The Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I walked to the door and knocked.. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90′s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940′s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her.. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.’

‘Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, ‘Could you drive through downtown?’

‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I answered quickly..

‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said.

‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice. ‘

I looked in the rear-view mirror.

Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have any family left,’ she continued in a soft voice.. ‘The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m tired. Let’s go now’.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

‘How much do I owe you?’ She asked, reaching into her purse.

‘Nothing,’ I said

‘You have to make a living,’ she answered. ‘There are other passengers,’ I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.

She held onto me tightly. ‘You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL  ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL

Only images from cached web pages can be included in Google’s image search, and pictures that are by themselves irrelevant to your site’s content (a scenic background, e.g.) will not bring the kind of traffic you want. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, then two pictures are worth two thousand words, and having several pictures of your products place high in an image search is worth money. Do not overlook this often overlooked opportunity to promote your product or service and bring tons of quality traffic to your site. The SEO team at Sun Sign Designs knows how to do this. Give us a call, and we’ll show you!

With that said, as you may start thinking about having a new website developed, it is important to build a transition plan to funnel traffic from your existing site to a new site. There are a few techniques for accomplishing such a task but we like to take a more artful approach. We suggest to handle/view each page on your website as a potential landing page. Since search engines take you to the part of the website that has the most relevant information based on a search term. The idea that the home page is the only entry point is thrown out the window. During a transition, each page on the old site should have a corresponding forward to a page on the new site. What this allows is for indexed traffic to flow to the new site while the search engines take their time to index your new site.

Following this very simple plan can take a bit of time to do on larger sites but the results you will find will be very much your effort.

As health plans in particular continue to consume a larger and larger piece of allotted employee benefit plan dollars, KBPI believes that regular professional review and proactive planning with employers is necessary to ensure that both your benefit and financial goals continue to be met. KBPI has developed relationships with all of the region’s not-for- profit and for-profit insurance carriers, so as a result of our consultations with our group clients, we can quickly and effectively present for their consideration, the program(s) which best address their goals. Best of all, when acting as our clients’ broker, KBPI does not charge our client for any of the services we provide. Any and all compensation is provided by the insurance carrier our clients choose and does not increase the rates charged for the program(s) chosen.

KBPI has also established relationships with an excellent core of competitive carriers offering the entire gamut of insurance plans – Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term & Long Term Disability, Group Dental, Vision & Eyewear plans, Long Term Care programs, Flexible Spending Accounts, New York State Statutory Disability coverage and much, much more…

This Thursday, March 31st, please join Hidy Ochiai, along with Richard Matushima, for”A Night for Japan”. Catered by Kampai Japanese Steakhouse. All donations and proceeds will directly benefit those affected by the tragic earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 13, 2011.

Sun Sign Designs has donated a $5000.00 website that will be included in the raffle taking place during the evening.

This event is sure to be an event to remember. We look forward to sharing this charitable evening with everyone attending.

To download a flier for the event, click here.

Owner Joel Davis Wrote

“In an effort to further enhance the experience for all of our members, a great deal of time and effort have been invested into improving our site. And needless to say, we’re confident that these improvements will further encourage you to meet, greet, and network with other like-minded entrepreneurs within your region and from around the country!

So please login, continue to post questions, learn from previous posts and Q&A, create unique “Bulletin Board,” and contact other VIP Members listed on our Business Network.

See you at the Top!

Joel E. Davis”

“That represents $12.5 billion of economic losses per year. It has cost the United States job losses of 71,060 and $2.7 billion in workers’ earnings. We all seem to complain about taxes, but piracy cost tax revenue of $291 million in personal income tax and $131 million in corporate income and production taxes.

In addition, illegal downloads, which target young adults, can result in computer viruses, theft of identity information and if convicted of copyright infringement, even incarceration.

Spolar noticed that virtually no audiences at musical and theatrical shows, as well as on high school and college campuses, understood the potential consequences of downloading music and movies without paying for them. Not only students, but even teachers and professors do not realize they can be sued for up to $150,000 per violation, she said.

Spolar also realized that students are often attracted to unlawful activities in general. By starting a system to allow people to legally download music and movies and by creating the trademark “Get Legally Loaded,” Spolar found a way to improve the quality of our lives with the catch word which puts money back into society. The system also brings a sense of relief to those who didn’t understand the consequences of their actions.

The purchase of any download allows the artist to know the consumer who downloads the artist’s work, and will be given a unique code. This is different from traditional processes “Spolar said,” whether legal or not, where the artist is not aware of his or her fans. Usually buying or stealing music does not permit the artist to know who is appreciating his or her talent. Each person will be registered in the SpolarizedSmart Book of Knowledge™ every time they purchase a download and Get Legally Loaded™.

Spolar realized that the system brings respect back to artist rights. It educates the fans about the law and raises awareness of the consequences when using illegal download sites. Piracy is a threat to our society “Spolar said” and undermines the livelihood of artists, record label employees, beatmakers, engineers, technicians, retailers, and others.

Spolar filed five patent applications in the U.S. and others internationally. Only 6% of all patentees are women, and fewer are inventors of this form of technology.

The recent lawsuit filed by Eminem said Spolar, “shows that there is no way for consumers or artists to know how many songs are sold and illegally downloaded.” Copyright infringement and piracy make victims out of the creators and authors, composers and songwriters, beatmakers and engineers, filmmakers and investors. It’s time for society to stand to their feet Spolar said, as a masterpiece against corruption.

The system allows everyone to know that the sale occurred and the web site, www.getlegallyloaded.com presents up-to-the-minute sales statistics.

The system lets it be known that you are a Legally Loaded fan and it’s you who gave the artist fame. It’s time to spread the word for the love of music and flip dollars with scholars that music has value and put money back into our economy.

Join us and be the entrepreneur next door who spreads the word to your neighbors, friends, and your relations. When you get Legally Loaded, you put money back into society and help take down a corrupt system of illegal downloads, fraud, and theft.

Legally Loaded™ was created to respect artist rights, to educate fans about the law, and to raise awareness of the consequences when using illegal download sites. Legally Loaded and its affiliates want you to know piracy is a threat to our society and undermines the livelihood of artists, record label employees, beatmakers, engineers, technicians, retailers, and others. Global music piracy costs $12.5 billion of economic losses per year. It has cost the United States job losses of 71,060 and $2.7 billion in workers’ earnings. We all seem to complain about taxes, but piracy cost tax revenue of $291 million in personal income tax and $131 million in corporate income and production taxes. The consequence for one illegal download is up to 5 year prison and up to $150,000 fine per violation. Let it be known you are a Legally Loaded fan and it’s you who gave the artist fame…  Get Legally Loaded Today