SOME CHANGES

ARE IN THE WORKS

Awoke a little after 5p, yesterday. My body really was tired. Not long afterwards Larry, the owner, called me. The poor guy is frustrated. He can't find anyone to cover dispatch duties on Sunday night. The older drivers don't want to do an extra night and the new drivers just flat refuse to accept the job. Lazy ass SOBs. Its not like GOOD drivers are that easy to find. Our unemployment rate on Mau'i is less than 2% and all employers are having trouble finding qualified people to fill positions. Drivers who are honest, reliable and have a clean abstract (driving record) is problematic and rare.

He made me a very nice offer and I accepted. Starting next Sunday I will be dispatching from my home. Don't have to get "gussied up" or drive. A portable radio and company cell phone will be delivered to me each Sunday evening and I will dispatch from 6p to 2a. This means extra cash in my pocket and I can still kick back, watch TV and relax. Only the first few hours are active. Much past 9:30p and things slow waaaay down. Fixed base dispatching will entail a minor change in the paperwork from mobile dispatching, but that will be easy. I'll just be recording things on paper that I normally just keep in my head.

I might even write a simple dispatch "log" program to simplify everything. Its been a long time since I have written a program and it will be interesting to see what I can accomplish. May take me a month or so to do it.

Thats it for today. Dinner with Judy tonight and then back to the "salt mine" on Tuesday evening. Hope to "see" you tomorrow.

A special HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my friends Bev & David. I've been internet friends with them since 1997. They met each other via the internet, back when we were all WebTvers, fell in love and have now been married for 2 years today. Love you guys.

They read me almost daily.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Humpback Whales
Mother & Baby

Hawai'iana

Canna Lily

Hana Side Waterfall

Myna Bird

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

AHHHHH.....

THE END OF ANOTHER WEEK

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Looking down on Kihei & Wailea
from Waikapu about 12:45a, today.

Some fares are fun

~ Dick & Traci ~

Others are just strange.
Last night capped off a really good week for me. Metered in the second quarter of the $200 bracket. No one out of control, no one truly obnoxious. I stayed busy the entire shift, except for the normal lull between 11p and 1a and even that period wasn't barren.

There were 7 cabs working when I started, that whittled down to 5 by 9p and then just Hardin, last nights phone holder (#25), TMR (#27) and ONE-NINE from midnight to 2a.

A little past 1a, Hardin responded to a request at the Maui Sunset condos in north central Kihei. 2 people going to the Kea Lani. They were "no-shows". Just as I took over the phone, about 2a, I get another call from these people. Now they needed 2 cabs. One couple to the Kea Lani and a second couple to the Four Seasons. Hardin and I both rolled on it. And then waited. I called back the number and some extremely intoxicated male answered and said they would be right down. And we waited. Called back again and told the same guy that he had one minute to make his presence known or we were leaving. 60 seconds later, we left, empty. Around 2:30a the Kea Lani called requesting a cab for their guests needing to return to the hotel from, you guessed it, the Maui Sunset. I told the nice lady that I was declining the call since we had already been by there twice and I wasn't going to be a "three time loser". Explained the rationale for my decision and she understood. I wonder if they walked or spent the night? Honestly, I really don't give a shit either way.

Dollar-wise, the high points were an OGG, assigned as soon as I logged on and a midnight run to MMMC (Maui Memorial Medical Center, a/k/a/ "hospital"), a nine year old boy who wasn't feeling good and his Dad. The rest of the night it was just in-town pupus, few of which exceeded $10.

I did locate a new street. A Wailea subdivision that is still under construction but now has a few residences occupied. If you are interested, these are new condos in the $3-million range. Thats cheap, buy 2!

150 miles / 14 fares /

Prim (#22) and Wally (#05) were both "10-1" by 4a and Flor (#27) would be in around 4:30a, followed by Murph at 5a. I was home by 4"30a.

Monday will be dinner with Judy and today, when I rejoin the world this evening, I'll be scouring the web for more images for The Picture Gallery. I have actually run out! Can you believe that?

Everybody enjoy your weekend. Except Qz, where it is already Monday morning.

And, at least in "The States", don't forget to wish your Dad a Happy Father's Day.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

"Surf's Up!"

North Coast Of Moloka'i
"Jurassic Park"

Hawai'iana

Hula Dancers

Reflections

***

90482



"Let's all be careful out there!"

"CLUSTER FUCK"

THATS A GOOD DEFINITION FOR LAST NIGHT

We have 14 cabs in our fleet. We just recently added 2 more. When I took over the phone, I had 11 of them on the road. Thats the "stretch" I have been looking for. And, taking a bow & patting myself on the back, I did one hell of a good job. An A+!! By 8p, I was down to 8 cabs. Only had 6 left at 9p and just 4 after 11p.

