Five Taxis
A small office in Brooklyn, New York. Yellow cabs line up outside the window and drivers depart with smiles on their faces. Six months ago, Emily was a poor student. She barely scraped by on part-time jobs and scholarships, never thinking about owning her own business. Now she is the owner of a transportation service for the elderly. The drivers are all in their 50s or older and have lost their jobs due to age. Without the old man I met on the stairs that day, this view would not have existed. What in the world could have happened?
May School Routes
It was late May, the last week of the spring semester. It was early summer in New York City, and the leaves on the street trees were swaying in the wind. Emily’s refrigerator was stocked with nothing but bread and eggs, and the money she earned from her part-time job at a café was disappearing to pay rent and tuition. Still, she considered herself lucky to be able to attend college on a scholarship. I took the subway and got off at the Union Square station. It was the same time as usual, 2:00 p.m., and I should have been on my way to school as usual. I clearly remembered even later that it was a bit windy that day. But that day was different.
No one stops.
Upon entering the station, the elevator was marked “out of order”. Emily went to the stairs and stopped: an old man was standing in front of the 50 steps. He is a thin man with gray hair, holding a huge suitcase with both hands. People around him avoided him. No one calls out to him. They just walked quickly past him. Emily saw the expression on the old man’s face. Confusion, fatigue, and resignation. His legs were shaking slightly. Why doesn’t anyone help him?
Heavy suitcases
Emily approached the old man. When she called out to him, the old man looked up in surprise, and the next moment a look of relief spread across his face. She lifted the suitcase. It was heavier than she had imagined and she had to hold it with both hands. The old man bowed deeply many times. The people around him did not stop. Emily looked up the 50 steps. It was a long way, but she did not hesitate. As she put her foot on the first step, the old man grabbed the railing next to her and slowly lifted himself up.
staircase of 50 steps
The weight of the suitcase digs into his shoulders as he climbs one step and then another. The old man grips the handrail and slowly advances his feet, stopping several times to catch his breath before beginning the climb again. People around them pass them, but no one offers a hand. Sweat broke out on Emily’s forehead and she began to lose her breath. Still, she does not stop. Their footsteps are the only sounds on the stairs. The light on the ground is gradually getting closer. This choice would change her life.
white envelope
Finally stepping over the last step, Emily lowered her suitcase to the ground. The old man also arrived on the ground, exhaling deeply and bowing his head repeatedly. Sweat glistened on his forehead, but he was smiling. The old man stood quietly among the waves of people passing by. Then he slowly began to search through his bag and eventually pulled out a small, thin, blank white envelope. He held it out to Emily.
Read it when you get settled.
Emily received an envelope. It was light and felt like there was something inside. The old man said seriously that he did not want her to open it now, but to read it when she calmed down. At that moment, a black luxury car was coming to pick her up. The old man bowed deeply through the window and the car drove away quietly. Emily stood there for a moment with the envelope in her hand. She was left alone in the crowd, her eyes following the tail lights of the car as it drove away, feeling only the envelope. What could be inside?
Bottom of the bag
Emily put the envelope in the bottom of her bag and headed off to college. She had her usual lectures, and after school she worked part-time at a café. Tired, she returned to her apartment, collapsed into bed, and immediately fell asleep. The next day passed in the same way. Both the old man and the envelope sank deep into my memory that day. At the bottom of the bag, the envelope continues to sleep quietly. I had no idea at the time that it would remain there for several months.
Days Repeatedly
The next day, and the day after that, Emily’s days are no different. She would head to the university in the morning, study in the library during the day, get a part-time job at a café in the evening, and write reports in her apartment at night. There was hardly any time to see her friends. The scholarship alone was not enough to pay for my tuition, so I had to earn money. A $4 dinner bought from a street food stall was the only thing I looked forward to during this period. That staircase, the old man, and the envelope sank to the bottom of my busyness.
night before the examination
The end of the spring semester is approaching and it is time for final exams. Emily would study late into the night at the library, facing her textbooks with a cup of coffee to keep her awake. Emily’s bag was always in the library. Her textbooks, notebooks, writing utensils, and an envelope she received a few months ago were in the bottom of the bag. She carried it with her every day, but had completely forgotten about its existence. The envelope sat quietly at the bottom of the bag, waiting for spring to pass.
