THE NIGHT WAS LIKE THE SUNSET

DULL


Barely a cloud in the sky





Even Haleakala was unshrouded.




Sat around for 50 minutes before the first fare. But it was a brass ring. Wailea to OGG. A nice guy from Santa Barbara, CA, USA. A photographer, he gave me his card, which was very unique.
I added some white around the bottom and left so it would be easier ti define. His web site is here. He's good! Oh, the sound-track on his site is very nice. Let it play for awhile.

Ambrosia finally has opened. Only took about 8 months. On Tuesday night they had a "By Invitation Only" first day of business. Last night they opened the door to the general public. There is an established dress code, which will, hopefully, deter the riff-raff.

I was the 7th working cab, and 4th up, when I went "10-1" (start shift). 5 night and 2 day. One day pulled the pin before 8p and the other tortured herself until 9:30p. There was absolutely no business.

My second fare (9:45p) was transporting an out-call hooker to her client. She, and this run, is a "regular".

3rd time up (10:15p) got me three Irish lasses on their summer holiday (vacation to us yanks). Going from my favorite restaurant (which, alas, is not safe for Judy) to a Wailea resort. My two attempts at engaging them in conversation elicited perfunctory responses. The rest of the short (thankfully) journey they spent berating the low quality of "service" people in America. How forward and pushy they are. Hell, they did give me $15 on a $10.10. Their opinion ain't gonna cause Mrs. Kyle's beautiful baby boy to lose any sleep.

4th run (10:45p) was a trip with a "regular" drunk to his home in far north Kihei.

Then the 11p "witching hour" hit and the phone stopped ringing. 5th up and no calls, I went home about 11:30p and didn't miss a fare. When I came back one of the cabs had gone "adios".

Pulled 2 bar close trips and 4 dog-watch.

One of those overnighters was another "regular" hooker. Yup, she was headed to the same address we had taken the other one to and later had returned home. I guess "John" was feeling a might frisky last night.

The last fare (2:40a) was a total surprise. One of the Haleakala bike tour companies had screwed up their dispatching and needed me to cover their ass by taking 3 people from central Kihei to the company's baseyard, in Pa'ia. I got out of town twice in one shift! It been a long time since that has happened. Used to be common place.

With one exception, none of the other night crew broke $100 on the meter. Thats sad.

10 fares / 125 miles / top quarter $100 bracket

***

It looks like COSME is going to be a "non-event". Might see a slight increase in the "trades" and the windward side of the islands could see a bump up in the tradewind showers. What is left of it will pass at least 350 miles (560 km) south of Mau'i.

***

Everyone have a great day and I hope to see you tomorrow.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Haleakala

Luau

Banyan Tree
Lahaina

***

94827



"Let's all be careful out there!"

LOW CLOUDS...

GORGEOUS SUNSET


Towards Haleakala:

***

Didn't leave town, again, last night but I stayed relatively active for the first 4 hours. Occupied with various dinner (to/from) and bar rush fares. 1 bar close and 3 dog-watch runs closed out the shift.

Only had 1 day holdover when I started but there were 6 cabs assigned to the night shift. We need 6 night cabs on Friday and Saturday but not Tuesday night. 4 would suffice, easily.

I could have held over for a 4:45a 10-pax (2 cabs) to OGG from the Fours Seasons but I am exhausted and it would have been light out on the return. I need to be back in my coffin before the sun tops the mountain. Turned the shift over shortly past 4a. A second car was getting ready to start his day and a third day cab would be checking in within 15 minutes.

As the coaster says:
These are the coasters I picked up from Outback Steak House on Monday.



Had one fare (3-pax) last night that was the epitome of snobbery.

They disliked the 5-star restaurant I had picked them up from. But had stayed and finished the meal. They thought that Mama's was the worst sea food they had ever eaten. Detested the food in a hotel's major "name" restaurant, where they had spent $900 for 4 people. The only way that 4 people could run up a $900 tab is not from the food portion of the bill but by the amount of alcohol they consumed before, with and after their meal. Wine is meant to enhance a meal's flavors not overwhelm them. Also, more than 1 cocktail before the meal just kills your taste buds before you have even started. Save your money and just get drunk and then go to some greasy spoon. You'll save a lot of money and your taste buds, and innards, won't notice the difference.

A lush is always a lush. A snobbish lush is just an irritating boar.

11 fares / 100 miles / 3rd quater $100 bracket

Enjoy your day! Stop by tomorrow and I'll give you an update on Hurricane Tropical Storm Tropical Depression COSME

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Haleakala

Nice Ride

Luau

North Kihei
Ma'alaea Bay
West Maui Mountains

***

94702



"Let's all be careful out there!"

CLEAN CARTOONS ...

FOR SLIGHTLY TWISTED MINDS

HOPE ONE OF THESE PUT A

ON YOUR FACE

***

I dialed a number and got the following recording:

"I am not available right now, but
Thank you for caring enough to call.
I am making some changes in my life.
Please leave a message after the
Beep. If I do not return your call,
You are one of the changes."

~~~~~

Aspire to inspire before you expire.

~~~~~

My wife and I had words,
But I didn't get to use mine.

~~~~~

Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses.

~~~~~

Blessed are those who can give without remembering
And take without forgetting.

~~~~~

The irony of life is that, by the time
You're old enough to know your way
Around, you're not going anywhere.

~~~~~

God made man before woman so as to give him time
To think of an answer for her first question.

~~~~~

I was always taught to respect my elders,
But it keeps getting harder to find one.

~~~~~

Every morning is the dawn
of a new error.

***

Thanks for coming over. Judy and I had a pleasant evening together. A new week starts tonight. Hoping for the best. Always hoping, sigh.

Mahalo

Aloha

---

THE PICTURE GALLERY

Luau

Sunset
Lahaina

Silversword
Haleakala

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"