THOSE CLOUDS

ARE REALLY SMOKE

The news clip tells the story. They opened the road about 4a today, but only one lane, alternating. A lot of people stranded, unable to get to their flights and arrivals unable to make it to their hotels.

OKAY. It looked good on Blogger preview but the video is not being displayed on the blog. You can see it if you right click where the image should be and then click "Zoom" followed by "Full Screen".




It was a good night. While I never left town, I stayed active the entire shift. 5 dinner runs occupied my first 2 hours and blended into the bar rush which netted 6 trips. A 1 hour break and then bar close began, capturing 3 additional journeys. Rounded out the dog-watch with 3 trips. Home by 5a.

17 fares / 137 miles / penetrated the bottom of the $200 bracket

Again, all my passengers were polite, and well behaved. I am not complaining. Believe me.

The only fare of note was a guy I picked up in north central Kihei. He was as gay as the sun is bright but didn't want to admit it. Like anyone really cares anymore. He first request me to drop him at Bada Bings, where Wednesday night's theme is "Alternative Lifestyle". Then he corrected himself and said he erred and wanted to go to Lulu's instead. Lulu's is right next door to Bada Bings. He commented that tonight was "Dolla Bolla" night. Which was correct, at Bada Bings, not Lulu's. He asked for my personal cell #, I gave him my card with the company number on it. He wanted to reserve a pick-up time after bar close. I told him that he needed to call when he was ready to go home because we are always busy at that time and do not accept reservations. Over 90% of the time, they are 10-13s (no show/no load) anyway. He never did call for a return. Must have gotten "Lucky". It must be difficult trying to live a lie, even if it is only to yourself.

***

We have a new driver. He works day shift and has been with us for a couple of months. He is a definite profit center for the company but his radio procedure is grating. If something can be said in less that 5 words, he'll use at least 50. When he "keys" the mike, it is diarrhea of the tonsils. A total brain dump into our communications system. He has never learned the two most important rules of radio.

1. KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid
2. ABC - Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity

He needs to learn to put his brain in gear before engaging the clutch on his mouth.

***

This week is following and building on last week. We have entered the "summer" season. Next week is the Fourth of July holiday and we start getting slammed. Hopefully through Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer vacations.

Until tomorrow, my friends.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Lahaina
Offshore

Haleakala

Luau

Rainbow

"Just Walkin' The Dog"
Kihei

***

91974




"Let's all be careful out there!"

OH, I MADE MONEY

BUT IT WAS A DULL NIGHT

About as dull as last night's sunset.

First pick-up was out of Wailea about 7:45p to OGG. Decent. My next fare wasn't until 10:15p. Ouch!
The bar rush started shortly past 10p and lasted until 11:30p. Nobody moved for the next hour. At 12:30a we started the bar close. Captured 4 in the rush and 3 in the close. Plus 2 dog-watchers.

The final 3 fares were the ones of interest.

A 1:47a run from Mulligans-on-the-Blue to central Kihei with a stop in Maui Meadows. The female part of the equation is kama'aina and is getting married, in September, to a nice guy from Mulligans. She had offered to share a ride with a kama'aina male so he wouldn't have to wait for a cab. She sat up front with me while he was doing his best to flirt with her. She wasn't nearly as drunk as I have seen her before and she politely, and continuously, refused his advances. We dropped him at the only gated community we have on this side of Mau'i that isn't in Wailea and proceeded to her apartment. She chattered , endlessly, about her forthcoming nuptials. "Excited" would be an understatement.

The first graveyard trip were 4 pretty young things from Queensland, Australia. First night on the island and they had been checking out the "stud line" at the bars. During our trip, they asked about various activities they should do to enhance their holiday. I recited my standard suggested itinerary.

1. Molokini
2. Haleakala
3. Front Street.
4. Hana

The last run was a request from the Marriott. One of their young female (25yo) guests had tried to walk back to the hotel and was now lost. Like a lot of city folk, she thought there would be a cab to be found as she trekked. She had actually done pretty good. She had walked south, along South Kihei Road, from Fred's but became disoriented when she reached a short distance inside Wailea. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to call a cab in Kihei/Wailea, via 411 (directory assistance), she smartly called her hotel. A cute little ex-Navy woman, who looked like she was maybe, maybe, 17 years old.

Every one last night was polite and well behaved. No matter how intoxicated they were. Made for a pleasant night.

11 fares / 116 miles / third quarter of the $100 bracket

***

Everybody have a great day.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Sea Wall
Lahaina

Silversword

Luau

Interesting

Kihei

***

91837



"Let's all be careful out there!"

ITS MONDAY!

LETS LIGHTEN UP A BIT

***

SEX IN THE DARK

There was this couple that had been married for 20 years. Every time they made love the husband always insisted on shutting off the light.

Well, after 20 years the wife felt this was ridiculous. She figured she would break him out of this crazy habit. So one night, while they were in the middle of a wild, screaming, romantic session, she turned on the lights.

She looked down. and saw her husband was holding a battery-operated leisure device... a vibrator! Soft, wonderful and larger than a real one. She went completely ballistic.

"You impotent bastard," She screamed at him, "how could you be lying to me all of these years? You better explain yourself!"

The husband looks her straight in the eyes and says calmly:

"I'll explain the toy . . you explain the kids."

***

Nothing exciting tonight. Had dinner. Watched TV and came home.

The exciting, romantic, adventurous life of a bachelor in Paradise.

YAWN

See y'all tomorrow, after I get off work.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Haleakala Sunrise

Front Street
Lahaina

Rainbow

An Upscale Rent-A-Car

Staff Entrance
Lahaina Public Library

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

THANK YOU FOR CALLING ROYAL CAB

THIS IS WIL. HOW MAY I ASSIST YOU?

236 pieces of radio traffic and 82 phone calls

As anticipated, the early part of the night was active but nothing like a Friday night. Attrition whittled the 8 cabs I started with down to 2 by 11:45p Actually worked until 2:30a due to the amount of traffic we had at bar close.

Bar close was a madhouse. With only 2 cabs working I received almost 30 requests and the longer they had to wait, the less likely they would be there when we arrived. Feces occurs. You can only play the game with the cards you are dealt.

Wally (#5) is this morning dogwatcher and as soon as he logged in (2:03a) I had him pulling runs with Kimo (#22) and TMR (#27). He was finally able to take over the phone at 2:30a and I had another run holding for him then.

Other than the bar close cluster-fuck, I think everything went very smoothly. Had about 2-minutes of panic when I could not raise anyone on the radio. I had inadvertently changed the radio to our "westside" channel. Oops. Thats part of the learning curve when dealing with unfamiliar equipment.

Its now 2:45a and time for me to warm up my dinner, watch some "info-mercials", not much else on, and relax.

Dinner with Judy tonight and laundry this afternoon.

Until tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Haleakala Sunrise

Old Pioneer Mill
Lahaina
(its gone now)

Front Street
Lahaina

Lahaina Harbor

Double Rainbow

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"