Andre was used to waiting. He had waited for things to happen in his life and for good luck to find him. Mostly he waited for his next fare. Staring out to sea, his recent cancer diagnosis hung heavily around his neck. He was waiting for a miracle. 

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The operator’s harsh tones interrupted his train of thought. His next fare was at Burleigh Heads, only a short distance away. He shook his head to banish his mournful thoughts. He wasn’t dead yet and he had a job to do. He looked in his review mirror, seeing an aging man, not completely grey but getting there. He spoke aloud, ‘You old bastard! What are you doing driving this cab that you still haven’t paid off.’ He heard his whinging and sternly said, ‘Pull yourself together, man, you have a beautiful wife who loves you and a lovely smart daughter you are putting through university.’ Andre started his taxi and drove out of the beachside car park.

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Andre had a policy of keeping his personal problems private from his customers who loved to vent and complain about what was going wrong in their lives. His job was to shut up and listen. Sometimes he felt more like a counsellor than a taxi driver. He pulled up at the address and waited. An elderly lady with a walking frame came slowly out of a locked gate. Andre jumped up to assist her. She had a kind face and a pleasant demeanour. Having driven cabs for so long, Andre prided himself on being a good judge of character. Whilst opening the door for her and putting her walker in the boot, he asked, ‘Where to, mam?’ 

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She softly replied, ‘Brisbane please.’ 

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Great, a big fare! He asked the passenger her name. 

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 ‘It’s Lorna, an old-fashioned name I know. What’s yours?’ 

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Andre hesitated for a moment as someone cut him off just as he was going to turn right. He yelled, ‘Bloody hell, what are you doing, you idiot!’ 

Lorna smiled gently and told him not to worry. ‘We are okay and so is your cab.’ 

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Andre felt embarrassed by his display of temper and was glad Lorna appeared unfazed. Her calmness communicated itself to him and he started to relax. He recognised her sweet-smelling perfume. It was the same one his mother used to wear. He asked what it was called.

 

Lorna laughed and said, ‘Yes, it’s called Heaven Sent.’ 

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He smiled and wondered if Lorna was Heaven Sent. ‘Why are you going to Brisbane, if you don’t mind me asking?’

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Lorna replied, ‘My family don’t want me around anymore. I guess I’ve reached my use-by date.’

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Andre didn’t pry further as he could see she was upset. Lorna had fallen asleep, not long into the journey, when his wife rang, to let him know what was for dinner. He told her he would be home late so he could pick up another fare from Brisbane. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her about his cancer diagnosis just yet. It was hard enough imagining her face when she heard the news. When he hung up, he said out loud, ‘I should have told her already about the cancer. But first, I need to save more money to pay for the operation.’

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When Lorna woke from her cat nap, she talked for the rest of the journey. Unlike most of his passengers’ stories, Lorna reminisced fondly about how she had served as an army nurse in the Second World War and about the soldiers she had nursed. He began to like Lorna more and more as they found they had some things in common. Lorna had been a champion ballroom dancer in her day, which struck a chord with Andre as he and his wife enjoyed their ballroom dancing. 

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Finally, Andre arrived at the aged care facility that Lorna’s family had booked her into. It wasn’t near the sea like where she had come from. It looked old and a bit run down. Andre felt sad as he left her at the entrance, sensing she was reluctant to go in but had no choice.

 

Lorna said, ‘Thank you, Andre, for a wonderful journey, also for listening to my life story. No-one else could be bothered to listen to my stories anymore.’ Lorna paid Andre only half the money for the trip and thanked him again. She asked if he would call in to see her next week and collect the other half of the fare. 

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Andre did call in the next week, only to be greeted by the manager who informed him that Lorna had passed away during the night. Tears came to his eyes as he said, ‘Oh no! Not that lovely lady, I was just beginning to know her. I was going to bring my family to see her, I knew they would love her too.’ 

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The manager announced, ‘Sir, Lorna left you a letter.’ Back sitting behind the wheel, Andre began reading:

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Dear Andre,

I am aware we haven’t known each other very long, but I must confess I wasn’t asleep when I heard you talking to your wife, so I know you have some money problems. I also know you are a very kind, good man who deserves the best in life, so please take this offering from me, my family are rich enough and don’t need my money. 

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Andre nervously opened the next page. There was a cheque for $100,000. He blinked, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The cheque was in his full name. Lorna must have seen his name on the taxi ID on his front driver’s window. Wiping away his tears, he drove home with sadness and appreciation in his heart that he had met this wonderful lady and for her gift to him. It would save his life. Lorna had indeed been heaven sent.

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