Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

drive for the border

After turning in the keys to our old apartment, Rob and I headed out for a celebratory midnight Taco Bell run.

The restaurant portion of the eatery had closed, and only the drive-through window was open. As we waited in line at the drive-through, we noticed a quartet of twentysomethings standing alongside the drive-through lane. Two women had stepped forward, seemingly trying to convince the taxicab waiting in line in front of us to let them in.

Since a) there was plenty of taxi traffic on Wilson Boulevard to otherwise choose from and b) there was an open Metro station just a block away, the only thing we could figure was that they were trying to hail a cab for the sole purpose of getting Taco Bell.

Spurned by the taxi driver, the two women went back to standing next to the drive-through lane.

A few minutes later, at the drive-through window, we realized that the taxi in front of us had a passenger, and the passenger was the one ordering the Taco Bell.

Right.

Our turn came, and we drove up to the window to get our food. As we drove out of the parking lot, we passed the drive-through line. Only two people were standing next to the drive-through now. However, a Red Top cab was in line, and I think the two women we saw earlier were sitting in the back.

So it’s Friday night, just past midnight. You’re hungry and possibly a little drunk. And you’ve just gotta have your Taco Bell. But the drive-through won’t serve you unless you’re in a vehicle. So you hail a cab to take you the fifty feet from the callbox to the drive-through window.

Oh good lord.

I wonder if there’s some kind of cottage industry in this for an enterprising cab driver. Just hang out by the Taco Bell and wait for drunken yuppies with the munchies. Since cabbies charge customers a few dollars just to get in the car — not to mention time spent waiting in “traffic” — that’s an easy $5 or so (at least) for each short trip.