She didn't even blush about me seeing him doing all that stuff to her; she just tells me "No, I'm not embarrassed that you saw what he was up to. I expect you've seen worse, driving cabs as long as you have. What I am is so pissed at him that I don't have the words for it – but you can be damn sure I will by the time I get to work Thursday! Jim, if somebody from my company calls you, would you be willing to tell them what happened? What you saw, what he said, and all that?"
"Of course I would."
She gives me a satisfied smile and says "I thought you would, but figured I'd better ask first. I don't want you to get into trouble with the company."
"Nah, I wouldn't be in any trouble with them. I lease the hack from them, so whatever happens in it is MY business, not theirs – it's in our contract. It wouldn't matter to me, anyway. Guys like that, they give the rest of us a bad rap."
Denise tells me "Jim, I don't think anybody that gets to know you is ever going to make the mistake of thinking you could be anything like that asshole. Edith has told me that the reason she asks for you is because you are somebody doing an honest job the best you can – and doing it damn well. The few times you haven't brought her here the most direct way, you've told her why – and offered to drop the flag when it got to the usual charges. I don't doubt for a minute that you're quite the gentleman."
Edith speaks up then to tell me "Jim, you did a lot to help me tonight. Not just getting rid of that… person, but getting me up here. I remember how you were careful to let me know what you were doing, and why, when you got my keys and looked at my ID to see what apartment I live in. And I know that when you put your hand on my ass to get me out of the cab and next to you, it was the only reasonable way you had of moving me. I know I'm not some wispy little fashion model, either, and I know it wasn't easy for you to hold me upright and get me up here – but you did it. So the first thing I want to do is make sure you don't get stiffed on the fare."