The Taxi Driver's Story

The worst time for driving a cab is around 4am. The clubs have emptied, the party goers are tucked up in bed, either their own or somebodies else's and its too early for the working man to need a ride.

I was parked up at the side of the road, just counting down the time till I could call it a night. The wipers were fighting a loosing battle against the heavy rain. I looked around the cab that I was driving that night, for a book, a porno mag or anything to pass the time.

Scrabbling inside the glove box I found a small tape recorder.

Curious, I turned it on.

The tape hissed for a moment and then a male voice started speaking.................

"The castle stood alone. It was scarred from years of fighting, battles had been fought and won and lost, but still the castle remained firm.

It was alone, but castles don't have feelings, so it didn't feel lonely because,truly, ignorance is bliss.

Then a small creature, battered and windblown sought shelter against the battlements. The castle was built to withstand engines of war and saw nothing to fear from the small creature.

And the creature saw the castle meant it no harm and curled up among the mighty defenses.

Spring turned to autumn, and autumn turned to winter, and the little creature slowly explored the castle. The creature grew in confidence and started to go from room to room, pulling back the dust curtains and drapes, and light filled the room, the shadows where chased away and music filled the silence.

And the castles mighty heart slowly started to beat

Winter left its mark, but then spring came and the summer, the castle was alive again, maybe for the first time ever and the creature grew and grew and spread its wings. And the castle stood firm, always welcoming the return of the creature from its flights.

And the castles heart beat firm and steady, and if stones can be said to dream, then the castle dreamed.

And then.......

And then, the creature found the castle still stood firm, it couldn't fly when the creature flew, the castle was built to stay solid, its not the nature of castles to be flexible, for how would they withstand battles then?

And so, the creature cried for what might have been but then it lifted its wings and it had to obey its own nature and it flew into the sky. It called once to the castle, and the castle heard, but castles don't have wings, and so the creature flew away and the castle watched as the creature grew smaller and smaller.

And now?

Well, now The castle stands alone. It's still scarred from years of fighting, battles had been fought and won and lost, but still the castle remained firm, but if you look closely, now the rocks have cracked and become worn, they are just grey stone, they no longer dream, and the heart no longer beats......"

The tape hissed silently for a few moments longer and then clicked off.

With eyes that were strangely wet and unfocused, I pressed the eject button and the tape slid out. I pulled some of the tape from the cassette and it unfolded onto my lap, a pile of thin ribbon. I pressed the button to lower the window, rain splattered against my face, making it feel wetter than it already was. I threw the tape out of the window and watched it land in the rain filled gutter among the debris of the night and slowly get washed away.