I got a call from a guy that I've picked up before:
He: Hey, are you driving tonight?
Me: Sure. Who and where are you?
He: This is Joe, you picked me up once before. I'm downtown and I need a ride.
Me: OK, I'm sorry but I'm in Gresham, about 1/2 hr away. You're probably better off catching a ride w/someone downtown.
He: Naw. It's all right, I'll wait for you.
Me: ... Reeeally. Why?
He: I remember you were really cool to me before and I want to see you again.
Me: Uh oh.
He: What do you mean?
Me: Just uh oh. No one waits 1/2 an hr downtown, in the cold, at 3 in the morning unless they want something. What is it you want?
He: Nothing. Just a ride. And, well, you were memorable.
Me: Oh Christ. Look, I'll come get you, but no hitting on me, OK?
He: Really? But ... OK.
Me: I'm heading that way, I'll call you when I get downtown.
He: K.
Half an hour later he hops in the cab, in the front and we're off to Lake Oswego. I remember him, cute little guy w/a big truck.
We laugh and joke and he keeps trying to touch me all the way there. "Is this your real hair?" "Do you want something to drink?" "Want to stop at a drive-thru? Anything at all, really." etc.
Christ. Anyway, when we get towards his home in Lake O we slowly pass this car of kids - looks to be 4 boys, backwards hats, driving mommy's Saab. I didn't really get a good look. They are on my side of the cab and eyeball me as we pass. I just wave and keep going. They pop in behind me and start following us. We turn, they turn. I pull over, they pull over. Kinda pissing me off. Dude in cab is drunk and decides he's "gonna take care of these punks". I take off again and pull into
a Plaid around the corner from Joe's house.
Me: I don't want them to follow you home. They're kinda pissing me off.
He: I'll take care of them. and he jumps out of the cab and starts to chase 'em down the street. They take off, go up the street and he hops back in the cab. Told you I'd take care of them, I carry a gun, they aren't going to be chasing you around.
While I'm chewing him out for carrying a gun when he's drunk and trying to be stupid the kids pull up at the stop sign behind us and turn off their lights and wait for us to pull out. Now I'm getting concerned, not just pissed. Between them and him ...
Me: Hey Joe, can you go in and get me a bottle of water? I'm really thirsty.
He: Sure Babe, be right back.
Me: calling 911 Hey there. My name is Trixie and I drive for Trixie Cab, I'm in Lake Oswego and have some kids following me around. Have been for almost 10 minutes. They're parked behind me now w/their lights off waiting for me to pull out of the Plaid at etc etc ... and look, the guy in my cab is drunk and has a gun on him. Someone is going to get hurt if these kids keep effing around.
She gets the particulars from me and Joe gets back in the cab (with a GALLON of water :) and he hears me talking to her so he looks over to where I tell her the kids are and jumps out of the cab and runs after them again. I tell her what's going on. The kids flip a bitch in the middle of the road and take off. Joe stumbles back to the cab and gets in. I'm still talking to her and the kids come back and drive right behind me in the parking lot - blocking my way out. Laughing. Now I can see they're just kids.
He: Look, they're just punk kids. This is what we do in Lake O when we're bored, we drive around the lake 2X and if we don't find any trouble to get into then we just go home.
Me: I know they're just punks, but someday they're going to mess w/the wrong person. And now I can't go anywhere because they're blocking my way out. Can't you rich kids get a *hobby* or something? Damn.
He: I'll get them out of here. I grab his shoulder as he opens the cab door to keep him in the cab and she gets concerned over whether or not there's going to be a problem. I tell her no, the kids are driving off as he opened the door.
Me: They pulled away from the cab but they stopped at the corner next to the Plaid and are waiting for me.
She: There's an officer right around the corner, should be there any second.
And they were. Pulled over the kids. She told me they would call me if they needed me. I took off w/Joe and got him home. Had to fend off his friendly hands.
3/1/11
I made the newspaper for a story I wrote.
