My day started like any other driving around trying to find a passenger. It seemed a little slow, but got a ping to the north of my position. I thought my passenger was going to be at a house, because the address was different to the actual pin. I zoomed out on the app and realised it was at the high school. I went to the school and I couldn’t see the lady who was supposed to be picked up. A kid opened my door. I said “you’re not Lorrie”. The responded “I’m her son, oh good”. He sat in the back and was exited about the sweets in my car. I asked him “what grade are you in?” “Junior year”. “What does that mean? year 8?” “No, grade 11”. “Australia is so different that sounds like senior to me because you’re only one year away from your final year of high school” I said. I went on to ask him what he wants to do in life? “I want to join the army”. I looked at him in my review mirror and said “why?” “I just think it would be cool”. The military was a last resort for me in my mind growing up. I’m an only child and the training seemed arduous, even painful. I told him “just remember once you’re in there’s no turning back until your service is up, I knew an army bloke in Australia who became a mechanic in the army and wanted to leave in his third year to look after his mother who had cancer, they wouldn’t allow him to leave unless he paid $90,000 to the Australian government”. The kid replied “It’s okay, it’s what I want to do and I’m prepared for anything”. It was his decision afterall and feel he made up his mind a long time ago. Like me and Archaeology. War is no walk in the park I have spoken to enough military personnel to know it’s not easy, but can be rewarding. The culture can be different from regular society as well. They even have classes on how to act in a normal context. It’s a bit odd, but with what you have to deal with I couldn’t do it. I must admit the technology is fascinating and fun to use, but I don’t think I could take orders to kill a person or child. Taking a life just because they went a different pathway is no way to spend a life. People can change.
I dropped him at his house and proceeded to drive around Bellingham. Trying to find my next passenger. Stop, start, turn, up, down, round and round I went. Then I saw this woman dressed as the wicked witch from Snow White, you know the hagged woman that gives Snow White the poisoned apple? Well she’s there feeding the crows on the side of the road. Chucking bread at the ground. “Stone the flaming crows!” An exclamation from Australia that is by far an appropriate exclamation for this situation. What the heck am I seeing here? Crows are a bloody pain the ass. They’re noisy, they crapped on my shoulder the week before and now they’re in abundance everywhere I look. Yes they’re very intelligent, the mind of a 7 year old, but this lady isn’t helping anyone. Bread can expand in the stomach of an animal and can harm them. Maybe that’s what she’s doing? Either way it’s cooky.
I waited so long for my next customer. To the point where I had listened to a bunch of podcasts. Then finally a bloke over by the marina. He works at Anthony’s a seafood restaurant. He also noticed that people weren’t coming in for a meal that day. “I wonder why?” I asked. He said “it’s unusual for a Thursday because they are usually really busy”. I agreed with him “yeah it’s usually thirsty Thursday for me”. I fear I have had more competition as of late. Harder to get quotas. Except for fruitful Fridays. They’re always solid.
After dropping him off at his home, I ducked over to the airport. I waited in a new strategic position. It only works for Lyft and not uber. It’s fine though. It has helped me before. Ping! Finally. Jesus answered my prayers, oh sorry his name was Jesus. You know the Hispanic name. I picked him up and then I noticed it was a 2 minute trip across the road from the airport. “Arghhh! You know you could have walked right? It’s just there”. “Oh I didn’t know, my friend is meeting me there”. I lost it it, my patience and frustration got the better of me. “It’s fine I’ve just had a bad day, only three people and my last ditch effort to get a long trip from the airport, failed me”. “I’m sorry”. My passenger replied. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t know the area, but I finally lost it. When this is your only form of income and all you end up with is a measly $16 after 8 hrs of work. It was possibly my worst day doing ride sharing. Even the puke got me $150 extra. I decided to go home and then got a ping when I was entering the driveway a 12 minute ride to who knows where? I cancelled. I was to annoyed to keep going. It was a weird day that still confused me.
Well there you have it one trip uber and two trips lyft. Next is fruitful Fridays. Um it seriously made up for it!
