Thank You for the Ride Home

To the Uber driver who drove me home from the airport at 2 a.m. in March:

You noticed I was exhausted after an eighteen-hour trip. You asked if I wanted music or quiet. I said quiet. You kept it quiet, except for one moment, when we passed the river and the moon was huge and orange over the water, and you said softly, "Look at that."

I looked. It was beautiful. We sat at a red light for a moment, both just looking.

When we got to my house, you carried my suitcase to the door, even though I said you didn't have to. You told me your mother always said to treat every passenger like family.

I gave you five stars, obviously. But I wanted you to know that "Look at that" was the best thing anyone said to me all week.