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St. Cloud State University
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One time, one night
Students keep popular cab driver busy
By Eric Stromgren
Published:
Monday, April 26, 2004
Santa Claus and his red sleigh come out only one night of the year, but in St. Cloud, Santa's brother is out in his blue-trimmed white taxi four nights a week driving people around downtown.
Under his red-rimmed glasses, the curly white beard resting on his aqua sweatshirt has caused many of Patrick Burke's college customers to mistake him for St. Nick.
"I admitted the truth. A lot of the students were calling me Santa Claus, and I didn't want to claim my brother's identity, so I admitted I'm his older brother," Burke said with a chuckle.
At 11 p.m., Burke was on his way to pick up a Southside resident at a downtown bar. He picks up Sara Finken, a karaoke enthusiast, who is on her way to the Ace Bar to sing.
"I use a cab four to five times a day, and Pat's my buddy," Finken said.
Following Finken's departure, a call rings in on Burke's cell phone. It is another call from the Southside neighborhood looking for a cab ride downtown.
Burke has been driving a cab in St. Cloud since late 1999. At that time, he drove a cab temporarily until he assumed part ownership at Tom's Bar near the Stearns County Courthouse.
He had three weeks to wait until the gas explosion in December 1999 blew out the rear half of the bar and changed his plans. Tom's never re-opened and Burke continued driving a cab.
Burke made the decision to go independent last fall. He got his own taxi in September and started operating in October.
"I wanted to control my own situation," Burke said.
At 11:10, Burke arrives in front of an apartment where three women emerged dressed in spring colors for a night downtown and entered the cab.
"He's our favorite cab driver. He has a special ring tone for us and he knows our names," SCSU senior Kara Olsen said. "We like him so much we call him for a ride even though we live just a few blocks away from the bars."
Burke enjoys working the late night crowd, especially the college students.
"They are pleasant, the people who are going out drinking and taking a cab are riding the cab by choice as part of their night out rather than necessity. It's an entirely different feeling and attitude," he said.
At 11:20, Burke heads back to the Southside neighborhood to pick up four students headed downtown. After the cab parked near the apartment building, Burke got out of the cab and greeted them at their front door.
"He's the best taxi driver in St. Cloud, period," said Bridget McBride.
"He's on our cell phones as Santa's Brother and he's the only one we ever call," said Laura Hansen.
After dropping the women off near taxi row by the Red Carpet, Burke awaited the next call.
When he is not behind the wheel driving the cab late nights, Burke likes to read and play chess. He was the founding president of the Granite City Chess Club and has been a participant since 1977.
Despite the night's previous fares, he noted how calm this Thursday was compared to other Thursday nights.
"It's unusual for me not to be busy this time of hour. Usually I call Yellow Cab to back me up," Burke said.
As he finished the statement, the phone rang at 11:30 p.m. with a call requesting a ride downtown from three SCSU students on the Southside.
Unlike the last three stops, Burke did not immediately receive another pick-up call. At 11:40, it was time for a coffee refill at the Landmark Bar. After 15 quiet minutes amid a few patrons debating John Kerry's foreign policy over a pitcher of beer, Burke's cell phone rings.
At 11:55 p.m., a group of six students from the Southside request a ride downtown.
"If you give me a choice between somebody else and my regular customers, I'll take my customers," he said.
Burke left the Landmark to pick up the group as a small crowd of college students entered and pulled up chairs to the bar.
Taxi!
Patrick Burke works Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until 4 a.m. and can be reached at (320) 493-3787 during business hours.
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