From the Cabby's Seat by O. Henry — A Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime
Drift off with this gentle bedtime story for sleep and insomnia relief, read aloud as part of Calming Anxiety's Books at Bedtime strand. Tonight's tale is From the Cabby's Seat, O. Henry's warm, funny New York story about a hansom-cab driver and one very unusual fare. It was first published in his 1906 collection The Four Million and is long in the public domain: William Sydney Porter (1862–1910) died more than a century ago.
For more calming audiobooks and sleep stories whenever you need them, download Anchored, the free companion app to Calming Anxiety, with offline-ready relaxation and Books at Bedtime sessions for any hour of the night.
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In this soothing bedtime audiobook, a wedding party spills out onto a New York sidewalk, and Jerry O'Donovan, the cabby they call Nighthawk, climbs up to his high seat a little the worse for Mr McGarry's hospitality. A young woman steps into his cab and asks to go "anywhere you please". So off they go: up Fifth Avenue, through the cool night air of the park, and on to an evening of music and lights at the Casino. Then comes the question of the four-dollar fare, and O. Henry's signature twist, as warm as it is surprising.
This is a gentle, old-fashioned story about small joys and the simple pleasure of a night out, perfect for winding down, easing anxiety and drifting off to sleep.
Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett, as part of Calming Anxiety's Coffee Break for the Soul and Books at Bedtime story readings.
⏱️ Time Chapters
* 00:00 – Welcome to Books at Bedtime: From the Cabby's Seat by O. Henry
* 00:09 – The world from the cabby's high seat
* 02:16 – A wedding celebration at the Walsh house
* 03:23 – Jerry O'Donovan, the Nighthawk, and his well-fed horse
* 04:56 – A young woman steps into the cab
* 06:19 – "Anywhere you please": up Fifth Avenue and into the park
* 08:21 – An evening of music and lights at the Casino
* 10:14 – The music ends and the cabs are called
* 11:25 – "Have you got the dough?"
* 12:02 – A furious gallop through the night streets
* 13:03 – The police station, and Jerry's surprise
* 13:51 – "I had such a nice time, Jerry"
🌿 Tonight's Gentle Affirmations
Let these settle softly as you drift towards sleep:
* I can let the day carry me home.
* I don't need to know where the road goes to enjoy the ride.
* Small, simple joys are more than enough.
* I am exactly where I need to be tonight.
* I am safe, I am held, and I can rest now.
And in everything, my friend, be kind.
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