Oddity

Trying to think about the past few days was a lot for Malcolm to consider. It started with his body being stolen by a cab driver with a magic taxi -- which sounds insane enough -- but then he learned he’d have to steal someone else’s body in the exact same way.

And that’s how he ended up in her body. He didn’t know her name. She didn’t have a purse or any identification. She paid in cash with the typical $50 tip as he stole her body.

But now that he was her? He was at a loss! She had asked to come here, but why? Why had she paid with cash with seemingly nothing else on her? Not even a phone, which was quite the oddity these days...

Supermodel

Of all the bodies I could’ve ended up with after a month stuck as the driver of the magic taxi, I don’t think I ever would’ve expected “supermodel” to be the one. And yet here I was. A former chubby guy now forever inside the body of a tall, shinny Chinese fashion model.

I was honestly worried about it at first. I knew my love of food and my lack of self-control. I knew models had to watch their figured. I was more than relieved that Ai was the type of woman who could basically eat anything she wanted without gaining a pound! Grabbing a slice of pizza as I walked to a photoshoot felt absolutely heavenly, and my new life was like a dream come true!

Saved

“Yeah, yeah, it’s all going to plan. I just gotta go to the safe deposit box with this chick’s stolen body, and it’s all ours. Then I switch back to my own body and off her.”

The woman in the back of the cab spoke of an rather outrageous plan about stealing cash and bodies. Under most normal circumstance, Mark would’ve dismissed it as crazy talk. But things weren’t exactly normal for Mark right now.

He had experienced a body swap of his own with the driver of this very cab. That was obvious proof body swapping existed, and this person’s conversation wasn’t madness. And he also knew he would have to swap again; he doubted he would ever find a more deserving candidate. On top of everything, he’d be saving her life -- no matter what body she was presently in. He might have to become a woman to do it, but it seemed worth it.

Self-Betrayal

It had been less than five minutes since Luke had become a woman due to his choices while driving the Magic Taxi; he was already regretting it. When his own body was stolen about a week prior, the decision to become a woman was not immediate. Becoming a man, of course, made much more sense. But it was his own attraction that likely betrayed him.

There was nothing exciting or alluring about the men that came into his cab. The same wasn't true of the women. Picking the most interesting was going to be the real challenge.

He saw her even before she hailed the cab as the blonde took short little steps on her chunky heels. Now that he was in her in her body, he understood those movement intimately. It wasn’t just the heels that contributed to the small steps, but also the short tight skirt.

There was no way he was able to keep up the gorgeous feminine mystique of her body as he moved it around like a clumsy, awkward man.

Poor Choice

Bruce clutched his purse tightly. Money was so tight, he certainly couldn’t afford to lose it. Things had changed so much for him in the past few months. It was all so hard to believe that he had once been a rich man living in lower Manhattan taking cabs everywhere, and now he was a poor woman from the outer boroughs forced to take a bus.

It was one of those cabs that had gotten him in trouble in the first place. The crazy driver ended up stealing his body and his life. He was so desperate to track down his old self, and he realized certain aspects of being stuck as the driver of the magic taxi made it impossible. He needed to steal someone else’s body to escape, and so he did it as quickly as possible, not giving much consideration to the woman he would become.

And yet, once the swap happened, and he tracked his old body down, he realized the person in his body was just as much a victim as he was. They too had been forced into the cab driver’s body for a while, and now Bruce had doomed the woman to the same body swapping fate. Of course, she might take much more care about it than Bruce did!

Late at Night

It wasn’t the body that Bruce had a hard time adjusting to, it was moments like these.

Alone. Waiting for a bus. It was probably something he had done countless times as a man; he had never thought much of it. But since becoming a woman, it was scary. He clutched his purse tightly; he held his keys in his hands; he had to be prepared if someone attacked him. He felt weak and small. He wasn’t sure if he even could defend himself successfully.

