There comes a time in every mentor / mentoree symbiosis, where the student can surpass the teacher. I am not saying I have done that. I am not yet one month in the business. Burnout happens within the first 6 mos. But there are some signs of that progression.
He is still referring people to me. Two such called me yesterday asuming he was off Sunday as usual. I casually mentioned to one of them that he was working when I found out. Later I ran into the client at the bar he was working, when I dropped off another passenger. He made arrangements for me to bring him home.
Later, when I went to get him, I saw my mentor's cab in front. I knocked on his window to joke around with him, and he jokingly acted mad at me. He said he stopped by to see if the guy needed a ride. But he had been told about our arrangements.
A few other of "his" customers are calling me now first instead of just when he is busy. One even called him out and said "I am getting quality service". I am not certain but I think it is possible that he or I was set up last week.
The reason for the fallout with the previous customer is that arrangements had been made for a prepaid round trip. When it was time to return, the mentor was on a long run, and it would be about an hour. An hour later when the customer called back, he was on another long run. I was called by the cabbie, and went to get the customer. The customer has called me only ever since.
Last week, the cabbie ran into the customer, and tried to make small talk. The customer said he was getting quality service. That very night my mentor called me about helping him on a long haul. When I agreed, I called thge customer to tell him I was getting ready to go on a long haul, and wanted to give him a heads up.
He said omigod omigod, can you come get us now. I did and went on my long haul. Later that week he told me about the running into him. Now I have to wonder, was the lesson for me as a cabby, in how you do not want to turn down a long haul? Or was it for the customer to see how easy it is for someone to get tied up with ambigious return trips. In any case, I had the forsight to call the customer because I had a feeling he may have been ready to leave, and the customer knew exactly what was going on. I have not mentioned this to the mentor. But if it was a test, I passed.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Dave
Dave was a young guy. He got in back. Shortly underway, he appeared awkward. He started sighing. I asked if he was all right. He said he was fine, then made an ambiguous statement about "Looking for something he's not finding". I let this pass, and gave a non-committal grunt as an answer. He went on, to say he's of the age, he doesn't care who sucks his dick, a man or a woman. I mentioned the old queer straight guy seduction phrase, a Mouth is a mouth. He did not quite comprehend that. He then went on saying he did not know the difference since he's only had his dick sucked one, and it was by a woman.
I still let this go. I brought up the adult bookstores and what goes on there. He did not know about them, and was quite interested. He then asked what I went for when I went to them. He did not believe me when I said I didn't go. But I told him I was bisexual. He asked what time I got off, and asked if I wanted a good fuck. I told him 3 and he said he may be asleep by then. After he paid I said I usually took a break around 10, but he did not respond. A woman was waiting for him on the front step. Probably his mom.
I still let this go. I brought up the adult bookstores and what goes on there. He did not know about them, and was quite interested. He then asked what I went for when I went to them. He did not believe me when I said I didn't go. But I told him I was bisexual. He asked what time I got off, and asked if I wanted a good fuck. I told him 3 and he said he may be asleep by then. After he paid I said I usually took a break around 10, but he did not respond. A woman was waiting for him on the front step. Probably his mom.
Julie
Julie appeared in my front seat after a brought a bunch of drunk kids to a party, quite a ways from campus. She said "Take me home". I asked her where and she was going and she was able to say "state street". I headed back toward campus and she got on the phone. She was calling some guy. The call did not seem to go well. She handed me the phone for directions to the guy's house, but he told me she should not come over and gave me directions to her house. She was one block over from State on Conn Terrace. When she called him back, he made it clear she was not welcome. When she asked where she should go, her response was "He doesn't know where I live". She then turned to me and asked me where she lived. When I told her, she looked at me surprised and asked how I knew. When I told her the guy told me she was very disappointed.
When we got to conn terrace, she did not want to get out of the cab. I told her I had to pick someone else up she stayed in the front seat. I was just picking up Chuck, and I knew that would be Ok. But my call after that was 4 guys out at Deja Vu. No room for a drunk girl.
After we dropped Chuck off she asked me to take her home. I told her I would, and she said "not my home". She told me how cool I was, how great I was, and she loved me. Drunk people are so flattering. I got the distinct impression she meant take her to my house. She had already opened up to me about her man, and how she knows its over, but keeps wanting to go back to him. When I got her to her house, she could not find her keys. We got her inside, by waking up her roommate. When I got back, I found her wallet, I dropped it back with a note and a card. I doubt she remembered who I was the next day.
When we got to conn terrace, she did not want to get out of the cab. I told her I had to pick someone else up she stayed in the front seat. I was just picking up Chuck, and I knew that would be Ok. But my call after that was 4 guys out at Deja Vu. No room for a drunk girl.
