More Than a Driver: The Unseen Heart
“The heat doesn’t bother me as much as the forgetting.” My name is Andrés. For 25 years, I’ve driven these streets. Today, my shift ends with a damp shirt and tired eyes, but that’s not what truly hurts.

It’s when people look through me, as if I don’t even exist. A simple “Thank you,” a “Good day,” or a smile… that means more than any air conditioning we lack. It’s the human connection that fuels us.

I sat on this bench today and thought: What if just one person truly saw me and said hello?

To every hero behind the wheel—bus drivers, subway operators, sanitation workers: We aren’t asking for honors. We just need that human gesture of recognition. It allows us to move on. It reminds us that we are valuable.

So, if you see one of us today, please, give a greeting. Your simple kindness warms our soul far more than the July sun. See the person, not the job.