April 4, 2009 – Geppetto Vs. Sling Blade (aka Dr. Moreau, aka Aqualung)

          Once a week or so there is an altercation on the radio.  This usually occurs because drivers because of a wrong, or an alleged wrong that has taken place.  Today Kirk (Sling Blade) was accused of taking a fare without calling it in as he often does.  Since the office wasn’t informed that he had a fare he was allowed to keep his spot in the cab order.  Understandably this causes tension between the drivers.  When Geppetto called him out on the radio an argument ensued.

            Julie: Cab 03

            Kirk: Cab 03

            Julie: Go t--- th--- V—n--  gro—ery store.

            Kirk:…10-9 (repeat)

            Julie: Go to the V---s gro---c—y st—e!!!

            Kirk: Vons, 10 – 4.  That queer Polack is playing with the radio again.

             Julie: Stop it!

            Geppetto:  He already took a ride.

            Kirk: No, you’re just seeing things again.

            Geppetto: No, you just took a ride, give it to another driver.

            Kirk: No, I don’t play those games like you.           

            Unknown Driver: Who’s the queer? (Mocking Kirk)

            Julie: Stop it!!!

            Kirk: Why don’t you meet me in the alley.  Bring a crowbar.

            Geppetto: Oh yeah, what are you going to try to do with me back there.

            Kirk: Come and see.

            Geppetto:  Why don’t you come and meet me on the street?

            Kirk: Oh what a coward.

            This is strange on a few levels.  It’s entirely possibly that Geppetto just imagined seeing Kirk take a ride earlier.  His senses aren’t all that sharp anymore.  Although, given Kirks history, it is likely that he did pick up a passenger earlier and not call it in. 

            First, it isn’t considered a problem for Kirk to be dishonest at work, the problem occurs when someone speaks up about it.   Secondly, this informal street justice doesn’t seem to be frowned upon, especially if it is discussed off of the air.  And lastly, it doesn’t seem to be a problem that we have sociopaths that work for the company and berating the passengers.   

        

            I believe Kirk has starting writing his Memoirs recently -

September 24, 2008 – Another Stalking Mission

             Julie (one of the obese dispatchers) just sent me to pick up Robert Pervantes again.  It shouldn’t have been my call but the first 3 drivers refused to pick him up.  They told Julie that they already had picked up a passenger, or that they were taking fares only from the other side of town, or that they were waiting on a passenger.  All lies.  It doesn’t take much to fool Julie though.  She’s like a dinosaur - big body, little brain.  A modern day Brontosaurus if you will.  It was slow so I agreed to retrieve him.

            I agreed to drive him once around the block so that he could attempt to peer into the window of his sister’s house and lust after her boyfriend.  From the sounds of it they don’t allow him over at all anymore.  Then he wanted to talk about his camera.  Robert has this crappy little point and shoot that he uses.  He tried showing me all of the pictures that he had shot in the last week of his day-to-day activities.  I told him that I had to concentrate on driving.

            Robert: Could we sit down by the water?

            Me: No, the car has to be moving.  I don’t care where we go, but we have to be             driving.

            Robert: Oh…

            Me: Yeah, sorry, it’s a new company policy.

            Robert: I see.

            As you might expect, this simply isn’t true.  I can’t imagine many things that I might enjoy less than getting paid peanuts to sit by the water in the dark and talk with Robert about who knows what.  Nope, were not doing that.  From the sounds of it Robert just needs a friend more than anything.  Surely they have services that offer such a thing.  Me, my services entail picking people up and driving them.  Turns out Robert is actually the one who is driving – driving me insane…

June 30, 2008 – Julie Gets Worked Up

Today Julie got a little worked up on the radio.  Nothing like her usual tantrums though.  Today she had the foresight to turn off the radio and cut her losses.