Based off of class discussion of Taxi Driver the only thing that everyone seems to be on the same page is that everyone in the film is "scum". No good, dirty, New York scum. I didn't really think to much of it until the end of the film and recapped on all the characters and their traits. I remember specifically one scene where all the taxi drivers are together drinking coffee on their break at the Belmore Cafeteria. Wizard begins describing a couple customers he had a successful midget and beautiful blonde women, based on the commentary they are biased and jealous. One of the other cabbie's talks about a couple "fags" he picked up. I wasn't around in 1970's that may have been normal to address homosexual men as but regardless the way the cabbie describes them and how they should go to California shows the kind of person he is. At 44:56 the Wizard at least has the opinion of this is a free country do what you want in the privacy of your own home which you can't argue with.
I found it interesting when Travis arrives to cabbie break spot. He appears hesitant when he walks in and orders his coffee and slice of cake. He walks over to sit down and the African American cabbie asks Travis for five dollars he owes him. Travis pulls out a stack of cash, all singles except for a 20. When he sees the 20 he quickly crumbles in his right hand puts it in his pocket. It seems like he didn't want them to notice but I can't imagine he didn't. He easily had 50-100 dollars in one dollar bills and pays his cabbie back. It's evident that these people are the closest to Travis's friends in his life. It is typical in most cases that the majority of your friends would come from your work place. The cabbie after Travis pays him signals a hand gun gesture toward Travis after Travis asks if he could talk to Wizard, that's something a friend does.
I am a strong believer of show me 10 of your friends and I will show you who you are. On top of all the issues Travis has of his post traumatic stress disorder this is who he associates with. In his free time not drinking a cab, going to porno theaters and doing everything to avoid sleep. On top of his lifestyle of heavy drinking, excess pill taking, he hangs around cretins who hate everything. They hold nothing but negative conversation to share amongst each other until there half hour break is adjourned they have to go back to cabbing people they will just talk about in a negative fashion at there next coffee and cake break.
