6EasterB Hospice woman and Cabbie

6EasterB, Sullivan Park Care Center, May 13, 2012

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, any knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice. ‘The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

            Last Sunday, the gospel lesson that I did not read to you was from the beginning of this fifteenth chapter of John about Jesus being the true vine and the Father being the vinedresser.  The gospel lesson for today is a continuation of that chapter.  The key word throughout this chapter is, “abide.”  And I say this because, that word shows up eleven times in this chapter. What does the word abide mean?  If we look in the Greek New Testament dictionary, we find that the Greek word men-oh which is the word translated into the English abide means, “stay, abide, live, remain, dwell; last, endure, continue” and in the transitive form, it means, “await or continue.”  I am pretty sure that this was a strong inspiration behind the words to the hymn, “Abide with Me.”  Rather than the text itself, last Sunday I read what appears to be the meaning of that text.

            In this story about the cabbie and the fare that he takes to the hospice house, he does the most kind and compassionate thing.  That is by far the best response this cab driver could possibly make, but some people think that being nice is always the correct response.  I don’t believe that is true and the older I get, the more I know it isn’t true.  Take, for example the raising of children.  If parents don’t encourage fair play with other children, or to not wander off in a store and never receive discipline or correction, they will have difficulty in school and other social situations.  Even as adults, some think that as long as nobody says anything, it is OK to break the rules of the employer and do things their way. Sometimes the best thing you can do seems to be anything but kind.  Sometimes we will disappoint someone because our best is to say, “No.” to someone.  There were times for me when it has been very hard, but necessary to say.  I remember many years ago sitting in the office of my supervising pastor who said to me, “There are times in our lives when we have to do something because it is part of our job; we may not like doing it, but it is part of our job.”  Every job that I have had consisted of parts that I don’t particularly enjoy doing and I venture to say that it may also be true of other people and the jobs that they have had.  As some have said to me, “Just say no.”  As in the theme for Nike, “Just do it.”  The best way seems to be the simplest.  Even the simplest things we do, small as they may seem at the time, can be the biggest.  The simple things we do today can have big percussions in the future. Remember the analogy of the mustard seed that a big bush can come from a very small seed.

            Jesus explains in the gospel lesson that our relationship to Jesus is no longer that of a servant and master, but one of friendship.  There are no secrets because Jesus has told us everything that has been revealed to him from the Father.  But remember this: Jesus has chosen us.  We did not choose Jesus.  In this relationship, we have the responsibility to bear fruit, fruit that will last.  It is this fruit that will last if we remain with Jesus, if we abide with him in all that we do and say.  Jesus will help us to love others as he has loved us and brought us before the throne of grace.  We always have that free will to walk away or to engage in disbelief.  We can always reject the love of God, but how could that possibly be beneficial for our lives?  How is that possible if we truly understand the depth of love that God has for us?  It is up to us to bear witness to God’s love for the world.  The congregation I was with before this one, for almost seventeen years does what they can to feed the hungry.  Just that one simple act has created disciples because they have reached out in love, the same love that God in Jesus Christ has for us.  The Holy Spirit is at work; even here.  Amen.