"ST. 'PADDY'S' DAY" AND BEYOND

BLOGSPOT

Still seems to having a problem. Doesn't seem to want to accept my pic uploads.
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"RAIN

Rained steadily during the day on Saturday. Stopped about the time I left for work, 6:30pm. Started again about 3:45am today. Some ""thunderbumpers" and a mediocre light show.
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ST. PATRICK'S DAY

"Started my shift at 7:00pm and immediately assumed dispatch duties, as well as driving. Also assumed control of 8 other cabbies' fortune, and my own, for the night. It was worse than "New Year's Eve."

I use a "hand free" headset, which I have found to be not only safer but also easier and more comfortable.

It was a "madhouse"! Handled somewhere between 600 and 700 calls for my 12 hours. I was backlogged over an hour most of the time. Except for calls from the 6 major hotels in Wailea/Makena, the "rule" for the night was "If the people aren't there when you arrive, go on to the next call!" It was the only way to do it. I advised all callers requesting a cab of that night's policy. When they called back to complain, after missing their cab, I reminded them of what I had said and then placed them at the bottom of the list.

Three of the drivers called it a night, after putting in 14 hours, about 9:00pm. The other two day-shift drivers hung in there until the bar close rush was over at 2:00am. I thanked them for being "good troopers", since we couldn't have handled all the calls without their presence. They were impressed by my rapid pace dispatch method. Things very seldom move that fast on dayshift. In fact the owner came on the radio about 10:00pm and jokingly asked "Wil, are you answering the phone? It hasn't stopped ring for 3 hours." The landline goes to his home and is "call transferred" to the cell phone.

As the night wore on the majority of the calls focused on two locations, Mulligans and the "Triangle". That actually made it easier for me. Now I only had to manage cabs between these "hot spots", balancing the load.

Shortly after 2:00am four of the drivers called it a night. The other driver and myself stayed busy the rest of the night. He got off about 7:00am and I left at 8:00am. I was asleep 10 minutes after I walked through my front door.

My brain felt like mush. My eyes were tired from staring into headlights all night and then being assaulted by direct sunlight (something I rarely see) at the end. My shoulder and neck muscles were knotted rope.

Most of the drivers "metered" over $300. One exceeded $500!! Everybody went home happy. :)

BTW - I am probably the only resident of Hawai'i who doesn't have a suntan. Have only rarely been out of the house during the daylight these past 5 years.

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SATURDAY

And Saturday was the antithesis of its predecessor.

"Nuff" said.
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E-MAIL

My e-mail addy is on my business card. One of my guests sent me the following:

justa hello


Hi Wil,

I was one of the New York gals who had the good luck to have you as our driver. Arrived home yesterday (17th) midday, just in time to celebrate St. Patricks night with friends.
I read your blog and found it fun and informative..Glad to see that my sister and I were among the "better" tippers..leave it to NY..we do know how to treat people in the service industries.
I'm going to check in every so often since I found the blog site so much fun.
Take care and keep your sense of humor and the sarcasm as well....
keep enjoying Paradise while we freeze......


Madelyn

Mahalo, Madelyn
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LAST, BUT DEFINATELY NOT LEAST

One of my most favorite persons in the world, "Wiskers", and her family, really great people who I truly care about, arrived for their annual visit. I am going to their condo tonight for a "home cooked meal." As with most bachelors, this is a very special treat.

I'll share more about "Wiskers" and me later.
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Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"