(Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
“As I come out of the tunnels on my way home, the city lies below me with its lights sparkling. I think about Misty and Mickey and all of the screwed-up people running around the world. It’s a clear, beautiful night and the stars are shining, but the universe is all fucked up. “
One can just imagine the wild, but also ghastly stories that taxi drivers can relate to us; ones they personally experience and those of their passengers. Such is the case with Doug, a middle-aged taxi driver.
He rents an apartment from his ex-wife and works seventy to eighty hours a week just to get by. We drive with him as he picks up fares from passengers of all walks of life: millionaires, out-of-town businessmen, working class people, partying twenty-somethings, drug addicts, prostitutes, and more.
Maximum Taxi is filled with dark humor, but also reflects the grim realities of everyday life. Though it is a work of fiction, it is based on author Douglas Bales’ experience as a cab driver in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Our protagonist, Doug has a self-destructive streak, but maintains his limits while truly caring about the world. That said, I wish we could have learned more about him, his backstory, and the reasons for some of his choices.
Still, Maximum Taxi is an engaging, fast-paced, well-written read. It will especially appeal to those drawn to realistic stories about the human condition and society.
