The Wheelie Bin

An even later finish tonight after a very strange night in the cab. One of the other drivers got a job to take someone to Perth (a lazy $350 fare and 7 hour round trip!) in the cab I was rostered to drive, so I drove the wheel chair taxi, colloquially known as "the wheelie bin"! My first job was to a spot in the bush 20km west of Nannup for a fare of $127! The lady I took ear-bashed me the entire trip and was the sort of person who says a lot of things that should be challenged but for the sake of peace and sanity you don't tend to challenge! I had to smile to myself a couple of times when she tickled my "Bad Grammar Man" funny bone. She referred to a certain place a couple of times as that "pacific spot" and I'm sure she wasn't talking about Hawaii, and later mentioned the "Christian Philadelphians" who I presume she mistook for the "Christadelphians".

My next job was to Dunsborough but with dubious directions and street numbering it took me about 15 minutes just to find the right house and get on the road so by the time I got back from there the Noodle Bar was closed and I'd missed out on the Seafood Mee Goreng noodles I'd been looking forward to all night.
Things got much worse than that though! I picked up 6 people from the Goose, two of the ladies sitting in the back hatch, when the car ran out of gas! LPG Gas that is! It coughed and spluttered and finally died, then I succeeded in flattening the battery while trying to re-start it on what I thought was the reserve petrol tank! Turns out the petrol tank holds about 2 litres and is only used for starting the engine! The customers took it in very good humour.
Many comments were made back and forth, amongst which the most memorable were:

Female Customer: "Now we'll never get there"
Me: "Yeah we will, it'll be no problem with this many people pushing".

Me: "I'll turn the meter off until we get this sorted and back on the road."
Customer: "We've past the point where we owe you money...!"

John came to there rescue in the maxi and I drove his car for the next few hours of a very busy night.

Later Leggy towed me to the 24 Houry and used his jump pack battery to get me started again.

A bit later my customer was not at the appointed pick-up address and coincidentally a police car pulled up next to me to say they'd had a report of a "domestic" but couldn't find it. When I knocked on the door of the address I'd been given I was informed by the males in the house that "the woman has walked off" with what I presume were meant to be knowing looks and tones. As I was getting back in the cab one of them gave me $20 and pointed me in the direction she'd set off and asked me to see if I could find her and take her home.
I did just that but not before she called her husband on her mobile and let rip at him with a torrent of swearing and abuse. I think I'd found the "domestic"!

I finished at 5 and made plenty of money tonight. Now the question is will I get enough sleep to be able to get up and watch the Geelong V Brisbane game at 11.00 in the morning!

Further to that, on Monday and Tuesday I'm going on an overnight hike on the Bibbulmun Track with a group of year 10 students that I've been helping a teacher with for the last few weeks. It will be a challenging hike I'm sure, moreso emotionally than physically!


Just a quick word before I finish on Sport Boy's soccer game this morning. From the comparitive riches of our initial 13 man squad, this morning we only had 8 players so had to play one short against St Joseph's Eagles. Despite being out-numbered and being under early pressure, the kids played extremely well and ended up winning 5-0. Sport Boy scored two goals and in the second half when I switched him into defense also played really well. He has become our most consistent and reliable player this season. It was a very good game and some of the kid's passing movements brought comments and appreciation from the crowd, not just the proud parents but senior soccer players who were watching the game.

Just time to check in on Aaron Baddeley's progress in the 3rd round of the US Open before I go to bed. Need to go soon before the sun starts to come up!