After a long reflection of how many days I’ve driven for Uber and now Lyft. Each day is always a surprise. Not all passengers are the same and people are extremely diverse. The one thing that is more common is how everyone notices my foreign presence. I’m a white man with a different accent. A foreigner, but still white. I have a different perspective on and was raised differently on Australian values. I never thought America was so different to Australia. The media in my country would say we’re becoming too much like America, but it is really not the case. Yes Australia is capitalist and a democracy, but our healthcare, tax system, education, and even our language is surprisingly different. I’m probably going to write a book of all the bizarre experiences I’ve had.
My first passenger works at Panera Bread. Somehow we got onto the subject of politics straight away including Australias healthcare system. The bloke really loves Bernie Sanders, on the other hand he hates Pete Buttigieg and despises Trump. Even though I have my green card I can’t vote. I’m just an observer, until maybe the next election. Citizens are the only ones who can vote. Anyway this guy said he wouldn’t vote for anyone if Mayor Pete got in. I said “don’t you want Trump out?” “Yes, but I would be bitter that Bernie didn’t make the primary”. I noticed too that 90% of passengers don’t want Trump as their president and want someone else. Yes I’m in a left leaning city with a university, but I do get the odd right winger who praises Trump, like he’s God’s gift to man. Normally I try and keep bipartisan in my car, which results in a 5 star rating and a tip. Sometimes if I strongly disagree like the healthcare situation, I will definitely disagree with them. I will always use as Australia as an example because it’s the best system I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had doctors visits in Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, and the USA. Australia literally craps over every single one. Yes it’s paid for by our taxes and people have a tax deductible option to have private health if they want. The private health system is regulated by the government, so they can’t charge an extortionate rate. Australias life expectancy is also a lot higher than other western countries. In 2019 it was 83.35 years, whereas the USA is 78.87 years. Canada only just beats Australia at 84. Bernie wants universal health care, Pete wants people to have a choice. To be fair anything would be better than the current system.
After dropping the bloke off I got a ping over near Freddie Meyers. The Four Points Sheraton. It doubles as a bus depot. By crickey, this bloke had the loudest hippie 60s shirt you’ll ever see. Long white hair in a ponytail, beer gut, and a white bear, with spectacle. “G’day mate how are you goin’?” He replied with “Namaste”. I responded with “It is a good day isn’t it?” “Just got back from India and it was Ghandis 150th birthday, parties and weddings everywhere”. He stated. “Oh wow, where in India did you go?” He went on “Oh all over, I was there for a few months, the people are so friendly and love foreigners. In the north they give you money because you’re foreign, it’s a cultural thing”. “Sounds incredible mate, did you enjoy the food?” I asked. “Oh absolutely, yes I did, curry that burns your mouth out, I love spicy food”. I couldn’t help but think that maybe they gave this guy money because he looks down and out, but maybe it is a cultural practice. I don’t know.
Next passenger was a lady who works at Grocery Outlet aka Gross Out. A non union grocery store that has pretty good produce as long as you check the use by dates, otherwise it does become Gross Out. My passenger was from Texas, who wanted a change. Wanted to escape the drama of her life wrangling cattle and owning 50 guns, okay I’m speculating here. Maybe it was family issues, I didn’t want to pry.
Then I got my Senegalese lady, my favourite French speaking lady. She was going to the dentist. She said that me picking her up all the time was like “Driving Miss Daisy”. I laughed at this, it’s only because her son from New Jersey requests me specifically. This time she sat in the front and we chatted about Australia and the flooding that’s been happening since the bush fires.
After dropping her off, another regular. A student studying web design. She wants to create a web page business dedicated to her photography. Photographing people specifically.
I plonked her off at her destination and went to go pick up Miss Daisy after her teeth appointment. She was ready after about an hour. A new crown was placed in her mouth. She laughed at me picking her up again. All numb from the dental appointment. The conversation was about teeth and how when I moved to America I had no fillings. Now I have nine! Yep high fructose corn syrup is awful for my teeth I’ve discovered. In Australia we use real sugar and none of that fake sugar.
Short day with 3 rides uber and 3 trips Lyft. Next up a not so thirsty Thursday.