And didn't even know it. I can't decide whether to be flattered that I made the paper or feel like an idiot for not writing more stories. :)
You can follow the link here if you're interested, article was dated Jan 2011:
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/01/the_fit_the_devout_and_the_goo.html
Me
You can follow the link here if you're interested, article was dated Jan 2011:
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/01/the_fit_the_devout_and_the_goo.html
Me
2/14/11
Dragons and Skulls and Swords, oh my ...
I got this idea from some Dude's shirt in my cab one night. I really, really like this one. O' course, I'm a bit biased.
If anyone is interested I've started a blog just for the stuff I draw. The link is over there ------>
Ya never know, I might come up w/a story some day.
12/28/10
"Why are you trying to take me to your HOUSE?"
I got sent to outer SE Division fairly early one morning to pick up Dude that woke up late and missed his bus so he had to call a cab to get to work on time. He hopped in the cab, up front ...
He: Hey, wow I'm glad you got here so quickly. I'm going to be late for work if I wait for the next bus, can you get me to St. V's in about 35 minutes?
Me: Might be cutting it close, but I'll see what I can do.
He: Cool. Man. I'm so tired. I stayed up drinking with some friends last night and didn't get to sleep until about 1.
Me: Yeah, I'm kinda tired myself, it's been a long night.
He: Yeah, me too. You know where you're going right? I think I'm going to try and sleep unless you need me to give directions.
Me: Nah. I got it. You can sleep.
He: Cool.
He falls asleep and is snoring quiet. We're tooling along on the freeway and I'm driving on autopilot, yawning from my long night, but not dangerous tired (I nap if I get to that point). Picked a good time to get a quiet passenger.
I head around downtown on 405 to get to the Beaverton/Hwy 26 exit and shoot off onto the 6th st. exit into downtown. Totally wrong exit. It takes me a minute to realize I'm not going home but have someone in my cab. Oops.
Me: Shit! out loud
He: Dude woke up when I spoke Wha? What's going on?
Me: Oh man, I took the wrong exit.
He: Wha ... why are we downtown?
Me: I took the wrong exit. I was on autopilot and took the wrong exit.
He: looks at me suspiciously Is this the only wrong turn you've taken while I was sleeping?
Me: Look, I understand that you're suspicious but I just took a wrong exit. This is the only one I've taken so far, it's all been freeway. You still have about 15 minutes to get to work so we couldn't have gone too far out of the way. The freeway exit is just up Clay St a few blocks, I'll cut $5.00 off the fare when we get there, this is my mistake. Sorry.
He: is still looking at me like I wanna live inside his skin OK. Why would you take this exit anyway?
Me: I live just around the corner from here and thought I was going home.
He: Why are you trying to take me to your HOUSE?!!
Me: I'm not trying to take you to my house, again, it's just a habit. I don't mean anything by it. Everyone has to live somewhere, right?
He: reaches up to try and open the door ... my cab has auto-locks on it, once we're in drive the doors lock Why is this door locked???
Me: Dude, don't freak out. Autolocks. It's all right, really. I'm not going to sacrifice you to the cab Gods, I just took the wrong exit. I'm really sorry. If you feel the need to jump out of the cab while we're driving I can just let you out here and you can find another cab.
He: No ... I only have a few minutes to get to work.
Me: OK, look, we're at the exit now. We'll be there in like, 8 minutes. You all right?
He: Yeah.
Me: Bet ya aren't tired any longer tho huh?! :)
He just glared at me.
Heh ... got him there in about that time. He could NOT get outta the cab fast enough.
He: Hey, wow I'm glad you got here so quickly. I'm going to be late for work if I wait for the next bus, can you get me to St. V's in about 35 minutes?
Me: Might be cutting it close, but I'll see what I can do.
He: Cool. Man. I'm so tired. I stayed up drinking with some friends last night and didn't get to sleep until about 1.
Me: Yeah, I'm kinda tired myself, it's been a long night.
He: Yeah, me too. You know where you're going right? I think I'm going to try and sleep unless you need me to give directions.
Me: Nah. I got it. You can sleep.
He: Cool.
He falls asleep and is snoring quiet. We're tooling along on the freeway and I'm driving on autopilot, yawning from my long night, but not dangerous tired (I nap if I get to that point). Picked a good time to get a quiet passenger.
