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I failed to mention in yesterday's post that there had been a canceled departure on Thursday night. The airport concierge had called us but since only TMR and I were working, we had to decline. We were just too busy handling our in-town runs. Oh, if you guessed the airline as America West, you're a winner. Yes, the airline whose slogan should be "We'll get you there in OUR own good time" didn't make it out. Again. This benefited The Grand. Since they had that last minute "group" cancellation this week, they had mucho rooms available and were easily able to accommodate the 50, or so, "check-ins". At the end of my shift, I called the owner and told him to anticipate about 50 unscheduled returns to OGG during Friday and we did get them, scattered throughout the day and night shifts. When I logged in we were humping and all the cabs were doing round robins from The Grand to OGG the first couple of hours. I even got two OGG's and a couple of good "town" runs and had metered nearly $150 by 10pm. I nearly doubled that amount by the time my night ended.
Of the 14 trips I did, only 4 were not "tourist". Maybe the tide is finally going to turn to the better.
Had one interesting, and profitable, fare last night. Early in the evening I had taken a couple, out of Melbourne (Big Smoke), Victoria, Australia, from The Shops to the "Triangle". About 1:45am, Hardin (#25) picked up the female half and returned her to The Prince. She had lost her husband and was returning to their hotel. Hardin broadcast a description of him in case any of us happened to spot him. He was distinctive looking. How many 6 foot tall white guys do you see sporting blonde "dreadlocks"?
Not finding him at the hotel, she calls back at 2:15am and requests a pickup from The Prince. She wants to go searching for him. So, from 2:30am until 3:15am, she and I cruise the "Triangle", check with all the open businesses, and park at the perimeter of Kalama ("needle") Park while she screams his name into the darkness. I check with MPD, in case they had made any contact. When I dropped her back at The Prince, I suggested that she should probably call the police and file a missing person report. Apparently, he may have wandered into Kalama Park. She said he was intoxicated and they had had a disagreement. He may have found a place to sleep in the park and, if so, I sure hope he doesn't wake up dead. That is not beyond the realm of possibility. My longtime readers know my opinion about that place. They are/were supposed to depart today. That "Wheres Waldo" run metered out at just a hair under $50 and she let me "keep the change".
Please, if you call for a cab and the dispatcher asks you where you are, DO NOT give him/her a long winded description of where you want to go to before telling us where you are at. That will definitely cause you to hear the proverbial [CLICK] in your ear as we move on to the next call. Be aware that most dispatchers diligently enforce the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) rule.
THE PICTURE GALLERY
BIG ISLAND
Kiluea Volcano
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"Let's all be careful out there!"