Last answer
The exams started, and I kept writing answers every morning, one subject, then another, and then another. Finally, the last exam is over. Her friends were cheering and discussing travel plans and returning home. Emily listened with a smile. She had another part-time shift during the summer vacation, but there was one thing she was looking forward to. Moving to a cheaper apartment. If I can keep my rent as low as possible, I will be able to afford to live in a more comfortable place.
changing residence
Emily starts looking for a place to move and finds a place for $100 less per month than she is paying now. She signs the contract and starts packing. She packs books, clothes, and sundries into cardboard boxes. In the corner of the room, she finds an old bag that she has been using for three years. The corners are frayed and the zipper is not working properly. Thinking it might be time to replace it, I took out all the contents. Textbooks, notebooks, pen case. And there was something white wedged in the bottom of the bag.
Reunited for the first time in months
When she pulled it out with her fingertips, it was a white envelope. Emily thought back to that moment, to that day on the The end of the spring semester, the steps of Union Square Station. The old man with the suitcase, the envelope handed to her as she left. It was a few months ago. I cannot recall the old man’s face clearly. Only his gray hair, thin body, and the way he bowed his head deeply remained at the edge of my memory. The envelope was a little dingy, but the contents seemed safe. Emily looked at the envelope from front to back under the light of the window. Who was the old man?
Should I open it?
The envelope was light. There was no writing on the front, no name of the sender. Emily sat by the window and turned the envelope in her hands in the afternoon sun. The old man said he hoped she would read it when she got settled. The exam was over and it was a quiet afternoon before the move. Calm enough, I would say. If I don’t open it, there is no point of this envelope. But for some reason, I felt a little lost. Should I open it?
two sheets of paper
Emily decided to open the envelope. Slowly she opened the seal and found two sheets of paper inside, one folded up small and the other looking like a letterhead. First, she took out the folded paper and unfolded it. Emily’s eyes widened at the sight of it. Her fingertips begin to wiggle. I check the numbers again. There was no mistake. Emily couldn’t breathe for a while.
40,000 dollars
It was a check. The moment my eyes stopped on the amount column, I couldn’t speak. $40,000.00, $40,000.00. There was no mistaking it. There was a sum of money printed there that Emily, a student, could not have imagined. There was a handwritten signature in the drawer’s column, but it was too handwritten to be legible. Emily was motionless with the check in her hand. The room was silent. But was this real?
letter
Emily took out another sheet of letterhead. It was lined with carefully handwritten letters. The letter began with words of gratitude. The events of that day, the meeting on the stairs. She had lived in the business world for a long time, had met many people, but had rarely met anyone who could help her without asking for anything in return. Emily’s heart was slowly burning in her chest. The letters continued.
J.C.
The middle part of the letter was about the old man’s illness. He said that he had been told by the doctor that he had been found ill and that he had been told harsh things by the doctor. He had been thinking about what he could do with the time he had left. He wanted to entrust his wish to someone like Emily. I want a city where the elderly can move around safely. This city is hard to live in when you get old, but Emily believes she can change that. She wants this money to be used as the seed of that dream. The only signature on the sender’s name was “J.C.” Who is J.C.?
Can I take it?
Emily sits on the floor, clutching her $40,000 check and reading the letter over and over. There is an old man who trusted her, a stranger in the midst of her illness. Someone who entrusted her with the seed of a dream, a wish to build a city where the elderly could get around safely. Emily’s eyes burned. Her heart tightens when she thinks of the old man who turned such trust in her. I didn’t know how to accept this weight. But could I accept this?
Chase Bank
The next day, Emily went to Chase Bank in Manhattan. She presented the check to the teller, who proceeded to verify it with her supervisor. 10 minutes later, the teller returned. The check was genuine and could be deposited. Emily gasped, the $40,000 was really there. On the way home, she kept thinking about the old man. Where was that man now, and how was his illness? There were no answers anywhere, only more questions.
No clue
Emily decides to look for the old man. She stands in front of the steps of Union Square Station. But there is no sign of the old man. When she asked the station attendant, he replied that he did not know him. The letter was signed with only two letters, “J.C.”. The name of the drawer of the check was also illegible; an Internet search with just the initials J.C. would have turned up thousands of hits. The old man’s gray hair, thin body, and grateful expression. That was the only clue.
search (e.g. for someone using a search engine)
Returning to his apartment, he opened his computer and typed in J.C., New York, businessman. Hundreds of results came up, but I couldn’t tell which one was the old man. He could not remember the old man’s face clearly. He had gray hair, a thin body, and was in his 70s or so. That was not enough to narrow down the search. Emily closed the computer screen. We may never find him. But the letter contained a wish.
Night view and wishes
That night, Emily read the letter over and over. The old man’s thoughts, wishes, and trust. Everything is contained in this letter. The night view of New York City spreads out and countless lights twinkle. Is the old man still here somewhere in this city? My heart ached when I thought about the fact that the letter said he was ill. I stared out the window, wanting to see him and thank him, but not knowing how to find him. Should I grant this wish?
