July(2)

July

Passenger 1 – ‘Local Meets Middle-East’

My first passengers this night were a couple from a nice neighborhood and headed to a bar and grill. I’d say they were in their mid to late 30s. The woman was a white lady from the area and her husband was a middle-eastern guy. I asked if they’d looked into selling their house, given the current market, and they did say that they’d considered it, but wouldn’t want to move anywhere else. He was from a small town in his home country and we chat a bit about the similarities in upbringings between he and I despite the different countries. I’d expressed that I was having trouble finding a new apartment and he gave me a website that actually did have different listings than the ones I’d been to. Talked a bit about the dating scene and the woman shared how her single friends complained about it as well (well, it’s their fault!).

Passenger 2 – ‘Babysitter’

A woman in a mask that I picked up from an apartment complex to take her to another one. She was dead quite the entire trip. I’d mentioned a new restaurant in the area in the beginning and been met with nervous laughter and silence, so I let her be. Only when I dropped her off did I get a good look and realize that she looked to be about a 13-year-old girl, prolly headed to babysit. I’m sure it was a bit of a scary experience for her. 

Passenger 3 – ‘Family Reunion’

A group I picked up from a restaurant. It was an older couple and their daughter whom was just out of college, but looked close to 30. She rode up front. They chat amongst themselves the entire trip with the mother trying, at times, to make conversation with me. The girl went to college all the way across the country and the convo mostly, centered around the golf scholarship her roommate got despite not ever playing golf before college. Girls are so lucky. 

Passenger 4 – ‘Close Call’

This passenger had me circling a liquor store and tire shop in a sketchy neighborhood for about 5 minutes before I finally got ahold of her to find out she was actually a block away and the pin was dropped in the wrong location. I finally picked her and her daughter up(along with her 40oz. can of Steel Reserve)  at a park to take them to the opposite side of town. She talked about getting the drug users out of her life during the trip and mentioned how her ex-boyfriend was in jail for murder just a couple months ago, but was released WOP. I did not know what WOP meant (in that context), and she acted like I was a simpleton(which I am). Apparently WOP means “released WithOut Prosecution.” This means they are free to go without a trial, but that a trial may occur in the future. (A little research later led me to understand that a trial WOULD come later, but that for whatever reason(likely manpower), it was being postponed and the defendant was free to go until then). She knew that a lot of times people would get released from drug offenses WOP, but was surprised to see(as was I) that he could be released from a murder charge that way. Regardless, she was glad to have separated when they did as he was charged was killing his new girlfriend. 

Passenger 5 – ‘Hoopers’

I pulled up to a hotel behind a bus that was unloading, what looked like, a team of basketball players. Several were outside waiting under the awning and after waiting for awhile, I mistakenly beckoned 1 that thought I was his Uber Eats order. Finally, 2 tall guys hopped in the back seat of my sedan to be taken to a fancy seafood restaurant. I asked if they were with the team that got off the bus but they weren’t. They were with another basketball team that was staying at the hotel. They were all playing in this big tournament for adults that was taking place all over the country. They were from the West coast, and were very into the playoff NBA game they were both watching, separately with the sound on, on their phones throughout the trip. 

Passenger 6 – ‘Late Night Stroll’

Picked a couple up from outside a closed coffee shop to take them home. They’d been to a movie(which the internet tells me isn’t good) and they enjoyed it, but decided to go for a little walk afterwards. From some context clues, and to her boyfriend’s surprise, I was able to fortune a guess that she was a mid-level at a hospital. She grew up across the country, but was here following the boyfriend, who was in real estate. Nice couple. Wish them the best. 

Passenger 7 – ‘Odd Couple’

Picked an odd young couple up from an empty restaurant to take back to a hotel. He asked me to turn the AC in the car down before even getting in. He was also playing ball and his girlfriend had made the trip with him. He had some abrasive humor, and they’d clearly had some drinks with dinner. They were nice though. 

Passenger 8 – ‘Salary Regret’

Picked a guy up at his parents for a long trip to see his ex-wife and kids and to watch movies. Worked in the restaurant industry and had worked his way up from line cook where he made the same complaint that I hear so often about going to salary. “Once I went salary, I did the math and I was getting paid less per hour, with the extra hours, than I was when I was hourly!” He told me about a show that he and his kids were watching on Netflix that was an R.L. Stine adaptation; the guy who wrote the Goosebump books when I was a kid(I loved those). He said it was good. I may have to re-visit my Netflix moratorium. 

Passenger 9 – ‘Resourceful Drifter’

THIS guy. Oh boy. I picked this guy up in an abandoned lot. 2 vehicles were pulling away when I pulled up, 1 of his friends departed down the street on his bicycle, and another shook his hand and started walking. He looked like he hadn’t showered in a couple days and said that he’d just gotten done helping a buddy of his organize an estate sell for “some rich guy that got in trouble.” He told me about how many times he’d lost his license from his lead foot and how he currently didn’t have one due to a paperwork issue at the courthouse. He was here from out of state and had been for a couple months just looking for things to make some money. He liked to find broken equipment on the side of the road and fix them up for people. He was very hyper and all over the place but it made for interesting conversation. He asked me to stop at the liquor store as we neared his drop off, but could not find his wallet when I turned around. We knew a common acquaintance from my college days, but I got the feeling he would’ve told me he knew who they were no matter what I said.

Passenger 10 – ‘Hot to trot’

After dropping off my nomad at a house on the corner of rural and sketch, I got an immediate pickup just down the street. To my surprise, 2 smoke shows hopped in. One worked in the administration office at a prestigious(IMO) college in the East. The other was a physical trainer but we actually had family from the same area. We chat(chatted?) about her visiting that area for much of the trip and they bemoaned the line and cover charge they were headed into at the bar. It didn’t prevent them from tipping though. Nice ladies.