I checked my wallet one more time to make sure I had my ID, then slid it back into my purse before pulling my phone out. The rideshare app had originally shown that my ride would arrive within the next minute. I’d had rides cancelled previously, which was okay when I didn’t have a tight timeline. I wasn’t sure how bad security would be at the airport, though, and a cancelled ride would really screw up my schedule.
As I unlocked my phone to check on the car’s progress, I jumped as a voice said my name through an open window.
“That’s me,” I replied. Dang electric cars, I thought as I tried to slow my heart, which was racing slightly from being snuck up on by the silent vehicle.
I opened the trunk, glad to see it empty rather than needing to shift the driver’s knick-knacks around, then shut the lid and walked to open the door behind the driver. I took a deep breath of fresh air, knowing that I could be hit by any number of scents upon entering the vehicle – anything from body odor to overpowering cologne to that one air freshener that the majority of my drivers seem to use.
I was glad, however, that as I slid into the seat behind the driver, it smelled just like it had outside.
“Heading to the airport?” the driver asked.
“Yep,” I said with a nod.
He smiled in his rearview mirror at me before turning in his seat to look behind him as he reversed the car, then turned and pulled out of the apartment complex. The smile was almost too friendly, and I sighed as I settled in for what would likely be a long, chatty car ride.
“How’s your day so far?” he asked.
“Not bad, yours?”
I knew it, I thought.
“Pretty good,” he replied.
I waited for his next question, but he just adjusted the knob on the air conditioning before tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel in time to the music playing on the radio, which was playing at a reasonable volume.
I took a deep breath as the driver turned onto the freeway. I’d forgotten to check traffic, but going south to the airport this time of day was hit or miss. It could take anywhere from fifteen minutes to nearly an hour, depending on how many cars were on the road and how well they’d done to avoid accidents.
As we pulled up the onramp, I saw that cars were moving swiftly, and we merged at just above the speed limit to join traffic.
That’s good at least, I thought. Although now I just have to hope he isn’t a speed demon or a tailgater. And that he actually checks his blind spot.
I shook my head, thinking of all the drivers who’d made me nervous in the past. While part of me was glad for the lack of traffic, another part felt safer when an unfamiliar driver was forced to creep along at five miles per hour rather than seventy-five.
The driver flipped his blinker on and looked over his left shoulder before changing lanes, and I was pleased to see his speed level off at a quick, but not unsafe, seventy-three. After three songs without commercial, I realized he must have been listening to satellite radio, and a station I happened to enjoy.
My driver made three more lane changes on the way to the airport, looking over his shoulder and signaling each time, and he left plenty of room in front of us to brake as we took the exit for the airport, which was notoriously backed up.
Today though, we breezed through the four stoplights between the freeway and the airport, and my driver confirmed the airline before pulling into the correct terminal.
“Have a good one,” he said, pulling up to the curb directly in front of the departures doors.
“You too,” I replied.
I got out of the car and quickly walked to the back, ready to bang on the trunk if he forgot to unlock it. Or worse, tried to drive off before I could get my bag.
But the trunk opened when I pulled the latch, and the quiet car made no move to ease away as I pulled out my luggage and shut the lid. The driver waited until I was on the curb, then I saw him wave briefly before pulling back into airport traffic.
That was easy, I thought, hefting my bag over my shoulder. I rated my driver five stars and gave him a tip before heading towards the glass airport doors.
I hope the security line isn’t too long.