XXII

The 4th of July holiday week has been really good so far for me. The Cabbie Gods have been smiling and I'm simultaneously grateful on one hand and wondering when the law of averages is going catch up to me on the other. A co-worker told me that they can tell how their night is going to be just by the first ride alone. If the first one is a good one, then your night will be as well and vice-versa. I disagree. A lot can happen in 12hrs. One ride can be completely fucked up and then the next could be some drunk bastard giving you a bill to take him to Excalibur. You never know. Furthermore I believe that your attitude determines your income for any given night more than anything.

If somebody asks you how your night is going the answer is always: Fantastic. It's quick and gets the point across. But say it with a little jive...Fantastic! People will respond. Its retarded almost. Like people are just like dogs in some strange way. FANTASTIC! It brings people up.

Try it sometime.

So I was doing fantastic tonight. As I said, Cabbie Gods... I loaded at Hard Rock. A white guy and smoking black girl. BANGIN! It was pretty obvious what was up from the git-go.

The white guy was Russian and spoke little English so the girl told me Riviera. As we are driving the guy starts talking about his wife and that they cant go back to his room there. She asks me where they could go.

A year ago you would have taken them to the Del Mar. I real shotty motel a couple blocks north of the Strat. They rented by the hour and were "conveniently located". However the place finally got closed by metro. It seemed that it took them a better part of a decade to figure it out. I don't know of any other places that do that so I was telling them about some places on Freemont they could get for 40 or so for the night.

We just need it for a little bit

Right. But it's (only) 40 bucks

This girl is all business. She's trying to figure it out. She doesn't want to go to her car, if she even has one and she's definitely not going to her pad. She invested time and now has a dude who's ready to party. It's time to cash in but they've got nowhere to go.

what about the cab?

I cant recall the exact first thing that entered my mind. I thought about it and wasn't really opposed necessarily.

You'll take care of me?

She knew what I wanted.

fine

I really didn't feel like watching our two lovebirds and more than anything it was time for some breakfast. I couldn't think of a better place to go at a time like this than the Peppermill. The Peppermill is this bad-ass cafe slash retro "fireside chats" lounge complete with awesome food and a vibe. This is the cafe that Swingers scene should have been filmed in. But more importantly, the 10 egg omelets for 10 bucks. They're huge. I never finish it.

I found a good place to park. Took my permit, keys and medallion with me. I was seated, ordered the usual and thought about adding a white Russian to my order in honor of my new friend. But I was on duty. The food was good as usual I left a twenty on the table and walked back out to the cab.


It was empty. When I got close to it I could see the 100 sitting on the drivers seat. An honest ho. Fantastic!



------


On that note kids Im off for my own vacation as of the 5th. Where I'll be the next three weeks is a mystery. To you, not to me. Perhaps I'll have some interesting chronicles as a passenger for change. I tell you this only to explain that there shan't be a reason to visit this page for about three weeks or so for it will be the same as it is......now.