Paradise Driver: 07/30/06

Sunday, July 30, 2006

"COOKIN'"

LAST NIGHT SMOKED!!

I logged on at 7:00pm and was the only car in Wailea. Dispatched to my first run immediately and picked this couple up at 7:02pm. Destination: Sarentos.

Sorry about the transient light artifact.

Bryant & Annie
Mesa, Arizona

Cleared that run at 7:10pm and returned to Wailea

My next pickup was from the Four Seasons. A "2+2" (2 adults, 2 kids) going to the airport (OGG). Picked this wonderful family up, at 7:29pm, took them to the Grand Wailea to load their luggage. While waiting for the bellhops to remove their bags from storage, I heard the little girls comment that they wished they could have "some of those flowery things", like the ones they got when they arrived. I excused myself and went over to the "lei greeter" at the front of The Grand and asked for two leis, explaning what the little girls had said. The greeter laughed and told me I was a "softie" and gave me two beautiful leis and I placed one around each of the sweethearts necks.

Michelle, Nicole (mom), Brittany & Abe (dad)
Beverly Hills, California

Cleared at the airport at 8:10pm and returned to Kihei.

I forgot to mention that while it was my night to dispatch, the phone had already been transferred and "Doctor" Kevin had it and it would be awhile before our paths finally crossed and I was relishing the freedom of a busy night without having to answer the phone.

When I returned to Kihei I was assigned the #1 position in town (as opposed to Wailea). Drove through the Pi'ilani Village Shopping Center and stumbled across an impromptu "classic car show" (see pics below).

The first Saturday of each month a "classic car" road trip across the island is conducted and then the vehicles are displayed, during the evening, in the parking lot at the Azeka, Mauka Shopping Center, just down the hill from Pi'ilani Village. This Saturday night there was a car show at Azeka, Mauka, displaying the lastest in "rice-rockets", decked out with all the custom bells & whistles that you can imagine, and MORE. Both displays were impressive.

Dispatched to the Outback Steakhouse and picked up, at 9:00pm, a couple going to a local residence.

Cleared that at 9:06pm and was sent to Bada Bings, the "New Jersey style" Italian restaurant in the "Triangle", and took, 9:15pm, an employee home to a condo at the southend of town, clearing at 9:22pm.

Next on my plate was a 9:29pm run from Sansei to The Grand. Cleared that at 9:39pm and had a moment to catchup with myself.

At 9:57pm I transported this wonderful couple, UK expats, to their Mana Kai condo, clearing at 10:05pm.

John & Jenny
Auckland, New Zealand

After that I was assigned a queue # in Kihei but it turned out that, when I became #1, my next assignment would be back in Wailea. A pu-pu run from the Renaissance to Mulligans On The Blue. That occupied the time from 10:20pm to 10:25pm.

Came back to town and took over dispatch, so "Doctor" Kevin could go home. We were now down to just 4 cabs. We had started the night with 7.

From there it was:

11:19pm - 11:27pm, "Triangle" to a residence on the south end of town.
11:34pm - 11:45pm, Sansei to the Wailea Marriott.
11:48pm - 11:52pm, Four Seasons to the Renaissance.
12:14am - 12:17am, Maui Coast to the "Triangle".
12:30am - 12:40am, FoodLand to a tourist condo at the far northend of town.
12:56am - 12:59am, a pu-pu run from the "Triangle" to a nearby residence.

About then was when "PH" Harden (cab #25) decided to call it a night. He really has a low tolerence for dealing with drunks. Down to three cabs.

1:09am - 1:18am, Took a very intoxicated man from Henry's to a residential condo about 1/4 mile south of the "Triangle".

This was a typical "drunkard's walk". He didn't know what street he lived on or the name of the condo. He also kept passing out on the backseat. Each time I woke him up I was able to glean a few more details from him and finally got him home. He paid the fare and then started handing me more money, $1 bill at a time. When he ran out of singles, he found a stray $5 bill in anothet pocket. He kept apologizing about not having any more cash. He was sad that he couldn't give me a "really BIG tip". I was sad too. I wanted to know what his idea of a "really BIG tip" was.

Now, "Auntie" Susan (cab #18) decided to go home. She also has a problem dealing with drunks. That left just TMR Alex and myself to handle the rest of "bar close", which was just starting.

The calls started coming in rapidly and I was doing "triage". Only accepting runs from the Kihei bars, so we could move as many people as possible. It got to the point where I was telling callers to just stand outside the bar they were at and that we would eventually get to them. I declined even giving a time estimate. There was no way I could "guesstimate".

1:24am - 1:32am, Sansei to the Renaissance.

This guy is becoming a "regular". The fare is always in the $13 range and he always gives me $40 and asks if I like him. No, but I do like the color of your money. He hasn't made a pass yet but I know it is coming. You always do.

1:45am - 2:02am, FoodLand to a condo up in Ma'alaea.

These folks wanted to go through the Jack-In-The-Box "drive-thru". I told them that we didn't do that and they were pissed. "Haole" this and "haole" that. Gave me $1 on a $29 trip. Feces occurs.

By the time I got back to Kihei, TMR Alex had finally cleared all the pending fares. We were trying to hook up when a couple of more calls came in. I gave him the one that would clear near where he parks cab #27. I took the other one.

2:30am - 2:39am, Maui Coast to The Grand.
3:18am - 3:25am, Star Market to north Kihei.

This was my final run of the shift and was filled with pathos. It was a police request to take a woman, early to mid 30's, to her residence in the far northend of Kihei. She had been on a date and it had gotten out of control at the end. Her date tried to physically assault her and had held her captive, wouldn't let her out of the car. Her clothing was torn, her shoes were missing and she was extremely distraught. She was in no condition to drive herself home. As soon as we were moving she started to sob. I told her to cry all she wanted, it would be good for her. I also told her that she was probably blaming herself for what happened and that she shouldn't. It wasn't her fault.

When we arrived at her place, we sat and talked for a few minutes and then I escorted her to her front door. Never getting too close, so she wouldn't feel threatened, and waited, just off the porch, until she was safely inside.

That was the end of the calls for the night.

"The Jerk" came in early, 4:15am, and called on the phone to complain that I wasn't "on the air" when he checked in. My response was, "Hey, asshole. When there are no calls, I wait at my house. You got a fucking problem with that?" He decided that it was no problem at all. He also got the phone, since he was the first car in.

Mexican Mary checked in at 4:20am. Starting today, she is now a dayshift driver and will co-drive ONE-NINE a couple of days a week but is still primarily driving cab #21.

Flor checked in at 4:45am and Murph logged on just before 5:00am. I was home at 5:20am, since I had to stop and refuel my personal car.

Saw one interesting incident at FoodLand after "bar close". A "local" husband and wife had a disagreement with some other "local" males. Even though their antagonists had left the area, hubby (about 400#s [181 kg]) still wanted to follow them and have a fight. To prevent him from doing that, wifey (easily 275#s [125 kg]) body slammed him to the asphalt and sat on him until the cops arrived (yeah, all 8 of them and also two unmarked "incident response" cars). Would hubby get smart? No way! She got off him and he started swinging at the cops. Now most of these guys are also "local", they are in great physical condition and there were 12 of them. Guess who won? Yup, hubby went to jail for the night and wifey drove home.

HERE ARE THE CAR PICS

The ambient lighting was dim and the camera's flash did it best but they are a bit hard to see. I still wanted to share them though.

Enjoy!