Words of a friend
The next day, Emily told her friend everything. The incident on the stairs, the envelope, the $40,000 check, the contents of the letter. Her friend rolled her eyes and was silent for a while. He looked as if he couldn’t believe it was true, but then he saw the serious look on Emily’s face and nodded quietly. Would she continue to search for the old man any longer, or would she face the realization of the letter’s wish? Emily thought about this all the way back to her apartment.
First line of the note
Sitting alone in her apartment, Emily thought for a long time. The old man has not yet been found. But the wish is clearly written in the letter. She couldn’t get the sentence out of her head: “I want the city to be built so that the elderly can move around safely. We might fail. Still, I knew that if I didn’t do it, I would surely regret it. You can change things. The old man believes in the student, a total stranger. Emily opened her notebook and picked up a pen. A transportation service exclusively for the elderly. That was the first letter of the business plan.
Library Night
Emily went to the library and checked out several books on entrepreneurship. Business planning, financing, marketing. She didn’t know all the terms, but she looked them up one by one as she went along. She also searched for mobile assistance services for the elderly and researched existing businesses in New York City. What kind of demand and what kind of issues would arise? I kept writing things down in my notebook and continued my studies until late at night. We still do not know if we can realize the wishes of the elderly. Still, I was not ready to stop working.
Words of Lawyers
Emily signed up for a free start-up consultation offered by the city. An attorney listened to her, reviewed her finances, plans, and permitting, and determined that starting small with $40,000 was doable. First, $200 to set up the LLC, then about $20,000 total to purchase a vehicle and apply for permits and insurance. The rest would go toward working capital for the first few months. Our vague plan began to take shape little by little. The roadmap was coming into view.
minivan
Emily visited a number of used car dealerships. What we are looking for is a vehicle that is barrier-free. After several of them, she found a 2010 minivan. It has a ramp and a wheelchair securing device. It has high mileage but has been well maintained. The price was $15,000, which was well within our budget. Emily signed the contract. It was the biggest purchase of her life, but her hands never shook. The old man’s letter was pushing her back.
George.
Emily has a job opening at Hello Work. Transportation service exclusively for the elderly, drivers wanted, no age requirement, experience preferred. She converted a room in her apartment into a small office and pulled the phone. My anxiety built up. On the morning of the third day, the phone rang. It was a stout, low voice, a 58-year-old man who introduced himself as George. He was a former cab driver with a 30-year accident-free career. The week after the interview, I officially hired him. The business began to move quietly. But Emily still did not know. She didn’t know who the old man was.
The old man in the TV
Two months into the business. We had one vehicle and only one driver, George, but reservations were slowly increasing. One evening, Emily’s hand stopped as she casually looked at the TV playing a small sound. There was an old man on the screen. There was no mistaking his gray hair and thin body. The message read, “James Chen, legendary investor. J.C. was James Chen. What kind of person is he?
The despair spoken of
Emily turned up the volume on the TV. Cheng is talking about how he had a stroke three months ago and was later found to have cancer. He has lost the use of his legs and has difficulty walking. That day she got stuck on the stairs at the train station and no one was there to help her. Only one young woman approached him and carried his heavy suitcase to the top of the stairs. A light came into Chen’s eyes. Emily’s throat choked up. Cheng on the screen was still talking.
Looking for.
Chen looked straight into the camera. He wanted to find her, to thank her, and to know how she was doing now. A contact number appeared at the bottom of the screen. Emily hurriedly took notes. The interview ended and they moved on to the next piece of news. That old man was a legendary investor. And now he was looking for me. Staring at the number on the note, Emily was stuck for a moment. Should I call him?
Legendary Investor
Emily immediately searched the Internet for James Chen. Legendary investor, billion dollar asset, immigrant from Hong Kong, philanthropist; that he came to New York 30 years ago with nothing and found success from scratch. That he now focuses on philanthropy to help the elderly and immigrants. In the photo, Cheng had the same eyes as the old man that day. I had no idea that the old man who gave that small envelope to a complete stranger, a student, was such a person. Emily couldn’t move as she stared at the screen.
pause sound
Emily stared at the phone number she had written down for a moment. She took a deep breath and dialed the number. After three rings, it connected. The secretary answered and Emily told her how she had helped her up the stairs at the station. She also said that she had received an envelope. Then the secretary’s voice suddenly became louder and she was put on hold. As the hold tone played, Emily clutched the receiver and held her breath. Then the phone connected. It was a familiar voice.
warm hand
The next day, Emily visited an upscale Manhattan hospital. She was shown to a private room on the top floor, knocked on the door, and heard voices inside. When she entered the room, she saw Chen sitting in a wheelchair by the window. He looked at Emily and narrowed his eyes. Cheng held out his hand and Emily took his warm hand in hers. They held each other’s hands for a while without saying a word. Outside the window, the Manhattan sky stretched out. The light softly illuminated the hospital room.