And it was all because of that stupid taxi. The one that stole his body from him, leaving in that driver’s body for weeks. This body’s boyfriend had been the one he wanted to swap with, but somehow he ended up as her instead. He broke up with the guy shortly after, and that put unnecessary expenses like cabs off the table. He’d never find the magic taxi again, and he was forced to take the bus, even late at night.

Not Misplaced

I couldn’t entire blame her, I suppose. I was asking a lot of questions about her life before she demanded I stop the cab to let her out in the middle of the trip. Her distrust wasn’t exactly misplaced; though I doubt she anticipated what I was plotting, nor did it really matter as we had already driven far enough.

She stormed out and threw cash at me. I told her to have a nice day, and suddenly it was me throwing her an extra $50. I don’t think I will ever forget the look of shock as she drove away now that she was the one inside that smelly cab driver’s body.

And I had become her.

I remembered where she asked to be dropped off, and I noted the bus had a stop around there. So I waited. I didn’t’ anticipate the feeling. Maybe it was still her brain chemistry from being weirded out in my cab, or maybe it was the realization that I was now a woman alone on a dark street in the middle of the night -- but I genuinely had a strange feeling of dread.

Tune Up

No one ever bothered to bring the magic taxi in for a tune up. What was the point? If the check engine or low oil lights came on, that would be a problem for the next person who swapped into the driver’s body. Despite the warning lights, the thing never seemed to break down either. That didn’t mean things didn’t go wrong. While Robin was in the body of the cab driver, a red light came on that showed two people standing side-by-side. She had never seen a warning light like that in any other car. She had no idea what it meant; she didn’t even care.

As it turned out, the taxi was leaking some of its body swapping magic. As such, the distance Robin would have to drive before swapping was extended, and people on the street might randomly fall victim to a swap as the cab passed. Sometimes the distance between the two people was short; other times they were separated by miles.

Rafael was minding his own businesss in Harlem when the magic taxi passed. It’s not like he noticed it; it looked like any other cab. But as the magic taxi drove through Times Square a half hour later, he was suddenly whisked into a completely different body. He gased as could feel the shapely new form, and confused as to how he suddenly got here. And of course, now that he was in Antria’s body, she would soon find herself in a completely new body as well. A continual chain reaction outside the taxi, similar to the one that took place amongst the drivers.

Maybe someday one of them will look into getting that fixed.

Get to the Hospital

“You can’t have the baby on the street, Liz. Come on, we’ve got to get in a taxi to get you to the hospital.” Dave was begging practically begging as his wife’s contractions were getting closer together.

It was something Liz had never told her husband. It was before she got pregnant, before she met Dave, long before she was called ‘Liz’ or was even a ‘she.’ She had been a man named Todd, working a busy job in the City when he got into the cab that one night. That’s when he swapped into the driver’s body; a few weeks later, he had used the magic taxi to steal Liz’s body in just the same way. He vowed to never use a taxi again.

He had enjoyed Liz’s life; he enjoyed being a woman. He loved going on dates and eventually meeting Dave. Marrying this man had been the best moment of his life. He had avoided taxis this entire time. But now they were expecting a baby and taking the subway or a bus wasn’t really an option. Sure, the likelihood of getting into the magic taxi a second time was so small, but he didn’t want to take even the smallest risk of giving up all that he had gained since becoming Liz. And yet Dave was right, he couldn’t have this baby on the street...he did need to get to the hospital.

Charity Gala

Once I found my life stolen by the magic taxi and stuck in the body of that fat slob of a cab driver, I initially panicked. Reading the journal on the end table in the small studio apartment, I knew I would have to eventually steal a body as well. I started making plans. I targeted men around my own age and often looked for clues that they were better off than I had been in my original body.

He wore an expensive suit, but it was the Rolex on the wrist he flagged down the cab with that caught my eye. Except he wasn’t hailing the ride for himself, but it turned out he was an agent and I’d be driving his client to some fancy charity gala.

