I Drove This Cab In Sixty-Nine

I Drove This Cab In Sixty-Nine

I drove this cab in Sixty-Nine

To get held up in Turtle Bay;

A robber taking what was mine

Of all I made myself that day,

Or rather, twice of the amount

From every passenger I took;

As I took half of what I’d count

Of all the rides I had to book.

So, when he said he wanted all,

I took in I was loath to give;

Lest I should be the guy to fall

I bargained the alternative:

I said to him, “Why not take half

And leave me half of it instead?” 

He looked at me but didn’t laugh,

As if he’d like to shoot me dead;

So seeing his hand start to shake

(Six silver bullets in his gun

Forewarned me to no issue make

Of what decidedly was done).

I gave him all that which I made,

Accepting that whatever was,

That day I just would not get paid,

So I’d have to absorb the loss,

Which after all was half of what

I took in as it would be split,

So, that which I lost was my cut

(I knew I could get over it);

But as for him, who took the loot,

With silver bullets in his gun,

Who, even was prepared to shoot

Me, ran away with all he won.