airport. And cabs waited just outside the baggage claim area, which pleased me, for Bob had left word that he would be unable to meet my upon my arrival.
Once my lone suitcase arrived, the conveyor belt sagging from its weight, a yellow cab awaited to offer me a ride to my new residence. As I approached, the driver remained seated, staring straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to a passenger desiring service, even after I had opened a door and inquired as to his availability. He grunted and pressed the truck-release lever, merely watching as his passenger hefted his bulky suitcase into the trunk.
"Fifteen forty-one Gilson," I told the driver, who grunted in acknowledgment. Bob, in his telegram, had said it was a basement apartment, onMadison 's south side, with small windows that faced north. He also said it was not very expensive and that the landlord had reduced the price slightly when the first year's rent had been paid in advance. Hopefully, the abode would prove palatable.
"I have never been here toMadison ," I said. "Tell me about it. What kind of city is it?"
"Like any other," the driver blandly replied, "only less so."
Perhaps the driver might have laughed after a remark that one might interpret as witty, but he was silent and managed nary a slight smile.
The airport access road wound outward about a mile before we reached a main thoroughfare dotted with small, clapboard houses of no discernible form or design. Shortly, the nauseating smell of cooked meat wafted into my nostrils. A factory loomed on the right.
"There is a meat packing plant here?" I asked my friendly driver.
"That's Oscar Mayer."
"They employ many people?"
"Yeah, but not as many as the State or the University."
"How big isMadison ?"
"A hundred and seventy thousand."
The road spread, now dotted with various small industrial plants. "Not very pretty, this part of town?"
"No."
"But I can see trees. Are there many parks? DoesMadison have much green space?"
"Some."
My, quite the gregarious fellow. It seemed apparent that my driver did not consider it within his job description to be a fountain of information for a curious stranger in this city, let alone be polite. Oddly, the thought occurred to me that I could do his job better than he.
The road curved and narrowed, the landscape quickly shifting from industrial to residential. "These certainly are lovely old houses. How old are they?"
"Very early Twentieth Century."
"Is this the oldest part of town?"
"Yeah."
"These appear to be quite magnificent houses. Are they really as lovely as they appear?"
"No."
The architecture was quite eclectic, solid brick houses next to Georgians, complete with alabaster pillars, next to wooden Victorian homes. "This once must have been a rather fashionable area of town. Single families no longer live in these lovely structures?"
"No."
"Then who does?"
"Students. It's the student ghetto."
Indeed, a subtle change seemed apparent as we progressed. Even in the darkness, I could see peeling paint, unkempt lawns and a general lack of artistry in the landscaping. But above the squalor, a brilliant, glowing white dome illuminated the darkness.
"Is that the State Capitol?" I asked.
"Yes." His tone remained dull and monotone.
"It seems to be modeled after the Capitol inWashington ."
"It is."
Just ahead, we stopped at a traffic light where I saw the first apparent signs of population; several pedestrians crossed in front of the cab while we waited for the light to change. This seemed to be some sort of commercial district, well populated with foot traffic, but oddly, no cars passed. The light turned green, and the cab sped forward, narrowly avoiding a trio of young women who had dashed across the intersection just as the light changed, causing my driver to sound his horn. One of the women stopped, turned and raised her middle finger, then strolled leisurely across the remainder of the intersection.
"Fuckin' bitch," the driver growled.
"What street is this?" I asked.
"State Street."
"It looks quite commercial, but why is there no auto traffic?"
"It's a mall."
"I beg your pardon."
The driver sighed loudly. "I said, it's a mall. A few years ago, they widened the sidewalks and closed the street to traffic. Only cop-cars, cabs and buses allowed."
The road curved, and a series of tall buildings came into view, including a pair of concrete horrors of modern architecture. "Is this the campus here?"
"Yeah."
"Are you a student?"
"No." He sighed once again.
"This is your job, driving a taxi? You make a living doing this?"
He sighed again, louder than before. "What the hell does it look like?"