Q. Are you really a cabdriver?

A. No, I'm not. I'm really a neuro-biologist. Making up these stories is my way of fulfilling my cabbie fantasies. Kidding. Yes, in truth, I am indeed a cabdriver, and have been for most of my adult life.

Q. Do you make up the stories, or does this stuff really happen?

A. Yup, it really happens. My imagination is not that good! I do change names, addresses and the like to disguise the identities of the customers. I don't want to invade anyone's privacy as that's not part of the deal when you take a taxi. And, obviously, I have to reconstruct the dialogue because, unlike HBO's "Taxicab Confessions," I don't record anything. But, essentially, what you read is just about what occurred.

So to answer this question more directly: the Hackie stories are 92% true.

Q. Do fares you write about ever recognize themselves in the stories. And, if so, what reactions have you gotten?

A. About a dozen times or so, people have recognized themselves in a Hackie story. (Or, at least, that I know about.) Uniformly, the reactions have been - with one notable exception - purely positive. This has been a great relief to me because from the inception of the column, my overriding goal has been to write with respect and compassion towards all these people in the front and back seat of the taxi.

The one exception is a young man who was absolutely enraged about my portrait of him, and wrote a scathing letter to the paper to voice his anger. I was utterly mortified, and since then I'm much more careful to disguise people's identities.

Q. How do you kiss a hockey player?

A. Pucker up. (Courtesy of my friend, Ms. Elizabeth Sander.)