THE NIGHT WAS LIKE THE SUNSET

DULL


Barely a cloud in the sky





Even Haleakala was unshrouded.




Sat around for 50 minutes before the first fare. But it was a brass ring. Wailea to OGG. A nice guy from Santa Barbara, CA, USA. A photographer, he gave me his card, which was very unique.
I added some white around the bottom and left so it would be easier ti define. His web site is here. He's good! Oh, the sound-track on his site is very nice. Let it play for awhile.

Ambrosia finally has opened. Only took about 8 months. On Tuesday night they had a "By Invitation Only" first day of business. Last night they opened the door to the general public. There is an established dress code, which will, hopefully, deter the riff-raff.

I was the 7th working cab, and 4th up, when I went "10-1" (start shift). 5 night and 2 day. One day pulled the pin before 8p and the other tortured herself until 9:30p. There was absolutely no business.

My second fare (9:45p) was transporting an out-call hooker to her client. She, and this run, is a "regular".

3rd time up (10:15p) got me three Irish lasses on their summer holiday (vacation to us yanks). Going from my favorite restaurant (which, alas, is not safe for Judy) to a Wailea resort. My two attempts at engaging them in conversation elicited perfunctory responses. The rest of the short (thankfully) journey they spent berating the low quality of "service" people in America. How forward and pushy they are. Hell, they did give me $15 on a $10.10. Their opinion ain't gonna cause Mrs. Kyle's beautiful baby boy to lose any sleep.

4th run (10:45p) was a trip with a "regular" drunk to his home in far north Kihei.

Then the 11p "witching hour" hit and the phone stopped ringing. 5th up and no calls, I went home about 11:30p and didn't miss a fare. When I came back one of the cabs had gone "adios".

Pulled 2 bar close trips and 4 dog-watch.

One of those overnighters was another "regular" hooker. Yup, she was headed to the same address we had taken the other one to and later had returned home. I guess "John" was feeling a might frisky last night.

The last fare (2:40a) was a total surprise. One of the Haleakala bike tour companies had screwed up their dispatching and needed me to cover their ass by taking 3 people from central Kihei to the company's baseyard, in Pa'ia. I got out of town twice in one shift! It been a long time since that has happened. Used to be common place.

With one exception, none of the other night crew broke $100 on the meter. Thats sad.

10 fares / 125 miles / top quarter $100 bracket

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It looks like COSME is going to be a "non-event". Might see a slight increase in the "trades" and the windward side of the islands could see a bump up in the tradewind showers. What is left of it will pass at least 350 miles (560 km) south of Mau'i.

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Everyone have a great day and I hope to see you tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Haleakala

Luau

Banyan Tree
Lahaina

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94827



"Let's all be careful out there!"