"Can you help us get a cab?" the four-top asks me. Sure, they're usually zipping by every few minutes. I walked out to the busy street, and looked for a cab large enough for four people. Nothing. That's weird. I walk inside, and call the cab company. They say no problem, they'll send one right over. I tell them to just hang out, and one will be along directly. I go back to attending to my tables.

About ten minutes after that exchange, one of the men in the group comes back inside. "Any news on that cab?" I'm surprised that it hasn't arrived yet, and I have naught to do, so I head back to the busy street, and see if there's one near now. Nothing. Not a cab by valet. Not a cab anywhere. Normally, they're everywhere. The hell?

I go back into the wine bar, and call the cab company again. "Um, yeah, I called you about ten or so minutes ago for a cab, and I was just wondering how long it was going to be." The dispatcher assures me that one is on its way. I go back to the cab stand, on the busy street, where the two couples are waiting. "They assured me one is coming." I opt to wait with them.

So, we're standing near the street, the five us. I am closest to curb, the two men are directly behind me and the two women stand further behind them. I am looking east, down the street, into oncoming traffic, searching for a cab, any cab. A stoplight changes. Cars begin to head east, or towards us. All the cars move out of the lane closest to us. All the cars, except one. A Porsche Cayenne.

It's at this moment that I notice the large puddle of street water on the street. Apparently, so did the Cayenne. It swerves towards the puddle, and in one awesome, sitcom-style moment, a large wave of water splashes me. I managed to turn partially, so it actually splashed my entire right side.

As I stand there, water dripping off me, one of the men asks me, "Did you see that?" Um, yeah, I caught it all in live action, guy. His wife, directly behind him says "Hal, did it get you?" He tells her that I took the splash.

Trying desperately not to be icked out by the fact that I am now sopping wet with foul street water, and it has not rained in weeks in Dallas, I walk away from the busy street, into the shopping center, towards the valet. About that time, a regular sedan cab pulls in. I hailed that cab for the people, who tell me that I'm an awesome server.

It wasn't even my table.