left my phone unlocked
on the taxi’s back seat,
won't be the last time

called it a few times
finally, the driver picked up

he had a fare immediately after mine,
and was now headed way downtown,
and would call later
when fate returned him nearer my office

and so it came to pass,
very shortly thereafter,

we met on the street,
he rolled down  the window
and with the greatest smile of pleasure,
as if he had won the lottery
beaming,
handed me my phone

I had two $20's to cover any expense he might have incurred,
neatly folded in my hand  
and offered it right up, right away;
but the driver repeatedly pushed my hand away
as I insisted,
saying:

"No sir, no no, not necessary!

Allah sent me a fare
that took me soon back close to you, so,
  no loss of time did I suffer,
so your offer is kindly unnecessary!"

to which I replied,

"exactly!
Allah sent you to me
so I could reward you!"

and with an equally, beaming smile I continued,

"our ride and meeting today,
together was pre-ordained it was

Inshallah!" ^

something he could not dispute...
or my knowledge thereof and it’s
proper pronouncement,
nor
his amazement,
to disguise!

  we parted ways
   each believing,
   each receiving,
a heavenly check plus,
each, credited with a mitzvah^^
on our
respective trip logs,
our humanly divine balance sheets,
kept by the
single
supreme taxi dispatcher

Of splendid thrones of gold  
or treasures manifold  
  
Of jewelled caskets  
or lavish banquets  
  
Of Emirs and rajahs  
Of Sultan and Shahs  
  
Of kings and queens  
Of rulers and emperors  
  
Of sparkling crowns  
or flowing gowns  
  
Of their subservient stewards and obedient pages  
Of their stalwart squires and servile knaves  
  
Of poor humble, docile minions  
who tended to regal pavilions  
And obeisantly carried royal palanquins  
Oh and some were real life harlequins  
  
Of castles and palaces  
of abounding gold and silver  
in ostentatious regal splendour  
  
The sidelined fanning maids in waiting  
Yet to me only one thing worth noticing  
The minstrels who came to sing  
from afar for the queen and king  
  
For I'd rather be a poetess for kings  
so to my tunes swayed a kingdom  
than I be the king of mere subjects  
and be filled with regal boredom!  
  
So I could join ranks of  
troubadours  
and sing for the king  
some folklores.