POTPOURRI

11:00pm

This is when package sales of alcohol end on Mau'i, until 6:00am the following day. I was sitting at the FoodLand bus-stop (bus quits running at 9:00pm) watching all the cars and trucks flying into the parking lot as the "magic moment" approached. The closer it got to that final instant, the crazier their driving became. 4-WD's coming over the stall stops and divider islands (Lanes! What lanes?) to get as close to the door as possible. FoodLand's computerized checkout terminals stop accepting any alcohol "bar codes" at 10:55pm and the clerks have no way to override.

Stop by any night to watch Mau'i version of "Beat The Clock". All the excitement of a "destruction derby".

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A $37.00 PACK OF SMOKES

A newlywed, and mildly intoxicated, bride (married on Friday) desperately wanted some cigarettes. I picked her up, hubby stayed in the room, at the Kea Lani and drove her to the UNOCAL 76 gas station in central Kihei. The closest place open, it was around midnite, to provide the relief she needed. $30.80 roundtrip plus cost of smokes. No tip.

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$100 BILLS

Made a $5.60 pu-pu run, early in the shift, from the "Triangle" to a nearby apartment complex. Passenger presents a "C"-note. I had maybe $50.00 on me. He was very dismayed when I expressed my opinion on the legitimacy of his birth and my suggestions for physically impossible acts that he should perform upon himself. He started digging through his wallet and pant pockets and managed to scrape together 5 bucks in coins and paper. What did he think I was, The Bank Of Hawaii?

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WEATHER & FIGHTS

Today (Sunday) we are suppose to transition from "trade wind" to "Kona wind" weather. Rain should increase over the leeward sides of the islands and it will be calm, hot and muggy. Tracking these weather patterns and the effect they have on people's personalities is interesting. Violence always increases when the winds "turn Kona".

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TRAIN WRECK IN SLOW MOTION

Due to his bad luck, one of our day drivers, who likes to work late into the night shift, got stuck with the phone for about two hours blast night. While he has been with us since the first of the year, he has no concept of the "rules" we follow. I'll give him high marks for his valiant efforts, though. As I've mentioned before, dispatching is a real bitch and we were very active last night. I finally connected with him a little after 9:00pm and put him out of his misery. He logged off 30 seconds after he handed me the phone. For some strange reason I am very good at dispatching. This is not my opinion but the feelings of all the senior drivers and even the owner has told me that I am better at it than he is ( and he is GOOD!). Personally, I think TMR Alex is my peer.

I felt sorry for the day driver. Listening to him struggle was as bad as watching a train wreck in slow motion.

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LAST NIGHT

While I only handled 10 runs, I made good money. Tips were a bit shy but I did do multiple long runs, including a run from Hapa's to the Kahana Ridge subdivision, on the westside, halfway between Ka'anapali and Kapalua. $93.50 and got a 50-cent tip. Gee, thanks.

All five shifts this week ended within a $15.00 span. Not bad, very consistent.



Later.....

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