Sometimes people leave something of themselves behind...

 This Originally appeared in my column for the HastingsObserver.co.uk.

Hello all!


When I do my job, sometimes, people leave something of themselves with me, it is something that they impart, sometimes it is a wisdom that belies their years and social upbringing, sometimes its a despair and a grief of a kind that will leave you reeling with its potency, sometimes it is an injustice of life and crushing officialdom.

I’m sharing with you some of the moments that made me stop, made me contemplate that everybody, you and me, are a moment away from helplessness, a letter away from homelessness, and a heartbeat away from happiness.


These are short, they are my immediate thoughts I documented on Twitter as these dear souls left my Cab. I wont elaborate on any of them, there is no need to.


-She's been beaten by him too many times to count, battled scarred and broken, she is going to take him back tomorrow, because the kids love him and miss him...


-Young man back at his dad's house, his wife left him three years ago, he has just found his school sweetheart on facebook after trying to find her for 10yrs! Now their life is good, oh something's in my eye…


-Took someone home that clearly needs a break from the bad things in life, wish sometimes I could do something to take pain away.


-Woman crying, her son walked out of a first floor window 7 yrs ago, sat with her till she stopped. She says she has two children left, I told her that she has three children, always and forever three. I'm thinking about my own parents and sisters that I have lost. Other peoples grief can make your own resurface can’t it.


-His wife has stopped him seeing his children, even told him the 8, 7, and 2yr old are not his. He eyes were red and sodden, he looked beaten, Why do this? This evil is too common now...


-“I’ve not got long to live you know! she has been saying that for the last 10 years! Eyesight getting worse though because she never recognizes me...I wonder what she craves for…


-Just saw homeless ex-taxi driver, he wont accept help, hard to drive on by sometimes...


-She self harms, only looks twelve, she is 19. Social services has owned her son for a year now, she left an abusive relationship and started anew, alone. She dreams of seeing him again one day, didn’t take her money.


-She's leaving after 16 yrs in her job, the party was fine, armfuls of flowers, face full of well wished kisses, now crying alone in the back…


-Woman lived in rural Ireland with her husband for 35yrs, she has now been replaced with 25yr old Thai girl, She is now 73, alone and scared, I held her hand for a while…


-Seven years ago, I met a young girl covered in eczema, a loner, no shine, given up....saw her tonight! happy, shining, loads of pals...hope eh?


-Cool dude kisses all his friends goodnight gets into the cab and burst into tears, his mum died tonight and he didn’t tell his friends...


-He got in the cab and handed me his pizza and fell asleep, I woke him at his destination, he paid me, wandered off and forgot his pizza, so I gave it to homeless Dave...


A dear friend of mine has just ended a hard fought, hard to keep, fragile relationship, and despite the poems and the in-depth deep and intelligent analysis, sometimes it is best to just walk away, and I hope one day she does, and finds happiness along the way…don’t we all deserve at least that?




Until next time.