Jennifer Plesko

The Location - A taxicab on the Vegas strip.

The Driver - A disheveled man in his 50s, which makes the following even more surreal.

The Passengers - Me, Hubby, Hubby’s Cousin, Hubby’s Cousin’s Wife

(Soft music playing on the CD player)

Me: Hey, I recognize that. Isn’t that from the Titanic soundtrack?

Grizzled Cab Driver: Yes it is. This song is by Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø. Here let me find a song with just her singing.

Me: I can’t believe that movie came out ten years ago.

HC: Has it been that long?

Grizzled Cab Driver: Yes, it was December 19th, 1997.

Hubby: Wow. You sure know a lot about Titanic.

Grizzled Cab Driver: Ask me anything about the script. If you stump me, I’ll give you a free cab ride.

HC and Hubby: Sweet!

Hubby: I don’t know enough about it to ask you anything. I can only think of stuff like “How many smoke stacks did it have?”

Grizzled Cab Driver: Four, but that’s not in the script. You have to ask me something from the script.

HC: Dude, I can’t think of anything.

Grizzled Cab Driver: Well let me ask you guys something. Do you remember how the movie ends?

HC: The old lady dies.

Grizzled Cab Driver: But what happens after that? Remember she drops the Heart of the Ocean into the water and then dies in her sleep that night. And you see the Titanic from her point of view going up the main staircase and everyone is there, and she takes Jack’s hand and everyone applauds. She dropped the necklace back into the water so her spirit could return to the Titanic and she could forever be reunited with the love of her life.

(incredulous silence)

HC: Wow. I…didn’t remember all that.

Me (thinking): Do not laugh. Do not laugh. Do not laugh.

Hubby: So have you been to the Titanic Exhibit at the Tropicana yet?

Grizzled Cab Driver: Oh yeah. About twenty times now.

The rest of the ride was much of the same: us sitting in disbelief while Grizzled Cab Driver regaled us with Titanic fun facts. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before we pulled up to our destination. Mystified, we stepped out of the car, and I immediately turned to hubby and said “I must blog about this.” And so I have.