Paradise Driver: NOT AS GOOD AS LAST YEAR

Sunday, May 06, 2007

NOT AS GOOD AS LAST YEAR

BUT DEFINITELY A "KEEPER"

Last year I metered in the mid-$300 range. This year was about 1/3rd less. We were steady through most of the night with the majority of the "lull" time between 11p and 1a. Last year Mulligans on the Blue was so jam packed with people that we couldn't even get into their parking lot, had to do the pickups on the street. This year there were plenty of empty parking spaces. They threw a party and nobody came.

The Sports Page was turning away customers earlier. They were televising the Mayweather/De La Hoya Super Welterweight Championship Fight for free.

The night could be divided into four distinct segments. The first two hours (5 runs) were devoted to dinner runs, to and from. The next four hours (5 trips) were incoming bar fares. The 4 hours of the third section (9 trips) were bar close and end of party runs. The last hour of the night, the phone had finally stopped ringing.

The day shift drivers who stayed over were history by midnight and Tina (#05) went adios at 12:30a. The four of us left sat for a short while and then all hell broke loose. The other three guys normally wrap it up at 2a but we were so busy that they didn't go pau hana until 3a. I still did three more runs during that one solo hour before Wally (#05) bid me buenos días at 4a.

Spoke with "Murph", ONE-NINE's day driver, and they were so busy yesterday that he had 6 (count em - 6) runs to OGG, plus some pupus. I knew he had been busy, the odometer showed he had driven almost 200 miles during his shift.

Over all, last night's guests were pretty well behaved. I only had to let one guy out during a run. It was near 1:30a and I responded to a dispatch to Tip Ups, a bar in Azeka Place - Mauka. Two guys and a gal get in, headed to a residence in far north Kihei. They had all been drinking and the girl and one guy were very jovial. The second dude was belligerent. It was only going to be less than 10 minutes before they would begin to fade from my memory, but "Loud-mouth" stepped over the line less than 10 seconds into the trip

"You're an ugly motherfucking cab driver."
"Can't disagree with that."
"I am going to kick your ass."
"Folks. I think this will be a more enjoyable ride for all of us if the gentleman in the right rear seat would remain quiet."

"Did you hear that? He told me to shut up!"

His companions tried reasoning with him but he became more agitated. He was riled. He started ranting and raving. Nothing his friends said, and they were being very forceful and direct in their comments, would get him to stuff a sock in it. About 1/3rd of the way there, he demanded to get out of the cab. To everyones surprise, I immediately pulled to the shoulder of Pi'ilani Highway. He opened his door, got out and then reached to, obviously, slam the door as hard as he could. I knew that was coming. As he turned to grab the door, I pulled away and let inertia do it's job. He lost his balance when, damn, that door frame just wasn't where he expected it to be.

He was going to have a very long 3 mile walk home. Maybe he sobered up, some.

"Sorry folks. But he got what he deserved."
"You're kewl, dude. I was afraid that I was going to have to hit him." The guy responded.
"He's my boyfriend. He has a drinking problem. Doesn't know when to stop." The girl stated.

Headed back to the "Triangle" and I passed him. He had made almost 1/4 of a mile.

This Cinco de Mayo was probably the easiest and most pleasant "Booze Holiday" I have ever worked.

***

This is one of our new drivers.

Rebecca has been with us for about 2 months. She normally works days but came back last night to help with the anticipated increase in traffic volume.

***

I am so looking forward to having 2 days off again. After I publish this, I am getting something to eat, stretching out on the couch and watching maybe 5 minutes of TV before going to play with "Winkin", Blinkin" and "Nod".

See y'all tomorrow. Thanks for coming by.

Mahalo

Aloha

***

"Come on surfing safari with me"