He picked the guy up in front of Veselka, on the Lower East Side. Fat, bald, just past middle age. Clearly Eastern European, and completely drunk.

Hey, guy, where are you going?

No answer.

Guy?

Snoring from the back seat.

He pulled over the cab, came around back to wake the man up.

Hey buddy, where are you going?

“Take me New York!”

You’re already there.

“TAKE ME NEW YORK!!”

This is New York.

Confused: “What? How I get here?”