This was terrible. He had just left the restaurant and was waiting for a taxi to pick him up, and there were taxis everywhere, but none of them seemed to be stopping. Perhaps the drivers sensed that he didn't have any money and was planning on jumping from the moving taxi as soon as it got to his street and he could make a break for it.
He had thought that this would get the thrilling portion of his day out of the way so that he could settle in and read the paper.
The more he thought, though, the more it seemed a little too thrilling. Maybe he should take a walk instead. There was a kindly old woman woman crossing the street towards him. She seemed to enjoy walking.