Hack

email this story
read comments (11)
post a comment

Outside of journalism my favorite all-time job was driving a Checker Cab in Boston, when I was in my early 20s. I always came home with fresh cash and learned something new every day. I met several pretty girls. I was once punched and spit on by biker psychopaths after I flipped them off after refusing to pick them up. I found a wallet in the back seat with no ID and about $400 in cash -- a heavy sum in the '70s. It was more or less one interesting episode after another.

From the Robert DeNiro Film Collection at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Austin.

Great To Work On<< previous | next >>Surreal

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 29, 2009 at 1:17 PM

comment #1

rr3333 says ...

My wife's uncle was a hack when he first came to this country. He got held up a bunch of times, which sort of, kind of, takes the 'glamour' out of the profession.

Why the DeNiro hack license pic? No Jeff, you cant be considered to be in the sequel to 'Taxi Driver'. Shia LeBouf will be the new 'Bickle'.

Posted by rr3333 at April 29, 2009 1:36 PM

comment #2

MilkMan says ...

FARE: 11th street between 3rd and 2nd, please.
DE NIRO: Excuse me?
FARE: 11th between 3rd and 2nd.
DE NIRO: That's what I thought you said. That's what you said, right?
FARE: Yeah.
DE NIRO: That's what I thought.
FARE: Could you avoid Washington Square, though, please?
DE NIRO: I can do whatever you want me to do. You know why? Because I'm a device for recording the effects and results obtained by various techniques.
FARE: What was that?
DE NIRO: I said I love that Philadelphia sound. You want me to turn the music down?
FARE: No. It's fine.
DE NIRO: I can take you whichever way you want. You want me to go fast, I'll go fast. You want me to go slow, I'll go slow.
FARE: Can you slow down, please?
DE NIRO: This is my first night on the job.
FARE: Really.
DE NIRO: You want to know what I was doing before this?
FARE: Okay.
DE NIRO: Nothing.
FARE: You really are driving kind of fast.
DE NIRO: You think I'm driving too fast, but trust me, I'm not. I'm not driving too fast.
FARE: Yes, you are.
DE NIRO: No I'm not. No, I'm not. No, I am not.
FARE: Make a right here, please.
DE NIRO: Okay.
FARE: You just made a left.
DE NIRO: That's what you said.
FARE: I asked you to make a right.
DE NIRO: That's not what you said.
FARE: Yes, it is.
DE NIRO: It is not. No.
FARE: I asked you to make a right.
DE NIRO: Where are you from? You from here?
FARE: Yes.
DE NIRO: No, you're not.
FARE: Are you?
DE NIRO: Nope.
FARE: Where are you from?
DE NIRO: I don't think that's any of your business.

Posted by MilkMan at April 29, 2009 2:08 PM

comment #3

mccool says ...

Ed Burns in 'She's the One' springs to mind...

Posted by mccool at April 29, 2009 4:51 PM

comment #4

Kristopher Tapley says ...

Driving a cab, that would rock. Closest I came was pizza delivery guy.

Posted by Kristopher Tapley at April 29, 2009 6:44 PM

comment #5

Wes Caline says ...

DE NIRO: I can take you whichever way you want. You want me to go fast, I'll go fast. You want me to go slow, I'll go slow.
FARE: Can you slow down, please?

priceless.

Posted by Wes Caline at April 29, 2009 7:48 PM

comment #6

TVMCCA says ...

I remember Charles Grodin displaying his cab license in his first autobio IT WOULD BE SO NICE IF YOU WEREN'T HERE.

Posted by TVMCCA at April 30, 2009 12:36 AM

comment #7

maxfm says ...

From the pic, it looks like he was in his 1900 phase.

Posted by maxfm at April 30, 2009 5:26 AM

comment #8

George Prager says ...

"There's a big tip in it for ya if you do the right things."

Posted by George Prager at April 30, 2009 10:20 AM

comment #9

shahriar khan says ...

Thanks for sharing the information dude. I found the information very helpful. That's a awesome article you posted. I will come back to read some more.

Hack

Posted by shahriar khan at March 6, 2010 1:52 AM

comment #10