After we dropped Chuck off she asked me to take her home. I told her I would, and she said "not my home". She told me how cool I was, how great I was, and she loved me. Drunk people are so flattering. I got the distinct impression she meant take her to my house. She had already opened up to me about her man, and how she knows its over, but keeps wanting to go back to him. When I got her to her house, she could not find her keys. We got her inside, by waking up her roommate. When I got back, I found her wallet, I dropped it back with a note and a card. I doubt she remembered who I was the next day.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Dudley
Dudley is a fortyish guy that is currently going through a divorce. He lives about five miles out of town and does not know the street address of his farm. It was easy to find, and its name was on the gate. He was my first reservation on New Year's Eve. He was a referral from my Mentor, John.
Dudley was going to a party at Griffin Gate, a gated resort community, and was not about to drive. At the appointed hour, I arrived to pick him up and he was not quite ready. He was somewhat surprised he had made such an early appointment. He had me start the meter while he walked his dog. He made small talk for a bit, then got on his phone. When we arrived at GG, he restated the appointed time to fetch him, but wanted to make sure he could call me earlier if he got too tired. I agreed. He did not call.
When I got there again, he was still at the table and was not quite ready to go. He again told me to start the meter but come back in an hour. I gace him an hour and 10 minutes, and he was still having fun. They were all dancing. I bet I could have got points for joining in. We got under way.
The next time I heard from him was a few weeks later. He asked if I could get his car home for him, like John does. I assured him I could, and he agreed to call me when he was more certain of his times. He called me around 8:15 to tell me he would be ready at 9, and would be at Solid Platinum, a gentleman's club. I said I would and if I got there early, I would have to just "suffer though" watching naked people dance. He laughed and said he would by me a couch dance if I got there early. I got there at 8:30. I went to the bouncer and explained I was Dudley's driver, and that he was in the VIP room. He left to confirm and told me D said i was a bit early, so i should go up there and wait for him. When I arrived in the VIP room, he repeated that, and said he would buy me a couch dance. They got a new dancer over for me, and she negotiated an all nude dance for me. When it was over, she came over to the table to get paid. I had already tipped her. Dudley paid her, and then said he wanted another hour.
I called my other cabbie friend, Duke, the one that was going to pick me up at the farm, and said we were delayed about an hour. He was a bit iffy when I told him, and I then told him what Dudley had just told me. He'd be paying us double. Duke was in. At 10:00 I arrived and Dudley was ready to go. I called Duke and told him it was "Go time". We ended up splitting $100. I suppose to be fair, I should have given Duke a couch dance, but I doubt he'd have been into it.
Dudley was going to a party at Griffin Gate, a gated resort community, and was not about to drive. At the appointed hour, I arrived to pick him up and he was not quite ready. He was somewhat surprised he had made such an early appointment. He had me start the meter while he walked his dog. He made small talk for a bit, then got on his phone. When we arrived at GG, he restated the appointed time to fetch him, but wanted to make sure he could call me earlier if he got too tired. I agreed. He did not call.
When I got there again, he was still at the table and was not quite ready to go. He again told me to start the meter but come back in an hour. I gace him an hour and 10 minutes, and he was still having fun. They were all dancing. I bet I could have got points for joining in. We got under way.
The next time I heard from him was a few weeks later. He asked if I could get his car home for him, like John does. I assured him I could, and he agreed to call me when he was more certain of his times. He called me around 8:15 to tell me he would be ready at 9, and would be at Solid Platinum, a gentleman's club. I said I would and if I got there early, I would have to just "suffer though" watching naked people dance. He laughed and said he would by me a couch dance if I got there early. I got there at 8:30. I went to the bouncer and explained I was Dudley's driver, and that he was in the VIP room. He left to confirm and told me D said i was a bit early, so i should go up there and wait for him. When I arrived in the VIP room, he repeated that, and said he would buy me a couch dance. They got a new dancer over for me, and she negotiated an all nude dance for me. When it was over, she came over to the table to get paid. I had already tipped her. Dudley paid her, and then said he wanted another hour.
I called my other cabbie friend, Duke, the one that was going to pick me up at the farm, and said we were delayed about an hour. He was a bit iffy when I told him, and I then told him what Dudley had just told me. He'd be paying us double. Duke was in. At 10:00 I arrived and Dudley was ready to go. I called Duke and told him it was "Go time". We ended up splitting $100. I suppose to be fair, I should have given Duke a couch dance, but I doubt he'd have been into it.
Names Names Names, Sweetie Darling
The order in which these names appear are random, especially at first as I commit them to this blog. Eventually they'll evolve to a chronilogical order, but some may be forgotten now, and remembered later.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Cast of Characters
When I started driving a cab in Lexington Kentucky, I knew the experience would be rich with stories. Not having a narrative, I am starting with a focus on the cast of characters. Some of these people are only in my cab one, some repeat their visits like a good ensemble cast. Until I come up with anything further, I am going to create a cast list. The people are real, but I will not be using their real names. My name is not even Louie.
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