Saturday Song: Harry Chapin, "Taxi"

Was this your first experience of Harry Chapin's wonderful songs? It was for me. I felt deeply moved by the story of two old friends meeting by chance one rainy night. The song taught me that life doesn't always work out the way we dreamt.

Hear Harry Chapin's "Taxi" here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs4j8YQwst8

When I first heard this song in the spring of 1972, I felt determined that I was going to be a television repair man. In spite of my poor vision, I felt convinced I could earn my living fixing electronics. And all the adults telling me I couldn't do such a job just made me more determined to prove them wrong.

After considerable arguing with the electronics class teacher, I enrolled and did well on the theory. The practical aspect was another matter. Though I tried hard to reconcile the schematic diagrams with the radios and other electronic gadgets, I failed miserably.

In December of 1974, the teacher gave me the bad news that I couldn't continue in his class. Televisions had extremely high voltages in them and he feared I'd get electrocuted.

Instead of fixing people's TVs, I'm a writer. I never drempt I'd be one either. And as for TV repair, nobody fixes electronics anymore.

Romans 11:33 (KJV) says, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" All I can say to that is "Amen!"

So, what are your memories of this song? Did you become what you'd hoped to be as an adult? Please leave me a comment in the box below. And if you don't feel like it, have a nice weekend anyway.

My next post will be about how some people mistreat folks who suffer tragedies. Hang in for that one.