I head around downtown on 405 to get to the Beaverton/Hwy 26 exit and shoot off onto the 6th st. exit into downtown. Totally wrong exit. It takes me a minute to realize I'm not going home but have someone in my cab. Oops.
Me: Shit! out loud
He: Dude woke up when I spoke Wha? What's going on?
Me: Oh man, I took the wrong exit.
He: Wha ... why are we downtown?
Me: I took the wrong exit. I was on autopilot and took the wrong exit.
He: looks at me suspiciously Is this the only wrong turn you've taken while I was sleeping?
Me: Look, I understand that you're suspicious but I just took a wrong exit. This is the only one I've taken so far, it's all been freeway. You still have about 15 minutes to get to work so we couldn't have gone too far out of the way. The freeway exit is just up Clay St a few blocks, I'll cut $5.00 off the fare when we get there, this is my mistake. Sorry.
He: is still looking at me like I wanna live inside his skin OK. Why would you take this exit anyway?
Me: I live just around the corner from here and thought I was going home.
He: Why are you trying to take me to your HOUSE?!!
Me: I'm not trying to take you to my house, again, it's just a habit. I don't mean anything by it. Everyone has to live somewhere, right?
He: reaches up to try and open the door ... my cab has auto-locks on it, once we're in drive the doors lock Why is this door locked???
Me: Dude, don't freak out. Autolocks. It's all right, really. I'm not going to sacrifice you to the cab Gods, I just took the wrong exit. I'm really sorry. If you feel the need to jump out of the cab while we're driving I can just let you out here and you can find another cab.
He: No ... I only have a few minutes to get to work.
Me: OK, look, we're at the exit now. We'll be there in like, 8 minutes. You all right?
He: Yeah.
Me: Bet ya aren't tired any longer tho huh?! :)
He just glared at me.
Heh ... got him there in about that time. He could NOT get outta the cab fast enough.
12/7/10
"Well. OK, I did call a cab, but I didn't call you."
I get sent to a strip joint to get one of the girls, apparently she had to wait awhile because she sounded like she’d been imbibing while waiting. I call her number ….
Me: Hey there. This is your taxi, do you still need a ride?
She: Wait. What? WHO is this?
Me: This is your taxi. Do you. Still need. A ride?
She: Noooo. I didn’t call a cab.
Me: looking at the order on the screen Ah. Sorry. This is the number I have to reach Anya.
She: Well. I am Anya. But I didn’t call a cab. How did you get this number?
Me: The voices in my head told me to call you.
She: … What? WHO is this?
Me: Again. This is your taxi. You called a taxi, I showed up to give you a ride. That’s how it works. sometimes you need to be specific w/the inebriated.
She: Weeeelll, OK. I did call a cab, but I didn’t call YOU. My driver already showed up, with my name and phone number on his screen. I don’t think you’re a cab driver. I want to know who exactly you are and why you are calling me this late. RIGHT now.
Me: Ah. So apparently you called both companies. there are only 2 in town with computer screens Have a good night.
She: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I want to know who you are.
Me: I told you, I’m your cab driver.
She: You sound like a woman.
Me: … so do you.
She: Don’t be a smart ass.
Me: Sorry. Just stating the obvious as you did.
She: …
Me: Did you get the text message that your cab was on the way?
She: Is THAT what that was all about?
Me: Yes. So you would have my cab number and didn’t get in the wrong cab when more than one of us showed up. Modern technology, gotta love it.
She: Why is your number blocked?
Me: It’s my personal number. I don’t give it to everyone.
She: So how am I supposed to call you back to prove that you’re a cab driver?
Me: Do you really need to “prove” I’m a cab driver?
She: Yes. It’s 3 in the morning and you‘re calling me. I want to make sure you are who you say you are.
Me: So, I give you my number, you call me back, I tell you that I am actually a cab driver, of course you believe me because I tell you I am and then what … you are going have the cab you are in turn around and come back here so you can get in my cab?
She: Of course not. Why would I?
Me: Exactly. So why would I give you my number?