I never left the southside during my night. The only driver who didn't. And while I metered just over $200, I was the low man on the totem pole. My longterm readers know that this is usually the case on the nights I have the phone. I could have easily added another $200 to my night, if I was a cheat but I always play by the rules. I couldn't live with myself if I violated my personal Code of Ethics.

It was a typical Friday night. Dinner runs, OGG trips and a shitpot full of drunks (but not one puker, in anyone's cab, thank god).

As the night wore on, the IQ of the callers diminished, expotentally. Doesn't anybody EVER figure out where they are before they call? Not in Kihei. It must be some unwritten rule that I missed.

The other frustrating parts of the night were the concierge departments in the various hotels. I wish they would hire people for whom English is not a second, or third, language. With accents so heavy that I have to have them repeat their requests 3 or more times until I can finally understand them. Or they call and just start talking. Never pausing for breathe or identifying who/where they are. My other irritant last night was one hotel's valet desk that called for pickups, 3 times. Each time it was my call to handle and each time I would arrive, speak with the person who had made the request, and they didn't know what happened to the guests and once even denied they had called.

Had an MPD request a bit past 2:30a. My friend, Bill Melton - MPD, was giving a couple a big break. He had them dead-to-rights on DUI. I was to take them home to Makawao, about a $90 trip. Before I had started moving the guy tells me to just drive around the block and bring him back to his truck. He still planned to drive home. I told him that I wouldn't do that and we could just halt the bullshit right now and they could get a ride in the "blue light" taxi, instead.

We didn't go to Makawao, naturally. Instead, I took them about 4 miles north to the "Park'N'Ride" lot at the junction of SR-30 & SR-310, just outside of Ma'alaea. While enroute he called a friend in Waikapu, about 3 miles east of the junction, and had him meet us. This moron still intended on driving his vehicle home. Dropped them and called MPD. Told them to relay to Bill what I had heard.

The solo hours stayed very active. I had a scheduled 4:15a to OGG from Wailea but I called "Murph" (ONE-NINE's weekend "day" driver) and he came out early to cover it. I just didn't have the energy left to do it, safely.

I guesstimate that I processed between 250 and 300 calls last night. About 1 call every 60 seconds. But it wasn't spread out that evenly. We had some lull periods around midnight and spurts where the phone was beeping in my ear as I answered another call. Never stopping. By 4a my brain was mush.

16 fares / 127 miles / Bottom of the $200 bracket

The first night this week that I didn't double last week's meter.

Oh, the above image is of one of the screens for the Maui Film Festival. This one is at the Wailea Marriott and was just visible from the far west end of the Shops At Wailea parking lot, just past the Wailea Beach Villas main tower. Too far away to really see or hear anything.

***

One more night to go.

Y'all have a wonderful weekend.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Kihei Surfside Sunset

~ image courtesy ~
~ Mike Weldon ~

I'ao Needle

~ image courtesy ~
~ Mike Weldon ~

Molokini

~ image courtesy ~
~ Mike Weldon ~

Hawai'ian Sunset

Reflections

***

90142



"Let's all be careful out there!"

MY FAVORITE AIRLINE

CANCELED A FLIGHT AGAIN

PAYDAY!

. ~ Wailea Lookout ~
It was an oddball shift.

I logged in 5th up and there were 4 others on runs. 9 freaking cabs! Geez!?
Kept working my way to the top of the queue, listening to the guys in front getting really nice runs. This wasn't going to be half-bad.

The top.

I made it to the top!

Salivating.

"ONE-NINE. You have 2 at the Four-Seasons going to the Kea Lani."

Thats a painful squeeze to the gonads.
Returned to the end of the line. 7th up

After only 3 pupus in the 1st 3 hours and with 7 cabs STILL working, I went home. TMR, he had the phone, called me back out just before midnight. We were finally getting busy.

One small run and then off to the airport. I lucked out and snared 2 couples. That meant that I was getting paid for 2 fares on a single drive.

That's sweet

Made reservations for their return later today. Since both will be before my night starts, I passed them on as "specials" to 2 of my preferred drivers.

On my return, I was sent to the Circle K in Ma'alaea. An MPD request for one male going upcountry to Kula. Thats about a $100 fare! Of course, when I asked him for the deposit up front, he didn't have the funds. Ended up driving him 3/10's of a mile to his truck. $4.10. He gave me a $5 and waited for the change.

"Sorry, friend. I don't carry coins."

Waste my fucking time. Asshole!

