A Late-Night Taxi Encounter

A couple of days ago, I went for karaoke with some colleagues, and we didn't finish until 2 AM. Since we lived in different areas, we each took a taxi to get back home. The taxi service in our area had a questionable reputation, with drivers often picking up extra passengers en route to maximize their earnings.

At this point, I was nursing a pounding headache, desperate to get home and sleep. The taxi driver who picked me up was a young man in his early twenties. Shortly after we began the journey, two middle-aged women up ahead flagged us down. The driver, following his usual practice, was inclined to stop to pick them up. Frustrated with the delay, I hatched a plan.

Just as the taxi was about to pull over, I transformed my drunken, lethargic demeanor into a serious and anxious expression. I whispered to the driver, "Don't stop, keep going!"

He looked perplexed and was about to ask why when I immediately cut him off, "No questions, just keep driving! Hurry!"

Though reluctant, the driver, noticing my urgency, refrained from picking up the passengers. He had no choice but to press the gas pedal and keep moving.

When we reached my home and stopped the car, he asked, "What happened back there?"

I adopted a solemn expression and replied, "My friend, thank me. You didn't get a good look at those two women who tried to flag us down, did you? They had no heels on their shoes... You're still young. When you drive a taxi late at night, you need to be cautious. Otherwise, you might end up as an unwitting accomplice in something you don't understand. I can't say more, but be careful."

With that, I got out of the car, shut the door, and the driver, his face pale, didn't even ask for the fare.

The next morning when I headed to work, I was astonished to find that the same taxi was still parked outside my building. It hadn't left the whole night.