She: …
Me: Have a good night. click
Me: Hey there. This is your taxi, do you still need a ride?
She: Wait. What? WHO is this?
Me: This is your taxi. Do you. Still need. A ride?
She: Noooo. I didn’t call a cab.
Me: looking at the order on the screen Ah. Sorry. This is the number I have to reach Anya.
She: Well. I am Anya. But I didn’t call a cab. How did you get this number?
Me: The voices in my head told me to call you.
She: … What? WHO is this?
Me: Again. This is your taxi. You called a taxi, I showed up to give you a ride. That’s how it works. sometimes you need to be specific w/the inebriated.
She: Weeeelll, OK. I did call a cab, but I didn’t call YOU. My driver already showed up, with my name and phone number on his screen. I don’t think you’re a cab driver. I want to know who exactly you are and why you are calling me this late. RIGHT now.
Me: Ah. So apparently you called both companies. there are only 2 in town with computer screens Have a good night.
She: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I want to know who you are.
Me: I told you, I’m your cab driver.
She: You sound like a woman.
Me: … so do you.
She: Don’t be a smart ass.
Me: Sorry. Just stating the obvious as you did.
She: …
Me: Did you get the text message that your cab was on the way?
She: Is THAT what that was all about?
Me: Yes. So you would have my cab number and didn’t get in the wrong cab when more than one of us showed up. Modern technology, gotta love it.
She: Why is your number blocked?
Me: It’s my personal number. I don’t give it to everyone.
She: So how am I supposed to call you back to prove that you’re a cab driver?
Me: Do you really need to “prove” I’m a cab driver?
She: Yes. It’s 3 in the morning and you‘re calling me. I want to make sure you are who you say you are.
Me: So, I give you my number, you call me back, I tell you that I am actually a cab driver, of course you believe me because I tell you I am and then what … you are going have the cab you are in turn around and come back here so you can get in my cab?
She: Of course not. Why would I?
Me: Exactly. So why would I give you my number?
She: …
Me: Have a good night. click
8/1/10
Wanna know what makes your cabbie smile?!
Winning these on the Bay of evil.
And now I MUST have the 5 different types out there. We'll see about the Sabbath ones. I've never really been a fan but hey, they're Chucks and they are kinda cool. :)
And now I MUST have the 5 different types out there. We'll see about the Sabbath ones. I've never really been a fan but hey, they're Chucks and they are kinda cool. :)
7/18/10
I've seen and heard some nasty things in my cab over the years ...
but until last night I've never had anyone ask me to pull over so they could check the ripeness of the dead 'possum laying in the road for edibility.
Ew.
Ew.
5/15/10
Everytime someone famous moves to Portland ...
... they make a big stink about it in the papers.
So we got another celebrity (for now, nameless) that has moved here to help out our floundering economy. Which would be great if:
when he took a cab here a month ago and had the driver tool him around all day long trying to find someone that could cash a check but couldn't, and of course, being a big Hollywood star, has no cash
then not only couldn't pay that driver, but when the driver got in trouble for going over in lease time he went into the cab company the next day to explain all this in hopes of not getting driver in trouble and possibly stopping any police action that might occur
then it only took him another 2 days to pay that driver, through the company.
Welcome to Oregon, Hollywood.
And just so ya know, it's none of the "Leverage" folk that are hanging about town while filming. Thankfully. Think I'd have a crying fit t'were it Christian Kane. :)
So we got another celebrity (for now, nameless) that has moved here to help out our floundering economy. Which would be great if:
when he took a cab here a month ago and had the driver tool him around all day long trying to find someone that could cash a check but couldn't, and of course, being a big Hollywood star, has no cash
then not only couldn't pay that driver, but when the driver got in trouble for going over in lease time he went into the cab company the next day to explain all this in hopes of not getting driver in trouble and possibly stopping any police action that might occur
then it only took him another 2 days to pay that driver, through the company.
Welcome to Oregon, Hollywood.
And just so ya know, it's none of the "Leverage" folk that are hanging about town while filming. Thankfully. Think I'd have a crying fit t'were it Christian Kane. :)
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