{"id":9560,"date":"2024-07-01T06:01:22","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T04:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/?p=9560"},"modified":"2024-07-01T06:01:22","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T04:01:22","slug":"cab-driver-kicks-out-woman-whose-water-broke-gets-letter-from-birth-center-later-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/?p=9560","title":{"rendered":"Cab Driver Kicks out Woman Whose Water Broke, Gets Letter from Birth Center Later \u2014 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taxi driver Patrick is a widower who struggles to make ends meet after his youngest son is diagnosed with leukemia. When he gets an opportunity to help a woman in labor, he makes a decision he regrets.<\/p>\n

Patrick sank into a chair at the kitchen table. He\u2019d just got off the phone with his son\u2019s hematologist-oncologist and felt like the world was ending.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour son needs additional treatment,\u201d the doctor had said. Considering the treatment\u2019s cost, he might as well have said Mikey needed the moon. Patrick\u2019s security guard salary wasn\u2019t enough to cover Mikey\u2019s chemotherapy and the family\u2019s basic needs.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

\u201cDad, will you color with me?\u201d Mikey entered the kitchen with pages from a coloring book and crayons in his hands. He paused when he saw Patrick\u2019s face. \u201cAre you okay, Dad? You\u2019re crying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick wiped his tears and forced himself to smile. \u201cI got pepper in my eye while making dinner, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d Mikey grinned and set his coloring book on the kitchen table. \u201cYou color the dragon, and I\u2019m going to do the daffodils.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick took the crayon Mikey offered him. The blood-red color prompted a fresh surge of despair. He wished Mikey\u2019s leukemia was something he could pull from the child and beat with his fists. He wished his son didn\u2019t have to endure this suffering.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Dad!\u201d Mikey nudged him with his elbow.<\/p>\n

A few days later, Patrick was hired to drive a cab part-time. He would be on probation initially, but he was thrilled. This was precisely what he needed for Mikey\u2019s treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s the list of things you need to do.\u201d Patrick spoke to his two eldest children, Stacey and Vincent, as he placed the list on the fridge. \u201cYou can text me if you need to, but don\u2019t call unless it\u2019s an emergency, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stacey and Vincent nodded. It wasn\u2019t their first time looking after their three younger siblings, but Mikey required extra care lately.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Dad. We got this.\u201d Stacey showed him a thumbs up.<\/p>\n

From the moment Patrick\u2019s shift started to the minute it ended, he roamed the streets, keeping an eye out for clients. Over the following days, he made sure all his colleagues and any acquaintances he had knew to call him if they needed a cab.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

At the end of the week, Patrick\u2019s boss called him into his office.<\/p>\n

\u201cCongratulations.\u201d The man offered Patrick his hand. \u201cI\u2019m impressed. You broke the company record in your first week, Patrick! I want you stay on, and I\u2019m going to give you a bonus for your hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just when Patrick thought his family\u2019s future might be brighter than he thought, it seemed like life knocked him down a peg. He was driving a client to the airport when the cab started making a worrying sound.<\/p>\n

Patrick drove the car to a mechanic and called his boss. His jaw dropped when he heard he\u2019d have to pay for any repairs from his own pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cTypical,\u201d Patrick snarled as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. \u201cYou get a bonus one day, and thrown to the wolves the next.\u201d<\/p>\n

He had to think of his own family first. He couldn\u2019t afford to help some random stranger when his own family was in need. Mikey\u2019s treatments had to be his priority at all times.
\nThe mechanic approached him then and told him the cost to replace the worn-out parts causing problems with the car.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are these things made of, gold?\u201d Patrick shook his head in disbelief. He was tempted to get in his cab and go somewhere else, but if he delayed getting the repairs, then he\u2019d also be delayed returning to work, which meant less money for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust do what you need to do,\u201d Patrick snapped at the mechanic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to be rude, man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

Patrick glared at the man as he strode away. Of course, rudeness was needed when this bull was costing him so much! As if he didn\u2019t have a thousand better ways to spend that money.<\/p>\n

After paying for the pricey repairs, Patrick was more desperate than before to make as much money as possible. Other drivers would spare a few minutes to eat together before shifts or waste time finishing conversations with chatty clients, but not Patrick.<\/p>\n

As he waited for a client who\u2019d arranged to be picked up, Patrick felt the minutes ticking by like ants crawling beneath his skin. Eventually, he couldn\u2019t take it anymore. He phoned the woman to ask where she was.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m on my way, I just\u2026\u201d the woman broke off to let out a strange gasping sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m having trouble\u2026walking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Eventually, a heavily pregnant woman shuffled up to the car. Once she was inside, he noticed she seemed to be having trouble breathing. He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She was sweaty and pale.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou doing okay?\u201d Patrick asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just need to rest.\u201d The woman sounded pained as she drew out the last word.<\/p>\n

Patrick was concerned, but he didn\u2019t have time for the problems of strangers. It was a rainy day, and the roads were slippery. It was also a good day for making money as nobody wanted to walk in the rain. But as Patrick approached an intersection, the woman said something that changed everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think my water just broke!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

Patrick panicked. He immediately thought about how long it would take to clean his cab, how much that would cost him, and how much time it would waste.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve gotta get out.\u201d Patrick scanned his surroundings. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, lady, but I can\u2019t deal with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman cried out in pain. \u201cOh God, the baby\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick pulled up to a bus stop. He half-carried the woman from the car and set her on the bench. When he turned away, she grabbed his sleeve.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, don\u2019t leave me.\u201d She looked up at Patrick with fear in her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, but I have to.\u201d Patrick snatched his sleeve from her grasp. \u201cI\u2019ll call an ambulance to help you. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick ran back to his car through the pouring rain. He called 911 for the pregnant woman, then sped away. While he drove, he told himself that there was nothing else he could do for the young woman.<\/p>\n