She sat silently in the back in her long red puffer coat. I could sense she was looking at me with a feeling of disgust. For some reason, it hurt. I mean, I could understand it; but it still hurt. Throughout the ride, I couldn’t take my eyes off her, which only increased the revulsion in her stare.

I had fully intended to drop her off and continue looking for someone that fit my plan. But as my cab pulled up, the cameras started swarming. As she got out, the red coat drifted off her shoulders to reveal it was part of an elaborate gown. But she hadn’t paid, and no matter how much I pushed my foot to the gas, the cab wouldn’t go. Being stiffed for payment wasn’t really mentioned in the journal. Other cars were honking wildly behind me with ushers urging me to move along. I felt pressured, like I had no other option, so I shouted out, “Have a nice day, Ma’am!”

And then it happened. I became her.

I quickly walked back over to the taxi, apologizing to the ushers. She didn’t have a wallet in this outfit, but she had been holding a phone. I scanned the QR code on the cab’s window and selected the option to pay with the largest tip possible. She was now the one inside the cab driver’s body, and instead of disgust in her eyes, there was fear and terror. But there was nothing either of us could do at this point as she drove off. Meanwhile, I made my way into the gala where the agent’s assistant met me, who apologized to me for not getting there in time to pay the cab driver. I brushed it off as he took my phone and lead me through a whirlwind of photos and red carpet interviews. I had to fake my way through it; I was never a pop culture guy; I had no idea who this celebrity even was!

Understanding in a Car Crash

William hadn’t seen the car that hit the cab he was driving. He was too focused on the couple in the back seat. They were talking about their recent wedding, how much they had spent, and how they could’ve easily afforded more. That made the man a prime candidate to swap bodies with when he let them off at their stop downtown. He’d become a rich guy with a hot wife; what could possible go wrong?

But then the crash happened. It triggered an instant swap. There was no “Have a nice day;” no $50 tip; and, most notably, no choice of who to swap with. William was now inside the body of the female passenger! But he was fortunately uninjured, which was far better than he could say for the cab’s other riders. The man was passed out next to him and the driver (whose body William had been in moments ago) was unconscious up front. Both were losing a great deal of blood. William tried to pull them out, but he wasn’t sure if he was no longer strong enough or if they were pinned by twisted metal.

He hoped out and began to approach passerbys. “I need help!” He exclaimed, “He needs help! They need help!”

New Yorkers seemed oblivious to his pleas. Maybe it was just that New York stereotype or maybe they were avoiding this taxi for a reason. It took him a while to realize he had a purse with a phone inside. He quickly dialed 911.

Fare Exchange

After spending weeks stuck in the body of the slobby cab driver of the magic taxi, Albert was happy to finally have a fare long enough to escape. Sure it was a woman, but at least she looked rich. After wishing her a nice day, he found himself in her body and handed the horrified woman now stuck in the driver’s body a $50.

He couldn’t believe he had finally escaped, and he certainly couldn’t believe he was now a woman! He took a deep breath and looked around when he felt a vibrating. The woman’s phone was ringing.

He answered cautiously, “Hello?”

“Hey, Honey, it’s me,” Said a man’s voice on the other end. “Could you pick up a gift for Hayley’s birthday while you’re out?”

“Hayley? Who’se Hayley?”

The voice on the other end was silent for a moment before responding, “Our daughter. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to come home?”

“That may be a good idea.” It was Albert who paused this time as he watched the magic taxi, which had been stuck in traffic, finally pull around the corner, and realizing he needed to ask, “Where do we live? I’ll hail a cab.”

Urban Legend

Vinny had often heard an urban legend about a so-called “magic taxi” that ran through the City and swapped people’s bodies. He always avoided the traditional yellow cabs as a result. He was just superstitious in that way.

He never would’ve suspected the magic taxi was actually a black gypsy cab! When he swapped into the driver’s body, he was freaking out. He wanted to drive the damned thing into the East River. But he calmed himself. He could just use the cab to steal someone else’s body. There were some sort of magic words right? What did the driver say to him? Why couldn’t he seem to remember?

