let's go

i whistle
for a cab to stop.
the door swings open.
where to he says.
new York, i tell him.
manhattan.
Chinatown.
i need some kung pao chicken
from jimmy's
in a bad way.
i'm starving, i haven't
had a decent meal
in ages. do you know
jimmy's, i ask him.
it's right next to a Greek
church.
i don't know no jimmy's,
he says, but
it's gonna take
us five hours to get to
new York.
so what, i tell him
and throw a handful
of bills over the seat.
drive on.
okie dokie, he says
then flips on the meter.
he looks at me in the rearview
mirror to see if there
is any crazy in my eyes.
there's a lot. he shrugs,
tells me to buckle up,
then hits the pedal.
my wife is gonna kill
me if i'm late for
dinner again,
he says tugging at his
turban. call her up,
let me talk to her, i'll
smooth things out for you.
i'll buy you dinner,
i tell him.
drive on.
do you like kung pao chicken?
sure, he says,
sure.
good, jimmy's has the best.
let's go.