Grit: The Banter and Brutality of the Late-Night Cab

The world of the cab driver is uncertain and even dangerous, populated by oddballs, weirdoes, comedians, eccentrics, head cases, prima donnas and hard cases. And they’re just the drivers. Enter the ludicrous, humorous and sometimes violent world of the London cab driver; You never know what to expect, and during my years driving cabs I got myself into some scrapes. Luckily I’ve met and befriended many characters along the way, and their stories deserve to be told. In the last third of the book, I recall my time spent driving cab in the projects of Watts, Los Angeles, home of the infamous Bloods & Crips, during the early 80’s. I’ve intended to paint an ominous picture of a community destroyed by drugs, guns and violence. You’ll almost smell the omnipresent whiff of cheap wine, and feel the dirty lino under your feet. Read the true life adventures of an English lad as he struggles to make a living amongst ‘gangstas’ who are arguably the most violent in the United States. For anyone who has puked in the back of a cab, then argued over the fare at 3am, this book is your driver’s revenge. I’ve done my best to create a ‘living poem’ that is by turns thoughtful and brutal, but very funny. People have always told me I’m a natural storyteller, but like every good cab driver I have an opinion on a range of hot issues, from the congestion charge to Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. You’ll be able to hear my characters, see them and, in some instances, actually smell them. They’ll leave their stain on you. You may well be able to relate to guys who used their fists and their wits, you may laugh at their humour and get their jokes, but it’ll be the thugs with guns and no soul who will unsettle you. I want you to be scared of them.