He had to think of his own family first. He couldn\u2019t afford to help some random stranger when his own family was in need. Mikey\u2019s treatments had to be his priority at all times.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

The next day, Patrick had a day off to take Mikey to the hospital for treatment. He was exhausted since his phone had rung incessantly during the night. Every time, the caller was an unknown number. Patrick didn\u2019t answer any of the calls as he was sure it was a telemarketer.<\/p>\n

When he returned home from a quick trip to the grocery store, Patrick was surprised to see a letter in his mailbox marked \u2018priority express.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the\u2026\u201d Patrick turned the envelope over in his hands. He hoped it wasn\u2019t a bill, but he found something completely unexpected when he opened it.<\/p>\n

The letter was from a local birthing center, requesting that he contact them immediately regarding Ms. Jenna Reid. Patrick didn\u2019t know anyone called Jenna. He tossed the letter on the kitchen table and unpacked the groceries.<\/p>\n

When Patrick took Mikey to the hospital later, he recognized the birthing center that mailed him a block away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably a mistake, but it can\u2019t do any harm to check it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick returned to the center after delivering Mikey to the hospital. He went inside and gave his name to the woman at the main desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank heavens!\u201d The woman set her tablet aside and pressed both hands to her chest. \u201cWe tried everything to get hold of you, Mr. Murphy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

Patrick stared open-mouthed as the woman told him they\u2019d tried to call him multiple times to let him know this mysterious Jenna woman had complications during birth and had to be transferred to the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s in intensive care now,\u201d the woman concluded. \u201cIt\u2019s a real shame. All of this could\u2019ve been avoided if she had gotten here in time. Your number was the last one she dialed on her phone, so, of course, we contacted you first but it would be great if we knew your relationship with the patient for our records.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what it\u2019s like to be alone in this world, and it sucks when you don\u2019t have anyone to rely on.\u201d
\nSuddenly, Patrick understood. His number on her phone, the late arrival at the center\u2026Jenna had to be the pregnant woman whose water broke in his cab yesterday!<\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t there anyone else you could call?\u201d Patrick asked. \u201cA husband, or parents?\u201d<\/p>\n

The woman frowned. \u201cWe don\u2019t have any emergency numbers on file for her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick walked away while the woman was still talking. Guilt churned in his belly, and his hands shook. He had to know what had happened to Jenna. He rushed back to the hospital and asked about Jenna in ICU.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, but she\u2019s unconscious and isn\u2019t permitted visitors at this point,\u201d the nurse told him. \u201cAre you family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026I\u2019m a family friend,\u201d he lied. \u201cPlease, when can I see her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

A few days later, Patrick sat beside Jenna\u2019s bed with his head in his hands. He couldn\u2019t bear to look at the young woman he\u2019d kicked out of his cab or her baby, who the nurse had brought in while he visited. Instead, he listened to the beep of machines and wrestled with his guilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d he whispered. \u201cI\u2019d turn back time if I could. I never thought it would turn out like this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick sighed. He was no stranger to suffering, having buried his wife five years ago and seen Mikey endure his leukemia treatments, but he now felt ashamed for the pain he\u2019d inflicted on this young woman and her baby.<\/p>\n

Patrick returned the next day and the day after that. He sat by Jenna\u2019s bedside in silence and watched the machines keeping her alive. The nurse brought Jenna\u2019s daughter into the room again during his next visit.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to see you back here.\u201d The nurse smiled at Patrick.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tough on the family to keep visiting coma patients, but we believe it helps them. Quite a few patients have said they heard everything happening around them while they were comatose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick merely nodded. He peered over at the baby in her crib. She gurgled at him and waved her limbs in the air.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

Patrick let the baby hold his finger in her tiny hands. She wriggled around in the crib non-stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you a busy little lady,\u201d Patrick said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2026you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick turned and was amazed to see Jenna staring at him. She glanced at the crib, frowned, looked back at him, and screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s okay.\u201d Patrick raised his hands. He laughed in relief. \u201cYour baby is fine, and I\u2019m not here to hurt you. I came to apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n

The nurse burst into the room then. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s awake!\u201d Patrick grinned and pointed at Jenna.<\/p>\n

Patrick had to leave as doctors and nurses rushed into the room to tend to Jenna. He collapsed into a chair outside. Tears of relief poured down his cheeks.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFor illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n

Patrick returned to visit Jenna the next day. He apologized for kicking her out of his cab and explained why he\u2019d thought it was the only thing he could do.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I saw was the money,\u201d he said. \u201cHow much cleaning would cost, how much time it would take, and how much I\u2019d lose while it was being done.\u201d He hung his head in shame.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a sad state of affairs when you need to count the cost of helping a stranger, but that\u2019s what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI get it.\u201d Jenna sighed. \u201cI know what it\u2019s like to be alone in this world, and it sucks when you don\u2019t have anyone to rely on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick continued to visit Jenna, and they became like family. Her daughter even called him grandpa when she started speaking. Patrick raised enough money for Mikey\u2019s treatments, and he went into remission.<\/p>\n

Many years later, when they all sat down together for Thanksgiving, Patrick looked around the table and felt his heart fill with joy. He couldn\u2019t believe how lucky he was to have such a fantastic group of people in his life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Taxi driver Patrick is a widower who struggles to make ends meet after his youngest son is diagnosed with leukemia. When he gets an opportunity to help a woman in labor, he makes a decision he regrets. Patrick sank into a chair at the kitchen table. He\u2019d just got off the phone with his son\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9560"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9570,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9560\/revisions\/9570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}