I was privileged last month

to attend the auction of "Gone With The Wind" items being sold

Center, to be exact.

Never having been to the Big

Apple before, and having absolutely no clue as to what was located where,

I had to take a taxi everywhere.

I am used to making a phone

call to a local cab company, and having said cab to come to wherever I

am. Not so in New York.

There are 12,000 bright yellow

taxis, all Crown Victorias, running in all directions at all times, 24/7.

The only way to let them know you're interested is to step out in the

middle of the street, albeit Broadway, 5th Avenue, or West 57th Street,

wave madly in the air, and dare anyone else to hit you. After a couple

of near misses, I got the hang of it.

A six-inch silver medallion

is soldered, bolted, and otherwise permanently attached to the front right

side of the hood. That silver medallion only costs a quarter of a million

dollars to buy and have put there. This does not include buying the taxi

and having it retrofitted. No wonder they run 24/7.

The taxi fees were very reasonable,

it was an average of $5 to $11 to get to your destination and I always

felt the driver traveled the shortest distance.

Since I am at an age where

I am giving personal items away, purchasing souvenirs was not on my list.

Except, of course, for a ceramic

yellow taxi.