New York Hack: On the brighter side:
Later, I picked up a middle-aged woman going to the Upper West Side. She was asking me a bunch of questions about the job, and when I asked about her life, she told me she was a psychiatrist. I asked, "Do you like it?" and she answered, "I hate it." Then she said, "I used to drive a cab. I did it for four years back in the '70s to put myself through school." I thought she was joking and made her swear she was telling the truth. I was convinced she was playing some sick shrink mindgame with me, but she ultimately seemed sincere, and sincerely miserable. When I asked her why she doesn't just quit if she doesn't like what she's doing, I realized just how dumb that question is. Why don't I just quit if I don't like what I'm doing? The answer is too simple: Money. Her version of this was, "I've got a family to support." She got out at a very fancy doorman building, wished me luck, and tipped a dollar.
5:42 PM
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