Wisdom

I rode with a taxi driver today who had been driving on the street of NYC for 47 years. FORTY SEVEN YEARS. An Italian immigrant from Genoa, he was an ambulance driver for 15 years or so before starting with the taxis. He claimed that driving a taxi is harder than driving an ambulance in the city. He still drove that taxi like a bat out of hell. REALLY fast, but really good.

He gave me lots of advice about how to live as long as him (guessing he was about 70-75): one should avoid smoking, alcohol, too much fat, too many carbohydrates, and stay active so the blood doesn't congeal in your body/muscles and slow you down (i got a very lengthy explanation about this). You also gotta love the Italian men of all ages managing to call you "bella" like 5 times in every conversation you have with them -- Still workin' chicks at 70.

I think he's probably on to something. I was charmed, I'm sure.