McGaiver the Galactic Taxi Driver

Author: Hejra El-Sawy

Illustrator: Rashid Motwaked

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The original work of this book was made possible through the generous support of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners (the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by Asafeer Education Technologies FZ LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners. Any adaptation or translation of this work should not be considered an official ACR GCD translation and ACR GCD shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.

By the end of the day, McGaiver is tired. It’s been a tiring day travelling from galaxy to galaxy all day long. But, that’s his job. He’s a intergalatic taxi driver. He travels long distances and light years in his space car taking one alien or another from point A to point B. Now it’s finally time to go back home, McGaiver. Time to see your family that you’ve missed all day long. But....now what is that?

When he looked in the back seat, he found that one of his passengers had left a package. So he thought about all the passengers that had ridden with him that day. He thought, “I bet it’s that elderly man who kept complaining about my speed the entire way and telling me stories about when he was a boy.”

“I took him to the spiral galaxy. Ah well, at least it’s close by.” McGaiver turned his space craft and “vroom”! Off he went.

He knocked on the man’s door. A little boy answered and McGaiver politely said, “Excuse me, this morning a nice gentleman had a ride with me and I dropped him off here. I think he forgot this package.” The boy yelled, “Grandpa, Grandpa, it’s that driver you were talking about.” McGaiver was happy he could return the package but the last thing he ever expected to happen, happened!

The man came out with a stick and chased McGaiver while he shouted, “You again, the maniac taxi driver? Have you come to check on my poor back? I’ve been warning them about you since I got here. I’m going to file a complaint and you won’t be driving anyone any more.” McGaiver jumped into his space craft and resolved never to show up there again.

McGaiver said, “What a grouch, but at least now I know this isn’t his package. It has to belong to that kind man that had lots of bags from the grocery store. He rode with me from the grocery store in Jupiter and I left him at the irregular galaxy.”

That galaxy is millions of light years away. “Could I possiby catch him before the end of the day? Well, I might as well give it a try.” McGaiver turned on his space craft and “vroom”! Off he went.

When he finally reached the kind man’s house, someone opened the door and all he remembered after that was being carried off and practically turned into a toy by several children who surrounded him. The children yelled, “Hooray, an alien! Hip hip hooray!” “He’s mine!” “No, I found him first!” “Let’s share him.” Finally, McGaiver, said, “I’m looking for your father, please go find him.”

After their father profusely apologized, he told him that the package wasn’t his. McGaiver quickly jumped into his taxi to escape the children who were quite sad because they didn’t want their new playmate to leave. They said, “Come back, we want to play with you! Dad, I want to be like him when I grow up.”

McGaiver tried to remember his third passenger. Ah! It was the robot. I took him to Roboplanet in the Disc Galaxy. He was going to visit his friend that had migrated with him from Earth. Maybe it’s his package.

But the Disc Galaxy is so far way. It is millions and millions of light years away and it will take me forever to get there. But I may as well go, I’ve got to return this package. He turned on his space craft and “vroom!” Off he went.

But it wasn’t the robot’s package. McGaiver left Robot Planet and realized, “Maybe the package belonged to those children that rode with me from Saturn to Earth in the Milky Way galaxy. They were sliding on Saturn’s rings and collected lots of diamonds. Maybe they put tucked them into this package.”

I took them to their house on Earth. In that case, I’ll have to use the space elevator. He turned on his space craft and “Vroom!” Off he went.

He took the space elevator that humans had invented to reach space and replace expensive space crafts and rockets. He landed in front of the children’s house but…

...the package was not theirs. Their mother said, “Did you skip school and go to Saturn’s carnival? You boys will spoil the planet equilibrium! You’re grounded. No more trips to space the rest of the month.”

Finally, McGaiver headed home. He said to himself, “I’ve had enough for the day. I’ll start searching again tomorrow, I’m beat,” and he yawned loudly.

Your present?!

Yay!! Did you like our present? Did you?

Welcome back! What a surprise. How are you, dear?

I knitted it myself!

Actually, I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as this. I love you all so much.

It’ll keep you warm during your trips. Do you like it ?

I unwound the ball of yarn.

I hid it in your back seat!

The End