The town gets a mood, and the sooner I pick it up, the better. I guess the young curly haired Yellow driver hadn't figured it out yet. 3 Asian chicks flagged me down in front of Mikuni at about 11pm. They were chatting about how Yellow had taken too long. I guess thier driver was right behind me. He was so worked up about it, he blocked the right lane, so I couldn't get onto J. Street. I pulled up next to him in the middle lane, and waited for him to turn or go straight. He just sat there blocking me, and said: "You can't turn from that lane, bitch". I said right back: "I know, bitch". He drove straight up 16th, and the car behind him waited to let me make my turn in front of him. Saved my passengers two blocks of fare. Thank you, midsized white sedan.
Well: About half of my radio dispatched resturaunt and bar calls are not there when I get there. Mr. Curly hair needs a chill pill. People are all excited and in a hurry to get from one bar to another on Friday nights. It's all very neat and orderly untill about 11ish, and then it's every cab for himself.
So after the fickle females get out at Level Up, I get flagged by several fly boys in glistenning garb. They look like a military boy band: Each one has a different colored sequined suit. They go to the Park. They are old enough to be military pilots. Got thier suits custom made in Korea. Thier lovely ladies explained it all to me while they waited at Golden One. I'm sure they had lot's of fun at the Park.
Oh gosh! Eric called, and I'm actually relatively near. I still had to take about 20 minutes to let off Micky and her girl, while Eric texted twice, "Hurry Darling! I'm falling asleep". Guess he was tired. He fell off the fold down seat, and had to climb back up, red faced, while everyone wondered what I had run over. And Chad was so pretty! His dark features are adorable anyway, but his lashes were so noticeable Saturday night.
Oh I love hungry people! Couple wants to go from 26th and J, to 25th and L. But it's not raining.....Oh: They want to go to Del-Taco first. Makes it all worthwhile. And Del-Taco at Alhambra and K is open 24 hours, so I got to use the can while they went in and ordered food. A win win during bar rush.
Sacramento is usually not a place where you can let people out of your cab, and have others waiting to get in right there, but it's happening more often now. Right there at 25th and L, I let the fast food couple out, and another couple in. They just went to the 6 at 30th and N, but my dispatcher had been trying to get someone to go get a flag there, and bingo! got another load. Made 20 on that one, but it turned out to be a drug run. I would turn down drug runs if I knew in advance that it was what it was, but then, how could I know, unless I'd driven that person before? On the semi rare occassions when I get along well with the druggie, they ask for my card. I give em my card. And when they call, I make an excuse, and program that number into my phone as: "I don't think so". So these two go to another motel, run upstairs, and I'm left wondering if it's drugs or prostitution. It only takes a minute and a half, and I know the tricks are often quick, but this was way too quick for that. So off to another location, where they run into a dark house, two houses up from where they had me park, and the guy comes back to tell me to keep the 20 he already gave me, as they are staying here. "Okeedokee", thinks I.
I picked up a nice young narcotics officer Saturday night. He told me I should radio in to my dispatcher to call the cops when I'm waiting for a passenger outside a drug house. I think he doesn't know how little time these people spend inside the "place". I'd still be explaining to my dispatcher when they were on thier way out. Most of them are paranoid as it is. I suppose I could report it after the fact, but I am actually trying to make as much money as possible in the time I have during my shift. I should'a got his cell number.
Monday, February 28, 2011
I am not the only female cab driver on the face of this earth!
At least once a shift, a passenger will tell me they have never seen a female cab driver before. I can only guess that person doesn't take cabs much. That observation only bothers me when guys get a suspiciouse manner and start questioning my motives. That doesn't happen often, but I get a little more alert when it does.
I began driveing a cab in 1987, when I was suddenly a solo parent. I had to support my guys. It turned out to be a rather good occupation for my situation. Cab drivers can take a break whenever, to do whatever. I could check on the kids at the sitter, at school, at home, whenever it occurred to me to do it. Or whenever I got a call to. People who punch a time clock don't have that luxery.
I left taxi driveing from 94 to 07. The boys are men now, and I can do whatever I want. I had considered myself a cab driver all those years I wasn't. So now I'm back in Sacramento, doing what I am.
I began driveing a cab in 1987, when I was suddenly a solo parent. I had to support my guys. It turned out to be a rather good occupation for my situation. Cab drivers can take a break whenever, to do whatever. I could check on the kids at the sitter, at school, at home, whenever it occurred to me to do it. Or whenever I got a call to. People who punch a time clock don't have that luxery.
I left taxi driveing from 94 to 07. The boys are men now, and I can do whatever I want. I had considered myself a cab driver all those years I wasn't. So now I'm back in Sacramento, doing what I am.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
OMG! Michelle!
Agh! It's 2am. It's so busy out here tonight, people are outside the just closed bars, trying to flag cabs, or still trying for the last minute hookup.
I'm tired. I really did make enough money to just go home right now.
Oh there's one at Charmer's! "Hey just a minute, OK?", says a guy talking to two women. "OK". I sit there in my car while a dyke fiddles with the lock on a bike chained to a pole. It looks like the guy and girls all know each other. The dyke is looking right at me. OK, I've seen her before. She has her salt and pepper hair in a low tail; not making a lot of progress with the bike. I give her the eyebrow raise. I think I took her and some drunk chick home once.
I start to edge away, because no one is paying attention. "No. Hey wait, I just need to find out where these girls are going. Thanks." "Hey how much would it cost to take these girls to Elk Grove?" "Where in Elk Grove?" "Sheldon." "I'll do it for 40 flat." I just want to get this last one, and go home.
