This is an old one I never published 'cuz it's sad ...

When I worked for the other cab company (Brand X.) they didn't track how much we drove, when, where, or much of anything else for that matter. I kept my cab at home and drove whenever I got the urge, day or night, etc.

Early one morning last June I got sent to pick up the lady from the Marriott on Front St to take her to OHSU for her 'treatment'. This had been my 1st time getting her, but apparently she had a short term acct with us, she was in town for 2 wks getting some serious tests done and was going to Pill Hill to every single 4 hrs for a week so they could check the results. Her husband rode with her each time, holding her hand the whole way. She was weak, but in good spirits. I caught her on the last 2 days of her trips to the hospital and ended up readjusting my scheduled to pick her up every time so we had a lot of time to talk. They were a sweet couple. They ended up leaving the next day.

About a month later I get a call from her saying she was coming back to town for a bit and was wondering if I could pick her up from the airport and drive her around. Of course I did.

They're from Maine, long way from home. Her husband has to work and watch the kids this time, but he's calling her every couple of hrs to see how she is doing.

We have a bit more time to talk w/out her husband there. She tells me about how they were high school loves (in Texas) that lost touch, ran into each other on the street one day (in Montana) and reconnected 15 yrs later. Neither had children (and not from lack of trying) but were both married. They got divorced and married the day after both divorces were final then found out they were to be parents, to twins, a few months later. They are both madly in love with each other and their lives. It was a sweet story, and you could tell by her face she loved telling it.

She's only in town for a week and had one free day one so I took her around Ptld. Talking to her I found out she is an avid gardener and loves everything to do with plants so I took her up to the Rose Gardens, the Japanese Gardens (which, if you haven't seen, I highly recommend. It's a magical place) and out to Multnomah Falls. By the time we got to the falls she was moving a lot slower but still wanted to walk to the base and look at them. I got her back to the hospital not too long after that. She only stayed for another 2 days, but said she would call me when she came back to town the next month as the dr's said she was getting better and wouldn't have to be back for awhile. I took her to the airport one beautiful sunny day and was already talking to her about the places I would take her when she came back.

About 2 wks later her husband called me. She had peacefully died in her sleep the night before and she requested that he send me an airline ticket to get me out there and back for the funeral and that he give me a bit of money for driving her around that day as I wouldn't take any money from her then. I respectfully declined - she told me about their finances along with everything else we talked about. He also told me how she talked repeatedly about her last trip to Ptld and how much she enjoyed driving around with me, listening to my funny stories and anecdotes. She also asked that I forgive her for lying to me about getting better, but she didn't want to put a pall on our time.

He thanked me, repeatedly, for taking care of her while she was here as he couldn't be here due to work and kids. He said many, many other things that I couldn't really understand because he was crying almost as hard as I.

I'll never forget sweet Dauphine, and her incredible love for life and family.

"That crazy bitch called the cops on me!"

So I've added some odd little responsibilities to my cab driving, now I'm somewhat of a supervisor for the drivers. I'm dealing with them on a whole new level as well as being a fellow driver. Interesting dynamics, lemmetellya. One of the things that happens is that I'm getting all kinds of calls asking me all kinds of questions. I get a call Saturday night, while I'm driving from a driver (who also happens to be one of the guys that I spend quite a bit of time talking to):

He: You aren't going to believe what just happened to me.

Me: Shoot.

He: I picked up this lady, to take her just a couple of miles. She wasn't in the cab for more than 5 minutes and she was ALL over me. Would not leave me alone. Telling me "I love your voice", "You smell so good", "Your voice is really turning me on". And the like.

Me: Ho boy. You expect me to believe this, right? this happens more often than you would believe ... well, I mean, to the GUYS as well. :o)

He: I'm not kidding! And it gets worse.

Me: OK, but keep to the facts, please.

He: It's all true!! So I get her to her home and she asks me to help her carry her stuff in the house.

Me: You didn't ... ?

He: No! But I carried it to her door. She asked me to come in but I said no and left. She was really freaking me out. A little scary.

Me: Yeah. So that's the end of it?

He: No! She called dispatch a little while ago and said that she had left some stuff in the back of my cab.

Me: Don't tell me ... she wanted you to come back, right??

He: YES!! I told them I wouldn't go back there 'cuz she was crazy and didn't leave anything in my cab, but she left her number and they told me I had to call her. She was begging me to come back and finish what I started!!

Me: You mean with your sexy voice and all that??

He: Yes! She's nuts, I'm telling you.

Me: So what happened?

He: I hung up on her. See what I mean? I knew you wouldn't believe me.

Me: Ah. OK. So that's where it ended?

He: Yes.

Me: Well, as long as you don't call her back you should be all right.

He: Oh, I won't. Believe that.

nah nah nah .... 5 minutes later ... he calls me again ...

He: So she called dispatch and told them she found her stuff. They sent me a message telling me I was off the hook.

Me: Then I guess you're covered. Ya might wanna tone down that sex appeal though. Just a thought.

He: Ha. Ha.

nah nah nah ... 10 minutes later ...

He: She called me back! Like ... 15 times!! I'm not answering the phone, what do I do??

Me: Oh wow. Dude, I had no idea you were THAT sexy! heh Ahem. Don't answer. That's all I can tell you. Unless you wanna call the cops and tell 'em you're being stalked I don't imagine there's much you can do.

He: She's really starting to annoy me. I just might answer the phone and tell her off, crazy bitch!

Me: Now don't be doing that. Then she'd be able to call the company and complain about you. Just keep ignoring her.

He: Yeah. I guess you're right. I'm taking someone to a bar in Vancouver, I'll call you when I get done.

Me: Toodles.

nah nah nah ... 20 minutes later ...

He: She called the cops on me!!

Me: Wait, WHAT?

He: That crazy bitch called the cops on me! Told them I stole her stuff and wouldn't give it back or answer my phone.

Me: Whoa. So I'm assuming they called you, what do they want? The police I mean.

He: I have to go back down there and show them her stuff isn't in my car.

Me: Seriously? How are they going to know you didn't just toss it in the river on the way down?

He: I don't know. What do I do?

Me: Well, what did you tell them you'd do? Did you say you'd go down there?

He: Yeah. I mean, I have to, don't I?

Me: Well, I'm guessing if you called them back and told them to call dispatch and ask them about her calling and saying that she found her stuff you'd probably be off the hook pretty quick.

He: ... I forgot all about that! Yeah, that's what I'll do. I'll call you right back.

nah nah nah ... upshot ...

They called dispatch. They were able to tell them everything about where he picked her up, dropped off, how long he was there and about her calling back. He was off the hook for that one.

People are nuts sometimes, I tell ya.