First customer was a lady with east Indian background. She was from Georgia state originally, but moved to the west due the tech boom, she sells different types of chips and computer products. After finding that I’m Australian. She told me she had been to Tasmania and New Zealand. I asked her why Tasmania, she told me that she went with her friend. They repelled waterfalls near Cradle Mountain and visited the convict historical site Port Arthur. The lady discussed New Zealand and how the earthquake riddled island has hasn’t completely recovered from the last major quake Christchurch endured on the south island. I asked her if she went to anywhere specific on the south island. “Yes” was her response, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Christchurch, and Mt Cook. My time there in 2004 with my dad was my schoolies. My end of school present. Went from Christchurch to Twizel, then Milford Sound, Queenstown, the glaciers, Invercargill, Dunedin and back to Christchurch. There were landscapes I had never seen before. The ice capped mountain ranges of the Southern Alps, lush green fields, glaciers, and weird birds like Keas. The people were friendly and talked funny. My passenger said Australians and New Zealanders sound the same to her. No we don’t. There’s a huge difference. I tried to explain by saying Fush and chups, instead of fish and chips. Capeesh. She was very nice though. Honestly though before I moved to the states I thought Canadians and Americans sounded the same. Now I know there’s an obvious difference. I dropped her at her destination.
Ping, next customer was a lass staying at the Lutheran church college. $370 / month not bad. I remember I had to pay $33/day. Meals were included though. Pretty sure she only has meals on Sundays. I can’t recall what she was studying, but I made a point about the only Christian dorm at university was a Catholic college called St Alberts or Albies. The students living in there were hardly the Christian type, in fact they were quite the opposite. I wanted to go to that college first because they had sinks in the room. In fact meeting with the heasmdmaster that’s what I said. “Paul why do you want to be here?” “Because there’s a sink in the room”. The guy glared at me and then I went on to say “I love sports and very Christian.” Didn’t get picked. Got into Mary White College instead. Better choice to be honest. It was closer to everything and made some awesome friends. Found out that many people puke and pee in those sinks anyway. Gross. Glad I didn’t go there. Not to mention the horror stories about sexual assault and bogans loved to congregate there. Thanks for not picking me ass hole. I dropped her off at uni.
A lady I had picked up before. I was munching on some Cadbury Easter eggs I had found in the fridge. I made a point on saying how good is Cadbury? Laughing she agreed. She is studying medieval literature and was reading Dante’s inferno and the Cadbury Tales. I said “Sure it’s not the Canterbury Tales?” She laughed and second guessed herself. “Sorry I put Cadbury in ya head due to me eating this delicious choccy.” Scoffing egg after egg, I couldn’t stop. Delicious. She was slightly embarrassed about saying Cadbury Tales. Don’t be I honestly think it’d be a better read.
Next was a marketing major who desperately needed to stop and pick up some cannabis. The gent was from New York. I asked him is there any similarities between New York and Bellingham? He said it was hard to compare the two he said they are night and day. Hadn’t heard someone use that expression in a long time. First stop I waited for him to pick up his goods. Then we made our way to Frederick Meyer. He left his weed in the car. I immediately put my window down. “Mate you forgot ya yandi”. He turned with a confused look on his face. Yandi is aboriginal for marijuana. He took it from my hand, thanked me and went grocery shopping.
My next customer left me waiting for 6 minutes. A student from Seattle studying industrial engineering. “What is that? Sounds like you build skyscrapers”. No was the response. It’s more products for the consumer like phones etc. Ha well then. I drove past an ICF office and thought wait a minute, they hire archaeologists. Dropped him off at the Amtrak station. I went back to the ICF office and tried to talk to someone. Just a business card and a number. I rang the lady and she said to send a resume. Shortly after that I got an email from another company who wants to hire me on a temporary basis. I will hear about it more later.
Next I had a Mexican man who sounded like he had sucked some helium in before he entered my car. High pitched, then wondered maybe he had a tracheotomy. The man and his wife were fishers. They moved up from Mexico 40 years ago. Their boat had broken down. They wanted me to take them to their truck over at Sandy point. Nice long trip over there through the Lummi Reservation. The houses were huge and stately. The man started Sanchez fishing thanks to a friend of his, who sold him a commercial license to crab. The crab pots he has just off Sandy Point are numbering over 100. There to catch the delicious Dungeness crab. They also catch salmon. To top it off they own a seafood restaurant in Mexico as well. Both are doing great and only hire people if needed. Always busy and getting great money. The American dream turned out well for them. The wife also couldn’t speak English. I made sure I threw some Spanish words at them. She smiled and laughed. I don’t know many, but I love the language.
Finally I went to go grab some groceries. Got the essentials. I was about to set my destination home so I can pick up people on the way home when ping! My app said ya going south, my uber app was way too quick before I could enter it in. I rolled up to a lady who works Haggen in Portland. She was up for a conference. She asked me why I was here? I said it was a long story and said care to share over a beer? I said I’m going home after this. I have much to do. She was probably in her 50s. I tried to explain my whole life story in a 10 minute ride south. I dropped her off at a local bar and made my way north.
4 trips uber 3 trips Lyft. Till next time
