A Fare to Forget

The frigid air bit into Lawrence Hastings' skin as he hurriedly flagged down a taxi outside his office. He was running out of time to make his flight. His briefcase clutched in one hand, he flung open the door and slid into the backseat, only sparing a quick glance at the driver before burying his face in his notes. He was scheduled to give a presentation on estate planning at a conference in Chicago and needed every minute he could get to review his notes.

The taxi pulled away from the curb, and that's when he first heard it – a jovial voice, relentlessly chattering from the front seat. Lawrence looked up to see the driver, a man with a beaming smile that seemed to defy the biting chill outside.

"Morning! Traffic's a beast today, huh?" The driver's enthusiasm normally would have been contagious for someone like Lawrence, who usually enjoyed getting to know new people. On this day, however, Lawrence was in no mood for small talk. He nodded curtly, hoping the driver would take the hint and focus on the road. No such luck.

“I’m Walter, by the way, Walter McAllister.” Walter extended one hand to the backseat while continuing to drive with the other, slightly swerving within his lane as he did.

“Nice to meet you,” Lawrence grimaced and limply received Walter’s hand, with a barely perceptible shake, and the minimum smile he could muster without seeming outright hostile.

Walter asked about Lawrence’s travel plans. When Lawrence told him about the conference he was traveling to attend, Walter smiled. "So, you're a lawyer, huh? That must be fascinating! I had this friend once who wanted to be a lawyer, but he ended up owning a bakery. Life, you know? It's crazy!"

Lawrence forced a polite smile. "Yes, quite the journey. I'm running late for a conference, though, to be honest. Are there any shortcuts you know?"

"Conference, eh? Big-shot lawyer stuff. I respect that!" Walter chuckled, glancing at Lawrence in the rearview mirror. "You know, speaking of lawyers, I've got this business idea. I call it links.com. It's a website, see? Just a bunch of links to other websites. Like Yahoo, AOL, Comcast. You name it!"

Lawrence blinked, momentarily taken aback. It was 1995. The internet was in its infancy. Even for someone like Lawrence, who was ahead of his time when it came to technology, the internet was a novel concept, with an uncertain future. He had spent more time than 99% of the people reading about and discussing this new, quickly growing type of media. He did not want to be a snob, he thought to himself, but it seemed highly improbable that this taxi driver, about twenty years or so his senior, and seemingly clueless about the nuances of technology or entrepreneurship, had discovered the secret to monetizing the internet.

“Links to other websites? What's the point of that?" Lawrence asked.

Walter’s eyes gleamed with unwavering optimism. "Well, you see, people love clicking on things. And if they click on those links, they go to those websites. It's like a shortcut to the whole internet!"

Lawrence couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. “Does your links website provide any unique content?

“Heck no!” Walter laughed.

"So how does it make money?"

Walter’s response was a nonchalant shrug. "Details, details! I'm sure I'll figure that out. Maybe ads or something. The internet's the future, my friend! But I can guarantee you this. One day my links.com website is going to make a lot of moolah. A lot!"

Lawrence knew enough about the internet to understand that a website needed original content to make money. If a website could draw its own, then advertisers or other websites might be willing to pay for links. The incoming traffic from the site would bring new users or consumers to the sites getting the link, making it worthwhile for these other sites to pay for the links. If all a site provided was links, however, without any way of generating its incoming traffic, it provided nothing of value. No other site would pay for links coming from a site without any of its own traffic. Anyone could set up a simple web page and add a lot of links to other big sites. Walter’s idea was pointless.

Sadly, Walter was oblivious to the fact that his links.com idea had no potential to ever generate any actual revenue. As the taxi sped through the bustling streets, Lawrence couldn't shake the feeling that he was trapped in a conversation with a dreamer. He attempted to refocus on his notes, glancing at his watch anxiously.

Walter, however, remained undeterred by Lawrence's lack of enthusiasm. "So, what do you do? Real estate? Criminal law? Divorce cases? You must have some juicy stories!"

Lawrence sighed, realizing that escape from this conversation was impossible. "Estate planning, mostly. Wills, trusts, that sort of thing. Nothing like what you see on TV, to be honest. Nothing juicy."

"Estate planning! That's serious stuff. You know, I've been thinking about my own estate. I need to set up something, you know, like a trust or a limited partnership. Reduce those taxes. When links.com explodes, I want to have it all set up so I’m not last minute with the legal stuff. I don’t want Uncle Sam to get any more than the bare minimum, I’ll tell you that much. What do you think?"

Lawrence thought that Walter was living in a fantasy world. True, everyone should do some basic estate planning, regardless of their station in life, but for Walter, who by all appearances drove a taxi for a living and had no viable business strategy, a basic will would suffice. Lawrence had no interest in providing Walter with estate planning services. From experience, Lawrence knew that a client like Walter, completely clueless about an appropriate plan, but bursting with ideas, requires a lot of work explaining why he did not need the type of plan that he thought he did. Work that a lawyer has a hard time being fully compensated for. No thanks.

The taxi careened around a corner, and Lawrence held onto his briefcase as Walter awaited his response. He gave a brief nod. "It depends on your situation. But for now, can we focus on getting to the airport? I'm running out of time."

Walter chuckled again, seemingly unbothered by Lawrence's urgency.

As the taxi neared the airport, Lawrence could feel the tension in the air. He hastily checked his watch, the minutes ticking away mercilessly. The airport loomed in the distance, and Walter seemed determined to make the most of the remaining time.

"So, you said you do estate planning, right?" Walter confirmed glancing at Lawrence through the rearview mirror.

Lawrence, feeling the pressure of time, replied tersely, "Yes, estate planning."

Walter's eyes widened with genuine interest. "Great! I need to get my ducks in a row. You know, for when links.com takes off. Can I get your contact info? We'll grab a coffee sometime."

Lawrence hesitated for a moment, contemplating the quickest way to extricate himself from this situation. He pretended to fumble through his pockets, giving the appearance of searching for a business card. In reality, he had a stack of them neatly tucked away in his briefcase.

"Ah, I must have left them at the office," Lawrence said, feigning disappointment. "Tell you what, I'll give you my number. Just give me a second."

As Walter pulled over to the curb, Lawrence hastily scribbled a set of digits on a piece of scrap paper he found in the taxi. He could not remember ever having given a fake number in his life, but he had no interest in helping this man. He handed it to Walter with a forced smile. "There you go. Call me anytime."

Walter, seemingly oblivious to Lawrence's discomfort, grinned appreciatively. "Thanks a million! I'll be in touch. Good luck with your conference!"

Lawrence nodded, offering a quick, "You too," before practically leaping out of the cab. He couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling of having just deceived someone, but the urgency of his impending flight outweighed any guilt. As the taxi sped away, Lawrence hurried into the airport, hoping to put the peculiar encounter behind him. Little did he know that this chance encounter would set in motion a series of events that would linger in his memory for years to come.