It was several rides before it came to him. He didn’t remember when driving; he just blurted out as a fare was leaving, “Have a nice day,” he told the woman. The instant he realized what he said, he knew he had said it. He found himself on the street in the young woman’s body. He was holding his new head as it throbbed in pain before he pulled out $50 worth of cash and gave it to the body that had been his these past few days.

As he stumbled in the heels on the feet of new feminine form, he told himself that he should have known better and that he should have been more careful. Once the cursed taxi had him, there was no way he was going to escape with the body of his choosing. It never worked like that -- or so the legend went -- and now he was stuck like this! As a woman!

The Origin of the Magic Taxi

Omar had taken out a pretty big loan to pay for his taxi medallion. It seemed like a good investment at the time, but then Uber came to town and put the taxi business in a tough spot. Omar’s debts were piling up; he was getting desperate.

He often visited the New York Public Library, and often considered education as a way out. But a strange book caught his eye, filled with supposedly magical spells. One in particular seemed alluring, a body swap spell! If he wasn’t himself anymore, he wouldn’t have to worry about his troubles! He recited the spell while waiting to pick up a fare at the airport, just sort of as practice.

An Asian woman popped in, asking to go to midtown. The ride was long, but rather uneventful. As she paid and left, the only words he spoke to her the entire ride were, “Have a nice day.”

It seemed to act as some sort of trigger. Suddenly, Omar felt himself standing outside the cab. The instantaneous change had caught him off-guard, as he fell to the street. He picked himself up now looking at his former face behind the wheel. He reached into a purse he didn’t know he had and gave all the cash inside to his former body, $50. Then he watched it drive away.

Omar realized he hadn’t just be reading the spell, he had actually cast it! With no specific target in mind, the magic infused into the taxi itself. Once the woman got in, it was inevitable that he would swap with her. He was certainly happy to have a new life, even if it was one he probably wouldn’thave purposely chosen. He just hoped the magic of the taxi would just be this one-off.

Again

William told himself that it couldn’t be possible. Did he just see the magic taxi again? There was no way. It wasn’t just that no one in the journal ever mentioned seeing it a second time; it was also the fact that he was thousands of miles away from where he first swapped into this body. But maybe he was lucky? He started to run after it.

Maybe he could catch it. If he did, he could take a different body. He didn’t hate this one by any means. In fact, there were aspects about it that he absolutely loved. Being a woman, for instance, felt more right than he could’ve ever imagined. But he didn’t know much about the woman when he first got her body. He didn’t know about her troubles with immigration, nor did he know she was seeing her lawyer that day. He missed her court date and ended up getting deported.

That’s why he was here in a foreign country where he didn’t know the language. And if the magic taxi was here too? Well, it was finally a chance to go back home! But he never got the chance. The magic taxi drove faster than he could ever run. As it rounded a few corners, it was gone again.

Plans Gone Awry

Ever since he first got stuck as the driver of the magic taxi, Jeff had developing a plan. He had a heirarchy of the types of people he would be willing to swap bodies with and drove around the areas he suspected to pick up such people. Generally, he was hoping for someone rich, maybe someone famous, male, tall, and so on. He had more than a few passengers who fit perfectly, but he kept telling himself he could do better. And finally he found someone. The man was young asked to get out at Wall Street, but keep the meter running.

When the man got out, Jeff wished him a nice day, but the man reminded him about keeping the meter running. A few moments later, the man exited the building with a woman. The woman got in while the man stayed behind, giving Jeff instructions to “take my boss uptown.”

Jeff figured no harm, no foul. He’d just look again later. But the conditions had technically been met. When the fare finally stopped, Jeff found himself in the woman’s body. He dropped a $50 tip and walked away. He could feel the heavy weight on his chest and the lthick thighs rubbing against each other with panyhose covered legs. Women were much further down on his planned list, and even if he had picked one, he probably would’ve sought out the skinny model type! Not one like this! At least she was the boss at wherever it was she worked! It wasn’t all bad!

