Call Sign September 2008 - Page 37 - OUT AND ABOUT IN DENVER…

*Wendell White* Democratic National Convention Our Independence Day (July 4th) was a three-day weekend, so I took the opportunity to do some things that needed to be done around the house. Being manual labour, I had lots of time to think. For months, Denver media has been focused on the upcoming Democratic National Convention to be held here next month and thinking of the ‘push’ to develop a good attitude among cab drivers, there have been several sessions to turn local cabbies into Good-Will Ambassadors. Lots of luck needed there! Recalling an old time driver, Don Spahn, I had to laugh about what sort of ambassador he would have been. My little Italian Grandma Rosa would have said: "That-a Donnie, he’s-a Diamond in the	Wendell White drives a radio taxi in Denver, Colorado and writes the occasional column for Call Sign. He is the current TLPA International Taxi Driver of the Year… OUT AND ABOUT IN DENVER…
	Rough." I didn’t know Don back then, but have heard stories about his youth. Reared in a tough part of town, his were the usual youthful antics and he was often recalcitrant against authority and the law. As an adult, he frequented the horse and dog tracks and got into some high-stake poker games. Even to one encounter I knew of when he was deeply in debt to a loan shark with Mafia connections. His physical appearance was intimidating. Medium stature, as broad as he was tall, facial expressions suggesting he could take care of himself in any circumstance. Despite a ready smile, his voice was gruff. My chuckle was in recalling the story about him driving his cab. Starting about 7am, he turned his radio to a broadcast of Ollie North, then switched stations to catch G.Gordon Liddy, followed immediately by Rush Limbaugh! Just the fact he listened to so much	conservative talk radio surprised me. Don told me he’d just picked up a couple of young fellows in the rough part of town. One of them said: "Turn off that damned radio!" Wrong approach! Instead, he turned the volume higher and admonished the passenger: "You really should listen to what this guy says! You might learn something and if you pay attention it might even make you both a better person and a better citizen!" Remembering that incident, I had to imagine what if Don still drove a cab and during the Democrat National Convention someone attempted to convert him to some of the liberal arguments we have heard in recent months. And what sort of ‘response’ such an effort might provoke from Don, the Good-Will Ambassador… Wendell White Call Sign Online Denver, Colorado

Call Sign Home Page

Page 38