A taxi driver working the late shift in a big city, is sent to a small house in an old part of town. It was 2.30 am and, when he arrived at the address, he could see a light on in the little house. Normal practice for such situations is for the taxi driver to blow his horn once, waith one minute and then drive away. For some reason, this taxi driver decided to get out of his cab and go to the door of the small house. when he got there, the taxi driver knocked loudly. Eventually he heard what sounded like foot steps and something being dragged along the floor. The door opened and, in the light, he saw a frail old woman. She asked him if he would carry her bag to the taxi. The taxi driver did better than that by taking the bag in one hand and offering the other hand to assist the woman to his cab.
Once settled in the taxi, the woman gave an address of a local hospice. When she saw the surprised look on his face, the woman explained that her doctor had booked her in for an extended stay at the hospice. The woman said that she was of the opinion that she would never return to her home. She had overheard the doctor talking with the specialists and had heard the words "liver cancer" being used in close proximity to her name. Now the woman asked the taxi driver to drive her the long way to the hospice so she could say goodbye to the city she loved.
The taxi driver reached over and turned off the metre. He then took her on a tour of all the locations she could remember, from her younger days. It was just getting light when the woman let out a sigh and said she was now feeling very tired. The cabbie drove quickly to the hospice. As soon as the taxi got to the entrance of the hospice, orderlies and nurses came out and took charge of the old woman. They had got worried when she failed to arrive promptly. As the taxi driver walked back to his cab, he heard the large doors close behind the woman.
Not wanting to destroy his mood, the taxi driver ignored any new fares and just drove around town until his change over time occurred. Aas he drove around, the taxi driver wondered what would have happened to that old woman, if he had of just blown his horn and driven away.