meself…’ he paused and swallowed what seemed and sounded like a gigantic amount of self-reproach and guilt.

‘But you… Woo! Your parents must be proud of ‘ya, ay?’ he asked, jerking his eyes at me, smilingly. I did not bother to reply. His face was visible in the rearview mirror, but I still refused to make eye-contact. I kept to the window.

‘Yea’… My boy sure would’ve been as smart as you…’, he half-whispered as the taxi came to a halt.

Having paid him, I nonchalantly but not that interestedly asked, ‘Why? What does he do?’

He tucked the money neatly in his right pocket, and said, in a voice that sounded like the cry of a wounded animal, ‘He’s just dead.’

I was dumbstruck, and I felt horrible. Struggling to open the door and get out, I could see in the driving mirror that he was crying.