Wednesday. Yes Tuesday I was rather ill. I personally don’t want to work when I am coughing up a lung. Could freak out passengers if they’re germophobes or possibly get them sick in the process. I like to pride myself on good customer service. It’s all I have. Anyway my first customer was a bloke who works at a yandi store aka marijuana. He was pretty decent. Not a space cadet at all. The bloke was extremely understanding of Native American values. He donates and gives what he can to any non profit organization associated with the tribes in the USA. We spoke at length about the atrocities they and other indigenous people around the world endured and in many cases still dealing with.
I dropped the bloke off near Lake Whatcom. A beautiful lake that’s worth visiting if you ever get a chance.
Next customer was a medical consultant who works at a marijuana dispensary in town. She wanted to be a nurse, but gets more money telling customers the benefits of marijuana. I found this intriguing. I asked “what are your thoughts on psychosis related conditions associated with the use of marijuana”. She replied, “like any drug it has it’s side effects”. I replied “That’s true, alcohol has dramatic consequences, but yet there’s no warnings for that, not that I want to see a destroyed liver or kidney on my bottle of beer”. My passenger laughed at agreed with me. When I was forced to slow my car down, a herd of pedestrians decided to cross the street briskly as if they were gazelles escaping a lion on the African savannah. I even mentioned this to my customer and she laughed. “What age would you recommend people using weed?” I asked. “21” she replied. “The brain isn’t fully developed until this age and it could have drastic consequences to people who use it”. I also asked her “people who use marijuana for anxiety, do you think people end up using it as a dependency drug, rather than a solution?” “Yes I do”. Was her response. Fascinating. I didn’t expect some the responses, but all marijuana dispensaries have to have a medical consultant available to answer all the necessary questions people have. I personally don’t want to use marijuana at all. I hate the smell. Pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I have other reasons as well.
Next customer was a bloke who I had picked up before. The chef in training. Last time I saw him he was going to be making cheese. “G’day mate, how did your cheese turn out?” I asked. “Not good at all, our instructor screwed up the recipe.” He replied. “Oh no! I was hoping you’d become a cheese connoisseur”. “Unfortunately no, our instrcuctor is a total bitch and blamed us for her mistakes. We made sausages successfully though, which is nice”. “Sounds like you need a new teacher, doesn’t sound very professional”. “No she isn’t, it’s not the first time it’s happened”.
My passenger spoke at length about his classes. Then we somehow got onto the topic of politics after seeing several political signs on the side of the road. He told me his dad knows the new mayor Seth Fleetwood. His policies are great and actually might develop the boardwalk and marina more. The new mayor sounds like a go getter! We discussed the homeless people situation at length and my passenger told me that in the past there was a mental health institution in Bellingham. One day it was shut down and the people ended up on the street. Crikey crumbs. The funding wasn’t there for the hospital and as a result the inmates became permanent fixtures on every corner in Bellingham. The government turned it’s back on people in need.
I dropped my passenger off at a mates place. Then another ping to the south back near the uni. A bloke studying chemistry. His dad worked at EBay for 15 years. When he told me that, I immediately felt a grey hair develop on my scalp. No way eBay is that old! It is. “Does eBay still exist?” I asked “Yes it does, but it’s in hot competition to Amazon”. I guess it’s like how taxis still exist. How do they make any money?
I plonked him off at his destination, when another ping caught me. A new customer. A bloke who works at a hotel. He’s the only guy who works there. No men except him. He said he gets all the crap jobs because not of his colleagues want anything to do with them. “Fixing toilets, doing maintenance, plumbing and any other awful job”. Poor bugger. At least you’re chivalrous.
Next customer was a pilot who flies freight from Bellingham to Seattle and vice versa. She has been flying two propeller planes for the last 10 years or so. She has had many stories, from emergency landings to violent storms.
Finally I picked up a bloke who works in California as a water complaints customer service agent. He deals with bills that are too high, leaks, problems with water quality and even taste. He said “someone’s gotta do it!”
That’s all for Wednesday. 4 trips uber 3 trips Lyft. Next up somewhat thirsty Thursday.