They all pile in; girl in front, guy and smaller girl in back. Now they want to go to West Sac. I flip on the meter. "I thought you lived in Auburn!" "I do: I'm staying with someone in West Sac. I don't want to drive all the way to Auburn tonight." "Well, we have to go home tonight." "I know. I need to get home first. I already paid the cab driver to take you home, as soon as she drops me off." "k."
It gets so very quiet. I have the radio on, but barely audible.
I'm hearing fabric moving over the seats. Little tiny giggles. I flip my mirror up. I don't want to see something that will make me grin. They can see me grin from the back, if they look up into my mirror.
I'm driving over surface streets, stopping at it seems like every light there is from here to there. The girl in front says a few words to her friend, and gets no response. She won't look back, just sort of turns her head a little, and stops. She looks at me..... And I'm not gonna look. She finally asks: "Michelle?, Are you OK?" No answer. She asks again. Michelle says she's fine, but front chick won't look back.
We get over the I Street Bridge, and front chick slowly turns her head to the back. "Oh my god! Michelle!". Then she turns her face forward again, and repeats it. No sound at all from the back, till I get to an intersection, and the guy starts to give me detailed directions.
So we go through a coded gate, with the girls totally silent, and the guy leading me up onto a levee, with huge newer houses on one side. We go all the way to the end of the row of houses, and guy tells me to turn around and park in front. There's a motorcycle in front of the garage. I guess that's what he didn't want to drive to Auburn. Suddenly front girl yells: "Oh my god Michelle! He's married!" Guy says he isn't, and Michelle says nothing, till she comes up with: "We have to go home! How are we going to get home? I don't even know where we are!" I had to tell her her ride to Elk Grove was paid for. So they both jump in the back seat, and tell me to get them out of there, and to find them a place to pee. I said I would find them a gas station, but they want to stop right now. So I did, A house and a half from Auburn guy. They both got out and squatted right next to the right back door, Their skirts were short enough they didn't even need to move them up. Auburn guy comes running back exclaiming that he'd never seen a woman pee before. I'm skeptical. He looks about 30. They finish peeing, and I hand the guy my container of baby wipes. They did have to pull the skirts back down once they were done.
I made a mental note not to forget the Lysol dousing at shift's end. And a good vacuuming too.
Wondering if I should be surprised they talked about their latest stalkers all the way to Elk Grove.
And I shouldn't have been surprised the dispatcher had a deep south for me once I told him I'd cleared in Elk Grove. Someone needed a ride home from the hospital. No drama............They're mellow when they're medicated.
copyright 2011
I'm tired. I really did make enough money to just go home right now.
Oh there's one at Charmer's! "Hey just a minute, OK?", says a guy talking to two women. "OK". I sit there in my car while a dyke fiddles with the lock on a bike chained to a pole. It looks like the guy and girls all know each other. The dyke is looking right at me. OK, I've seen her before. She has her salt and pepper hair in a low tail; not making a lot of progress with the bike. I give her the eyebrow raise. I think I took her and some drunk chick home once.
I start to edge away, because no one is paying attention. "No. Hey wait, I just need to find out where these girls are going. Thanks." "Hey how much would it cost to take these girls to Elk Grove?" "Where in Elk Grove?" "Sheldon." "I'll do it for 40 flat." I just want to get this last one, and go home.
They all pile in; girl in front, guy and smaller girl in back. Now they want to go to West Sac. I flip on the meter. "I thought you lived in Auburn!" "I do: I'm staying with someone in West Sac. I don't want to drive all the way to Auburn tonight." "Well, we have to go home tonight." "I know. I need to get home first. I already paid the cab driver to take you home, as soon as she drops me off." "k."
It gets so very quiet. I have the radio on, but barely audible.
I'm hearing fabric moving over the seats. Little tiny giggles. I flip my mirror up. I don't want to see something that will make me grin. They can see me grin from the back, if they look up into my mirror.
I'm driving over surface streets, stopping at it seems like every light there is from here to there. The girl in front says a few words to her friend, and gets no response. She won't look back, just sort of turns her head a little, and stops. She looks at me..... And I'm not gonna look. She finally asks: "Michelle?, Are you OK?" No answer. She asks again. Michelle says she's fine, but front chick won't look back.
We get over the I Street Bridge, and front chick slowly turns her head to the back. "Oh my god! Michelle!". Then she turns her face forward again, and repeats it. No sound at all from the back, till I get to an intersection, and the guy starts to give me detailed directions.
So we go through a coded gate, with the girls totally silent, and the guy leading me up onto a levee, with huge newer houses on one side. We go all the way to the end of the row of houses, and guy tells me to turn around and park in front. There's a motorcycle in front of the garage. I guess that's what he didn't want to drive to Auburn. Suddenly front girl yells: "Oh my god Michelle! He's married!" Guy says he isn't, and Michelle says nothing, till she comes up with: "We have to go home! How are we going to get home? I don't even know where we are!" I had to tell her her ride to Elk Grove was paid for. So they both jump in the back seat, and tell me to get them out of there, and to find them a place to pee. I said I would find them a gas station, but they want to stop right now. So I did, A house and a half from Auburn guy. They both got out and squatted right next to the right back door, Their skirts were short enough they didn't even need to move them up. Auburn guy comes running back exclaiming that he'd never seen a woman pee before. I'm skeptical. He looks about 30. They finish peeing, and I hand the guy my container of baby wipes. They did have to pull the skirts back down once they were done.
I made a mental note not to forget the Lysol dousing at shift's end. And a good vacuuming too.
Wondering if I should be surprised they talked about their latest stalkers all the way to Elk Grove.
And I shouldn't have been surprised the dispatcher had a deep south for me once I told him I'd cleared in Elk Grove. Someone needed a ride home from the hospital. No drama............They're mellow when they're medicated.
copyright 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)