Quick Decision (Part 2)

View Part 1 of Quick Decision.

As it turned out, the woman Brandon swapped with wasn’t quite as rich as he guessed based on her outfit. She was wearing the nice outfit for a job interview, and took the cab so she wouldn’t be late. Of course, Brandon had no clue when he first swapped, and so he ended up missing the opportunity. Apparently, that job was this woman’s chance to get out of poverty. She had been giving a rare chance, and he was the one that blew it. He expected to be bummed out about all of this, but he was surprisingly happy. Sure, he wore clothes from a church donation bin, took the bus almost everywhere, and this woman was an adult still living with her mom. However, her family was also supportive and loving. He felt like he had a true home. He also enjoyed being a woman much more than he would’ve expected -- though he did develop a desire for clothes he could never afford!

Not Just Any Taxi

Simon looked at his app to see that every single rideshare service was upping their fees due to congestion, so he signed up for to share a ride with a person going to the same place. He was picked up first, and a woman got in soon after. They didn’t make any small talk as they were stuck in traffic; they both just seemed to grumble.

They both got out in front of the same building. The driver turned to Simon and said, “Have a nice day, Sir.” After feeling woozy for a moment, Simon replied as soon as he was able, “You have a nice day, too.” He suddenly found himself once again feeling woozy.

He didn’t realize he swapped with the driver; he never got a chance to read the journal. It was probably the shortest time stuck in the driver’s body in the history of the magic taxi. But as he now stood on the side of the road in the body of the woman he had just ridden with, he did guess that the swap had something to do with the taxi. He began trying to hail another, hoping to take another ride and trigger another swap. He didn’t want to be stuck as a woman, but he had no clue that not just any taxi would do the trick; it had to be the one specific magic taxi...

Quick Decision

Brandon hadn’t slept a wink since swapping bodies with that taxi driver yesterday. He was in shock when it happened, yet somehow managed to drive back to the cabbie’s filthy apartment, as if by instinct. He read the journal and immediately vowed to find a new body. It was a grueling task as he darted through traffic on the streets of one of the busiest cities in the world. Night was pretty dead, but the morning rush offered him hope. Sure enough, a woman headed to Times Square from Brooklyn had a ride that was just long enough to trigger a swap. He knew he didn’t have much time to decide. She wasn’t exactly pretty, but her clothes looked expensive...and (of course) he’d be a woman. As she got out, he took a deep breath and said, “Have a nice day.” A gust of wind hit his face as he now stood outside. He had stolen the woman’s body, leaving her trapped inside the cab driver’s body until she stole a life of her own.

366th

The day I got into that taxi was a bad one. I had just been fired from my relatively new job at the firm right after the recession hit. They told me they had to let the “new boy” go first. I felt humiliated and frustrated. I flagged the cab, got in, and noted the smell almost immediately. I was glad to get out of the cab, but the guy did something and we ended up swapping bodies.

I freaked out until I somehow managed to navigate to the driver’s home. That where I found a notebook explaining the magic taxi, the body swapping, and everything. It seemed like a golden opportunity. I could become the richest guy on Wall Street with practically no effort! According to the book, people spent a few days in this driver’s body.

I ended up spending over a year.

It was coincidence, but not one of my fares ended up spending quite long enough to trigger the swap. Being in that smelly body was getting to me. After a few weeks, I abandoned my plan and just picked up anyone in hopes of getting out of the cabbie’s body. I breathed a sigh of relief on the 366th day (I was counting) when the fare was high enough by being just a single cent over. She lived in a poor area of Chinatown and spoke broken English. I knew that life would now be mine, but it was still better than spending another minute in this cab. She got out and I initiated the swap. I probably looked just as scared when I first swapped into the driver’s body. I didn’t care. Now that I was in this woman’s body, I just ran. I wanted to get out of there. I never wanted to see that cab again.