Confession on the stairs
Cheng began to speak quietly. The doctor told him about his life expectancy, the aftereffects of the stroke and the cancer. The despair he felt when he was stuck on the stairs that day. No one would help me, and I wondered if I was no longer needed in this world. But then Emily showed up and kindly approached me. That kindness saved me. Chen’s voice grew thinner. Emily’s eyes grew hot, but she held back her tears. She did not want to miss a single one of Cheng’s words.
dream
Cheng asked about the envelope. Emily told him that she found it, that it was months later, and that she opened it. Chen’s eyes lit up. Did you spend that money or not? Emily nodded. That as the letter said, they had started a transportation service exclusively for the elderly, with wheelchair-accessible vehicles to take them to the hospital and shopping. Chen nodded deeply, closed his eyes, and caught his breath. After a few moments, she murmured in a thin voice, “It’s wonderful. Wonderful,” was the word. With that one word, Emily felt that all her hard work had paid off.
a trickle of tears
Emily went on to share more details about her business. That they employ people who have lost their jobs because of age. A former cab driver, a former nurse. Cheng listened with his eyes closed. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Emily pulled out that letter she had read until it was in tatters. Chen looked at it and gave a small nod. He really understood my wish. Cheng said those words in a faint voice.
investment
Chen called an attorney on the spot and the documents were ready that day. Additional support, $100,000. Emily was speechless. Chen said it was an investment. An investment in Emily and her future. Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes. Her heart trembled at the weight of being believed so much. Chen nodded with a smile, but his smile looked weaker than before. Emily silently sensed that time was running out.
Small Teams
With help from Cheng, Emily has added three more vehicles to the fleet, bringing the total to four. Drivers are also being added: Carmen, 52, is a former nurse with extensive patient care experience; Raj, 49, is a former engineer with a meticulous and safe driving style; Marco, 45, is a former delivery driver who knows the roads of New York City; and the newest addition to the team, Jennifer, is a former driver who has been with the company for more than 20 years. Office positions have also been added. 68-year-old Harold, a former police communications commander, and 72-year-old Eleanor, a former hotel concierge. The small team had developed a family-like bond.
Voices of Gratitude
Reservations began to increase and spread by word of mouth. Voices of appreciation arrived daily. Emily reported these voices to Chen. Every time I saw the look on Chen’s face as he calmly listened to her in his hospital room, I was glad that I continued. However, Chen became thinner and thinner day by day. His voice became quieter and he spent more and more time in bed. But every time Emily came to see him, Cheng would greet her with a look in his eyes. That look was what kept Emily going.
Lunch break table
One lunch break, a group of drivers gathered around a table in the office. They were sharing a little bit of the lunch they had brought with them and laughing. Emily was among them. Six months ago, this would have been unimaginable. But Emily always had Chen in the back of her mind. Outside the window, the city of New York spreads out. There is no time left. Emily knew she had to go see him again.
Last Conversation
One day, when I visited Chen in his hospital room, he was lying in bed. Still, he looks at Emily and squints at her. Emily gave her report for the month. She saw over 200 reservations, the smiling faces of the drivers, and the thank you letters from passengers. Chen looked at the photos slowly, one by one. Then he gently took Emily’s hand in his. Her hand was lighter than before. Cheng said slowly in a low voice, “It’s good to see you, it was the best investment of my life. It was the best investment of my life. Emily choked up, unable to speak. That was the last time they spoke.
will
Two weeks later, Chen’s secretary called me in the morning. Emily was speechless. Many people gathered at the funeral. Business luminaries, people from charitable organizations, and Emily and her drivers. Everyone was dressed in mourning. The lawyer read the will. It included a bequest of an additional $500,000 to Emily’s business and a wish for the business to continue. Emily vowed in her heart that she would make sure to continue Chen’s wishes.
spring breeze
One year later, in the spring. The office moved to a room in a large building with 10 yellow cabs lined up outside the window. The number of drivers has grown to 20, and we have hired young unemployed people as well as the elderly. Emily stood at the window and looked out on New York City. The cherry blossoms are blooming on the street trees and the spring light is pouring in. Eleanor picked up the phone and Harold gave the dispatch instructions. It all started that day with an old man and a letter. Temporary kindness became the mechanism that sustained the entire city. A spring breeze blows in through the window.
*This story is a fiction. All characters and events are fictitious and have no relation to real people or events. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only.
