Last week's post took me over the course of four days to write and correct. Given that, six months after my return from Europe, my new book remains unfinished, I have to reset priorities and give most of my spare time to completion. For those of you who wish I was less verbose, your wish, at least over the short term, has been granted. While I could go back to school, obtain the necessary degrees and start a private therapy (psychology) practise I am still remaining focused of my writing getting me permanently out of taxi. I am also putting together a push toward the creation of a political ad agency, given my obvious interest in all things political. Even if that goes forward, my primary purpose there is to make enough money to write full time minus all distractions. Writing and reading and farming remains the goal I am aiming for this probably last quarter of my life. Yes, being in reasonable health allows me various options but being 62 signals to me it is now or never if I am going to fully live the life I want and desire. Being a good cabby just isn't enough justification to continue on my present course. All the big tips coming my way expresses my passenger's gratitude for efficiency but the time is now for me to change and I am getting closer to my taxi exit. I have done my taxi time. It is that simple, past due for my final release.
Before closing today, I want to provide two amazing examples of "taxi synchronicity" plus news that a big taxi meeting will be occurring tomorrow at Yellow, Wednesday April 27th, 2016. Since I was elected by a committee of drivers to attend, I will be there. Drivers representing County and Sea-Tac operators will be there in additional to folks from Teamsters 117. As I have been saying, finally, given the huge decline in business, my fellow cabbies now realize their very survival is at stake. I personally believe ultimately we will be okay but the struggle has begun, and just where and how it will end I don't know. I truly appreciate that a large group of drivers have taken the initiative to organize and proceed forward. It is a great sign of better things to come.
And upon the amazing and astonishing magical occurrences I sometimes experience, I give two "cases-in-point," one relatively simple, the other more inter-connected and complex. More than once I have relayed examples of how my last ride of the night very often takes me in the direction home, unexplainable synchronicity at work. This more of that type of thing.
Sunday night I wanted to wash my car at the car wash located next to the Uncle Ike's Marijuana store, Ike's of course handing out free ten dollar car wash cards upon the delivery of yet another "weed" fiend. Dropping off at a club on 1st Avenue South, 3 women jump in for what is my last fare of the weekend, and where did they go? Incredibly, 21st and East Union, a mere two blocks from the car wash! How in the world did that happen?
The other more complicated series of sequences began last Monday afternoon, 4/18/2016 at about 4:15 PM. Belled into the 7th Avenue PolyClinic, another Yellow stole my fare but the clinic said, here, take this guy, he needs a cab. I clearly ask the Vietnamese man just how was he was paying, understanding he could be some kind of account fare. Cash, are you paying cash, I asked. Yes, he clearly responded. It turns out he has hearing issues.
23 dollars later and now on south Beacon Hill I find out he is indeed a HopeLink client. We worked out a deal that he would pay me in cash and I would do my best to get the authorization number and then return him his money. That is how it worked out, and on Saturday afternoon I made it back to his house on the 8600 thousand block of Beacon Avenue South, giving Tan back his money. We shook hands, with everyone happy with the outcome.
Fast forward to now 2:30 AM Sunday morning and a couple flags me on Capital Hill, taking me back to an address directly next to Tan's. And the fare? You guessed it, 23 dollars! Amazing and amazing, the taxi universe rewarding the honest cabby!
It is obvious that life remains mysterious. Welcome again to taxi as I know it, in all its nuances and twists and turns across our known and unknown earth.
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