The Last Ride: A Trip That Changed a Taxi Driver’s Life
It was after midnight. Marcus figured his wife, Sarah, and their kids were already asleep, probably wondering why he hadn’t come home yet. He let out a tired sigh and turned off his taxi app for the night.
Just as he was about to start the car and leave, one last ride request showed up. He wanted to ignore it — he was completely worn out — but something made him stop and look.
The pickup was just ten minutes away, in a quiet, older neighborhood.
A House Stuck in the Past
The address led Marcus to an old, worn-out Victorian house. The paint was peeling, and vines were growing all over it, like the house had been forgotten.
— “Just go home, Marcus,” he said to himself.
But then he heard a soft voice from inside: — “Just a minute!”
He could hear something heavy being slowly dragged across the floor.
The door creaked open. A tiny, very old woman — probably in her 90s — stood there in a floral dress and a pale blue hat. Inside, the house looked like no one had lived there for years — furniture covered in sheets, empty photo frames, and one box filled with old pictures.
— “Can you carry my bag to the car?” she asked gently.
Marcus picked it up. It felt almost empty. — “Sure. Happy to help.”
— “Be careful with the third step,” she said with a smile. “Frank always meant to fix it, but you know how husbands are.”
Marcus wondered — who was Frank? And why did she need a ride this late at night?
A Ride Full of Memories
Once they were in the car, the elderly woman gave Marcus an address, then hesitated.
— “Would you mind taking the long way through downtown?” she asked.
— “It’s not the quickest route,” Marcus replied.
— “That’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m going to hospice care.”
She paused, then added,
— “I don’t have any family left… and the doctor says I don’t have much time.”
Marcus looked at her in the mirror, then quietly turned off the taxi meter.
— “Which way would you like to go?” he asked.
They drove slowly through the quiet city streets. For the next two hours, she shared pieces of her past—
She showed him the office where she used to work, the house she and her husband Frank had worked for years to afford, and an old building that brought a sparkle to her eyes.
— “This used to be a ballroom,” she said softly. “It’s where I met my husband. He stepped on my dress during our first dance. I thought he was such a clumsy man.”
She smiled gently.
— “Thank you for this. I don’t even know your name.”
— “Marcus.”
— “I’m Margaret. Thank you, Marcus. I’m tired now… Let’s go to the hospice.”
A Quiet Goodbye and a Surprising Gift
As the sun began to rise, Marcus pulled up to the hospice. Two staff members came out with a wheelchair.
Margaret reached into her purse to pay him, but Marcus stopped her with a kind shake of his head.
— “But this is your job,” she said.
— “There will be other passengers,” Marcus replied with a warm smile.
She held his hand gently.
— “You gave an old woman a bit of happiness tonight. Thank you, Marcus.”
A Month Later – An Unexpected Surprise
A month after that unforgettable night, Marcus got a call from his taxi company.
When he showed up at the address, a well-dressed man was waiting.
— “Are you Marcus? I’m Margaret’s lawyer. She asked to see you before she passed away.”
Inside, Margaret was lying in bed, looking tired but smiling.
— “I knew you’d come. I don’t have much time, so please listen closely…”
She handed him an envelope.
Inside was a check for $100,000.
— “Margaret… I can’t take this,” Marcus said, shocked.
— “Yes, you can,” she said gently but firmly.
— “For twenty years, my family forgot about me. No phone calls. No visits. But you… you treated me like I mattered. Like a real person.”
Marcus was overwhelmed. A week later, he received legal documents in the mail.
A Court Fight… and Margaret’s Final Word
Margaret’s relatives weren’t happy. They hired expensive lawyers and accused Marcus of taking advantage of her. They thought they had the case in the bag.
But Margaret had planned ahead.
— “The court will now play a video left by the deceased,” the judge said.
Margaret appeared on the screen:
— “To my so-called family… I waited for you. I hoped you’d visit. But for twenty years, nothing. No calls. No holidays. And now you want my money?”
— “I was completely clear-headed when I changed my will. Doctors confirmed it, and everything is signed and legal.”
— “If you think I was tricked, ask yourselves this—why did a stranger show me more love in one night than you did in twenty years?”
Margaret made sure her voice was heard.
And Marcus got the justice she wanted for him.