THE CALENDAR SAID "FRIDAY"

I THINK IT IS RUNNING SLOW


SOMETHING IS OUT OF SYNC.

The weekends are supposed to be our "busy time" but lately, they are the slowest nights. Easily bested by middle-of-the-week shifts.

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LAST NIGHT

I started my night with a run from The Grand to central Kihei. When I pulled up in front, I saw two very large hotel security officers escorting an obviously drunk woman to my cab. She couldn't stand by herself and they each had her by an arm, lifted high enough that her feet just barely touched the ground and at a cursory glance you might think that she was actually walking on her own. She was pissed! Following behind was another security officer with a second, less drunk, female who could walk unassisted. She, too, was pissed!

It seems that they had been drinking in the hotel for a rather long afternoon and when they went to valet to get their car, one of the "Top-Of-The-House" staff realized that they were both way too drunk to drive and called security. The hotel paid for them to take a cab home and they were not "happy campers".

The typical foul mouths and alcohol induced bravado.

Half way to their home, I had to stop at a traffic light. Drunk #1 thinks she is home. The interior illuminates and warning alarms and lights trigger on my dashboard. She had opened the door and was getting out, right in the middle of south Kihei road. Her companion and I coaxed her back into the cab and I pressed the door lock switch.

1/2 half mile further and drunk #2 decides she needs to pee and wanted some cigarettes. I pull into the UnoCal-76 station, only to discover that they have already closed their restrooms for the night. Start to pull away and drunk #2 remembers she forgot to get the smokes. I back up and we just sit there. Finally, drunk #2 figures out that neither of them had any cash. Finally dropped them, at home, 1/2 mile further up the road.

The next fare handed me the ladies' housekeys he found when he got in. I didn't want to deal with them anymore and had valet just attach them to their car keys. They'll get them back today, if they show up sober.

Those "hotel pay" runs come with an automatic 15% gratuity. Pretty decent start to the night, moneywise.

Overall, it was a very slow Friday night. 8 runs between 7:00pm and 2:00am. 5 runs between 2:00am and 4:00am. Those last 2 hours generated 75% of the dollars that the prior 7 hours had metered. Started with 9 cabs and still had 4 on at "bar close".

My final run was from the Four Seasons to a vacation condo in lower Kihei.

I had been expecting to pick up 3 guys and a girl. Instead, it was a forty-ish woman. She was escorted to the cab by a 40/50-ish male. She was crying and he handled her like he was taking a diaper to the pail. At the door, she turned to give him a kiss, he turned a withdrawn cheek towards her. She hugged him and his arms never left his sides. Very, very cold.

The woman softly spoke, to herself, the entire trip.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I did evrything they wanted.
Why couldn't I stay?
I was fucking stupid.
Fuck, fuck fuck."

I kept my mouth shut. I didn't even want to know.

At 4:10am, Primm, the Guamanian driver, logged on. Followed by Flor at 4:12am and Murph at 4:15am. First driver in got the phone and I was home by 4:45am. Yippee!!



Later.....

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