Jesus Drives A Cab

I wanted to sit on one of the many, many benches in front of the Houston St. American Apparel aka American Titty to write this old skool style in a notebook, but when I walked to the tiny "convenience" store to purchase one, it was too inconvenient for the "gentleman" who owned the place to help me. I asked "do you sell notebooks"? Yes he replied, and pointed to a shelf way up high in the arctic zone of crap. "Which one, the big or small"? The "big" cost 6 bucks he told me before getting it down with the poker. He had begun poking but didn't have great technique so the book stayed frozen in time. I declined and asked him how he expected to sell anything in his store when he's charging $6 bucks for a 1 subject spiral. He smiled a fuck you smile, and I left.



I probably wouldn't have been so effected but minutes before in the Pizza Palace also on Houston my slice and soda went off like this: I asked for a plain slice just warm please and a club soda. The kid pointed to the right put the slice in the oven and walked away. I said "where's the soda" he said "she gets it for you". Who the fuck is she I thought and walked right a few feet to see a girl behind a hidden wall of pizza boxes. She was busy doing nothing so she gave me the soda, rung up the bill but melted down when I asked for a cup with ice. She handed me a dixie cup. I asked if she had a to go cup like the kind with a lid and a straw. There was a huge pile of them sitting there. Maybe she thought I asked her if I could stick my tongue down her throat because she looked offended. Then pizza boy handed me the burning hot slice and I burned my hand on it mid hand off. I said "ouch" that's really hot! He took it back and said "you tell me when you want it out" and put another slice in the oven. I said, just warm please. "NO you tell me when You want it out, EXACTLY WHEN YOU WANT IT.



Warm slice and soda cup in hand, I left and sat on an American Apparel bench and felt sort of numb. I used to own a shop 1 block from the AA bench. I felt a little sad that the coolness of the area had been sold to the hot hands of the devil, with nothing left but smoke, mirrors, and burning hot pizza. I sat and thought how badly my day had sucked and how I spent over $100 on absolutely nothing. Each time I handed the green over I was met with over priced goods and underwhelming service. The grand total was my thinking New York is dead, and living here now is only good for undertakers, vampires and legal thieves.


I thought all of what I loved about NY was truly lost.  Then suddenly Jesus appeared in the form of a yellow cab.   This happened a few days after my "pizza/notebook" let down.   I was on some desolate road near the BQE (I think) mid break up fight with my girlfriend (really bad day) when I saw the only yellow cab in sight and got in. I was soaking wet from the Coney Island sea, clutching a wad of singles, wet jeans, cell phone, keys, wearing polka dot boxer shorts and a lunatic grin. I had waded into the sea fully dressed as a bonding experience with the GF. The bonding didn't hold too well because soon enough we sunk down into our deep sea of insanity and fell apart at the seams. Bonding over. In Cab I trust.

Jesus Cab as I call him, or "Rolling For Jesus" as his business cards state, is Philip Frabosilo. A jovial man of God who is super happy to serve his customers with smiles, jokes, and yes Jesus love. Apparently God likes to travel, even on the BQE. Jesus Cab doesn't preach the gospel or try to convert his passengers. He just drives around with bible memorabilia and offers passengers a listening ear if they want, or just a kindness that is well... angelic. Strange enough this was my second time in Jesus Cab but it had changed a bit. The first time was several years ago and it was covered in colorful figurines, xmas lights, bible sayings, and everything Jesus. I mean I think it was the same cab. Could there be two? Nah, there's only room in this town for one Jesus Cab. This time the cab was decorated more modestly (must be the recession) but the message was the same. Move over Rover and let Jesus take over.