Paradise Driver: THE RIDE

Thursday, October 18, 2007

THE RIDE

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN

It would have made for a really good night but, sadly, it didn't pan out.

Get a call about 2:30a this morning, from a Lahaina prefix. Guy wants me to pick up his buddy at the "Triangle" and take him to Kahului. I advise him about the $50 deposit and he says that there was no problem. I get there in less than 15 minutes and found the reasonably intoxicated dude. He doesn't quite have the deposit. So we pull over to FoodLand, where there is an ATM ("Magic Money Machine" as my son used to call them).

"Sir. Just take one step inside and turn to your left. You'll see the ATM. If you take a second step, you'll pass it."

"Okay."

Of course, he walked all the way to the check stands AND turned right. Took him about 3 minutes to find the damn thing. Seven minutes later, he is still standing there. I canceled the meter and drove away.

Obviously he didn't have enough, couldn't get anymore and I was just wasting my time. If the machine was malfunctioning, he would have left and we would have gone to another. So that meant either he was too drunk to operate a wheelbarrow or there wasn't any cash or credit on his cards. I really didn't give a hoot either way.

No money = No ride

I think dining establishments and cabbing are the only 2 businesses that get paid at the end of the job rather than up-front. Can you think of any others?

Its almost a stereo-type. The IT folks aren't going or doing. Nada.

I had a couple last night that remembered me from last year. It happens, not often, but it does happen a few times a year. Normally a 20-25% chance of me being your night hack again on 5 nights a week.

9 fares / 120 miles / 1st quarter $200 bracket

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Heard this on the radio last night and thought that it pretty much sums up what it takes to survive on Mau'i: