It’s been a while since I posted because I have been working as an archaeologist again. I also finally had my green card interview this week and a court hearing for a speeding ticket. That post will be later. This is from Wednesday this week. Yes the 18th of December. My day begun when a bloke called Tray in Blaine, wanted to go over the border. He was desperate to post a package and pick up a vehicle. The trip on uber told me it will be 42 minutes with multiple stops. It didn’t tell me where I was going until I picked my passenger up. “Where are we going mate?” I asked the East Indian man. “Canada”. He replied. “I’m sorry mate I can take you to the border, I can’t leave the country until I receive my green card. Literally had my interview yesterday”. Tuesday the 17th of December was literally when I had my green card interview. It’ll probably take a few months. It’ll be a conditional one for two years, until I can get a 10 year one. That will mean close surveillance and no felonies in that time. Anyway my passenger took me nervously close to the border, to the point I almost turned around. He told me to drop at a truck entry point near the duty free. “Is there a way to turn around?” I asked. “Yes there is. There’s a gap in the cones just there”. He pointed to a tiny gap which made me nervous. It was big enough for my car to slip through. It looked almost an illegal turn, but I had no choice but to do it. He left me and gave me his number for a potential call later on his return.
The problem with living so close to the border is that you literally get people wanting to head over there, which I could do if I had the right paperwork to appease border patrol, but I just don’t. Not yet anyway. They can’t read my current permit which says multiple entry permit. I just don’t want the headaches. Not to mention I’ll definitely lose phone reception over the border and might lose the trip completely. I’ve never experimented or tried. Plus there’s no getting any trips over the border, not even uber eats.
After strategically turning around, I made my way south to B’ham. First I went to go fill my car up, but the pumps and fuel rewards were down, then ping! I picked up a FedEx pilot who was flying to Portland to pick up a truck. He has flown all the way around the country delivering packages. He has even flown to Sydney a couple of times. Prior to his freight exploits, he told me of simpler times. Back in the day, he flew commercial airliners with passengers. Then, you could fly with the door open and not worry about being hijacked. Even I remember as a child being able to come up to the cockpit and see the pilots fly the plane. They’d point out all the instruments including the altitude monitor and the land gear controls. Now, ever since September 11, the doors are locked to protect the pilots. Thoughts from my frequent flyer days came flooding back. Flying with ANSETT and sometimes Qantas. Come to think of it there has only been two years in my life I haven’t flown. First flight was to Vanuatu at the age of two. Next was the age of four to Fiji. My parents divorced at age five. Next thing you know I’d be flying from the Gold Coast to Sydney to see my father. I was classed as UM or an unaccompanied minor. I told my passenger this and he told me I should become a pilot. As much as that sounds tempting, it’s just too expensive for me at the moment.
My passenger was dropped off at the airport. I then made my way back to the petrol station. I got in line at a specific pump. I knew I wouldn’t be waiting long. The whole long reaching nozzles don’t work well enough for my car. It cuts off instantly and the nozzle needs to be at a certain angle so it can pump freely. A lady behind me whipped around in front of me to do the long reach nozzle action. She seemed angry at me for not taking the opportunity. She scoffed at me, like I was an idiot. Couldn’t help but shake my head at her. You have no idea lady. This nozzle needs a shorter access to the fuel tank, otherwise it cuts off instantly and incessantly. Bloody annoying, but it teaches me the art of patience. Wait your turn and the fuel will flow. You literally have to tilt the whole nozzle 45 degrees for it to work. Yes you also have to hold it. No laziness. It’s the only massive flaw I have with my car. It’s tolerable. No car is perfect in my opinion. You can have all the gadgets under the sun and the new model comes out and now everything you have is obsolete. I love my car, it’s a pleasure to drive and it has guts when it needs to have guts.
Ping! Shag Condominiums. The name of this retirement village cracks me up every time. “Bonjour monsiour”. My passenger saw that my second language was French so I unleashed what I could. My elderly passenger was very impressed. Her father was from France, but she was from the West African nation of Senegal. Her father used to work on the railroad in Senegal and Guinea Bissau. One more forested than the other. The other the Sahara desert. Her memories were not the best, but were still fond memories. Mainly joyful ones of her father. Interestingly enough the bad ones were of tribal turmoil. A white person being caught up in warfare and racism. Hatred towards Caucasian people was warranted, but most unfortunate for the ones who were born there. They were in a bubble until it finally burst. It was obvious in countries like Zimbabwe, where white farmers were driven away from their so called land. South Africa on the other hand took peaceful measures to end apartheid. Nelson Mandela, a man who didn’t want to divide a nation, but to unite it. Such a great man. Unfortunately the country since, has become a nation of almost dictators. The ANC has become the most dominant political force since Mandela. Perhaps an alternative party that’s not steeped in apartheid would be good for the country. Anyway my thoughts on Africa has to wait, my passenger was being driven by me to the Chrysallis. She needed a pick up later, so I gave me her my number.
Driving back north towards the Frederick Meyer near Lakeway Dr. I drove passed a Police Hazard Inspection Unit. They even had the robots! What did they find? Or what were they looking for? It was hard to tell, but it will remain one of life’s mystery’s.
Ping! A soccer player, I mean Ronaldo a computer chip manufacturer. I asked him how sterile the room has to be? “Extremely clean, no dust or any dirt”. The bloke was from Colorado, visiting his family for Chrissie. I told him about my Green Card interview and he wish me the best. It will hopefully show up in the mail in a few months.
My next customer was a bloke I had picked up once before. He was of to Bob’s Burgers and Brews. He always directs me a different way to the app. The app takes us around to a bunch of strange ways that hits terrible traffic. I remembered he works at the refinery. He’s a bit of a scrooge around Christmas because he has no kids or family to care about.
Then the Senegalese lady needed a pickup. It was arranged with her son. He texted me from New Jersey. i rang him and told him I was on my way. I picked her up and she was thrilled to be pampered. I used more French to impress her and then somehow we got onto the topic of politics. She said it was a waste of time and money impeaching the president, because the people will inevitably have their say in a few months anyway. I dropped her off and her son wanted to send me money via an app called Venmo, which I didn’t have. I downloaded it and wants me to pick his mum up on Sunday morning at 5 am. I have agreed to do it and work Saturday evening. She will be my last customer.
Lyft didn’t even work today. 0 Trips from them, yet uber gave me 6 rides total. Next post is a thirsty Thursday!
