Paradise Driver: ANY IMPROVEMENT

Thursday, January 17, 2008

ANY IMPROVEMENT

IS POSITIVE

I came across this bill when I was counting my money. Click on image and look in the bottom right border

Well, that piqued my curiosity.
Here's the site and this is what I found out.

I've seen these before but never had the whim to check it out. The stamp is on both the front and back of the bill. Check your folding money and see if you have one like it.

This is the busiest it got last night:

Me, sitting in front of the Tiki Lounge looking across to Dog & Duck.
Kimo got lucky with two OGGs and one over to Wailuku. I know TMR made it to the airport at least once and I think "Crazy" did too. I made it to far north Kihei once and never went past the Four Seasons, at the south end of Wailea. A maximum of 9 miles apart.

Took three lasses (grandma, mom, grand-daughter) from Wailea to Antonio's, an Italian restaurant in the Long's Drug Store shopping center. Grandma showed up first at the resort, when I responded to the dispatch. A very pleasant lady from Sydney, somewhere in her mid to late 70's. I asked her how many passengers there would be and she said "4. Maybe 5". A few minutes later the 40ish mother and 9(?) year old grand-daughter climbed aboard. And shut the doors?! I inquired if this was the entire group, mom replied "Yes." It was easy to tell that she was not in the best of moods.

Had an enjoyable chat and had all three laughing by the end of the ride.

Just as I was clearing, I heard another cab pick-up on a duplication of my fare. Not to slight Antonio's in any way, its very good, but it is not a prime tourist destination from the Wailea crowd. I filed away the info, wondering if the two runs might be related

A couple of hours later, I get the call for their return. This time the passenger count was 5. We added dad and teenage (15?) grand-son. Mom and dad spoke a couple of times, in quietly harsh tembor. I could understand everyone but dad when they spoke. He enunciated in the most classic Australian accent I have ever encountered. It was a very quiet ride.

Just before midnight I picked up 5 guys going from north Kihei to the "Triangle". One of them turned 25 today and they wanted to start the birthday celebration at the stroke of the witching hour. They all stated that they were going to be late for work today. TMR was the lucky one to take them home.

Sitting in front of the Tiki Lounge (see photo above) about 12:45 AM and one of the security guards asks me if I am available.

DUH!

He had a guy with him that they desired off the property. About a 3 mile ride to his house in north Kihei and I found one of the biggest liars I have met in a very long time. He claimed he was a cop from Newport, Rhode Island USA, having been on the force for 27 years. Currently on sabbatical. He also said he was 43 years old and has been living on Mau'i for almost 2 years. Gee, thats strange. I didn't know Rhode Island hires 14 year olds as cops. He also kept trying to get me to help him go back to the bar and "rescue" his blind date from being raped by "persons unknown" because she was on the verge of passing out when he was forced to leave. Assault & Battery plus Kidnapping, thats a really smart idea. Oh, and she was 20 years old (? in a bar! Yeah, right), then 21 and finally, maybe, 22.

Gave me $12 on an $11.90. Big spender.

8 fares / 91 miles / 2nd quarter $100 bracket

Mahalo

Aloha

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