"ARE YOU 'PARADISE DRIVER"?"

NOWHERE TO RUN TO
NOWHERE TO HIDE

Alex & Joe
About 3:30am, I received a request for a cab just a couple of blocks from my house. I recognized the address as being where my friend Jaison lives. Made the pick up and the destination was just a short distance away, in a new subdivision next to the Maui Hill condos.

Doing the usual "chit-chat" when Joe asks,

"Whats your name?"

"Wil."

"Are you 'Paradise Driver'?"

This was a first!

"Yes, that me."

"What cab company is this?"

"Royal."

"Oh. Wow. My mom isn't going to believe this. She reads your blog every day. She really enjoys it."

"Gee, thanks. Whats your mom's name?"

"Lori."

I gave him one of my cards, with a brief note on the back, for his mom. Took the pic above to prove to Lori that Joe and Alex actually were my passengers.

Oh, and per Joe's special request,

"HI LORI"

*** *** ***

A normal Friday night. Started and finished the shift with runs to OGG. That makes a neat set of bookends for the night. Money was above average and the best feature was that, due to some phone shuffling prior to my log-in, I didn't end up having to take the phone until after 10:30pm. By that time, everything had settled down to the normal bar run routine.

Hardin was the one stuck with the phone and when he passed it over he commented on how much heavier the call volume was on a Friday night compared to his Sunday shift.

Uh - duh! LOL!

*** *** ***

At 12:01am on Thursday morning, the new anti-smoking laws went into affect throughout the State of Hawai'i. That day was also the annual "Great American Smoke-out" campaign.

These new laws are pretty restrictive and as I passed by the "Triangle" on various occassions, The sidewalks outside of the bars were packed with people, just puffing away. In fact there were more people outside than inside. I wonder how bartenders will determine whether a person has just stepped out for a smoke or have actually left the bar for the night. I can foresee many instances of drinks being cleared that were still in the process of being consumed.

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HERITAGE GARDENS

The Chinese and Japanese Influence

(to be continued)

A Wyland masterpiece

"Let's all be careful out there!"