Ended the night with an OGG out of Wailea. One half of that fare was going to return but didn't know exactly when she would be doing so. I made arrangements for her to call us 30 minutes prior and we would pick her up. Told Wally (#05), my relief, about it and shur'nuff, she called. I made Wally some good money.

Hardin (#25) had a real "winner" last night. Assigned a "Shops" to the Film Festival at the "Gold". His people were at Longhi's. Longhi's is an open air restaurant, on the ground floor, at the western end of the "Shops". Used to have a beautiful view until the 7-story Wailea Beach Villas were constructed. He's waiting and then a guy stands up, in the restaurant, and yells at Hardin, indicating that he was the fare. Then he sits back down and continues eating his meal. Thats an immediate "dead run". Especially on a very active night.

About 20-minutes later, Hardin is sent for another pickup at the same location. Yup. The same people. They are standing , waiting, fuming. The male half starts giving Hardin a reaming. That lasted about 6 pico-seconds. Then they demanded another cab. There were none and they were able to hear TMR say so, in response, over the radio. MAJOR(!) attitude change suddenly occurs.

And Hardin did take them to watch some "flicks".

9 FARES / 146 miles / high $200 bracket

***

If you haven't noticed. At the bottom of each post made following a work shift, just above the
"ACCIDENT SCENE - DO NOT CROSS"
separator, is a tiny image of me and, next to it, that shift's ending mileage.

I will accept new entries, modification of entries and re-entries right up to 90,000 miles. Then the "Final Countdown" begins, with no new bets.

Don't forget to include your e-mail addres where it is requested and whether you think it will be AM or PM.
In the event of a tie, the earliest correct entry will be the winner.

You have nothing to lose and you might just win a beautiful calendar. So, come on and place your entry.

***

Have a great day, everybody.

Until tomorrow,

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Holokalani

Poipu Beach
Kaua'i

Upcountry Mau'i
Looking At Haleakala

Windward O'ahu

Waimanalo Beach
Oahu

***

90015



"Let's all be careful out there!"

TODAY IS FLAG DAY

DO YOU HAVE YOURS ON DISPLAY?

National Flag Day

***

And now that everyone is in a patriotic moment, maybe you can help out some GIs and one devoted mother.

Received this e-mail from G'night Girl yesterday:

Hi all,

As you know, my son Brian is serving in Iraq right now. I've inadvertently spear-headed a wonderful project sending beanie babies to him and his comrades. With the help of many others, hundreds of toys have been sent over, and distributed to the children in the villages they work for. The soldiers love it, the kids love it, and more importantly, Brian informed me 2 days ago, the interpreter in his company said they're doing wonders for relations between the U.S. soldiers and the communities they're working in. After all, make a kid happy, make his parents happy, right?

The project has grown and grown, to the extent that I've decided to step it up a bit. I've created a website. It's still under construction, but I want to hurry up and get it out there.

Please, if you do nothing else, send this link to everyone you've ever heard of, and ask them to forward it. As it says on my blog, I'll make ya some spaghetti if you do!

http://www.toys-for-troops.com/

My love and thanks to you all.

Lori

Here is her post about it.
Please, if there is anyway you can assist, please do. Its tough being a single mom and, now, "empty-nester".

***

The Maui Film Festival opened last night

I knew something was up by all the cars in "Event" parking. Then I saw the above sign. I had forgotten that it was that time of year again.
These people are waiting for one of the many buses that ferried people out to the Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Courses' clubhouse.
The organization and operation of the first year was pretty rough. Today, it is "Disney smooth". Keep this in mind, should you be anticipating a trip to Mau'i next year.

***

Would you believe that, for the second night in a row, I doubled what I did the prior week? With bated breath, I await the remainder of the week. This could get good. Real good.

It wasn't really that busy. Kimo (#22) held the phone and most everyone was fielding about 2 runs per hour. And then 11p rolled over us. The definitive "thrill" killer.

The blockade went up at midnight, at the "Triangle".

I was talking to one of the new "rent-a-cops" and he told me that "Triangle" management wanted all access, by vehicle, to the property halted at midnight. With the exception of emergency vehicles. Since ONE-NINE isn't one of those, I'll have to continue arranging for the fares to walk out to the perimeter. I don't know if the meeting took place, between the management company and the bar owners, yesterday or not. I don't disagree with the concept but I anticipate some litigation if the bars are forced to close at midnight. The greatest volume of sales occurs during those last 2 hours.

Closed out the shift with an OGG out of Wailea.

11 fares / 126 miles / High end of the $100 bracket

***

Have a great day everybody.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Hana Coast

Hanalei Bay
Kaua'i

Hawai'ian Hayden Mango Tree

Hilo Bay

Puka Shell

***

89869



"Let's all be careful out there!"