That Dark Circle
March 14, 2009
Well here we were in December 2008.Alone I had moved seven storage bins of her junk into the sheds and house we had locked ourselves into for two years,and now all I had to do was find some way to pay for it.I reached out to family members,but they had their own obligations.All I needed was about $1500 to fix the truck,and $1000 to live while it was being fixed.I got neither.
I immediately began to look for local work of any kind and after applying everywhere,and having two interviews,I landed a job locally at $6.50 an hour for maybe three months.Within two hours I realized my nueropathic feet would not allow me to stand on them for long,and this was not a sitting job.I was dismissed the second day.We had no idea how we were going to make it at age 64 and 62 respectively.
In late December I got a letter from the Zimmer Clinic that my blood work showed elevations of something and they suggested a CT Scan.As usual I wasn't worried because I felt so good and Morgan had already told me "I was the perfect picture of health."The scan was scheduled in February.
New Year's Eve,2008 was my last night in the cab business.Mom dropped me off at 5PM and headed the thirty miles back home.I figured I would at least make 2-3 hundred.Things were goin good until1230 when I was dispatched to take a guy home from work.I guess he was pissed cause he had to work and everyone else was out havin fun.So he decided to take it out on me!
First I had to wait 10 minutes while he decided to come out.Then he had to go to the trash bin and told me not to leave.I could tell soon as he got in he was lookin for trouble.Many times I have found young black men wanting to challenge a white honky like me.
First he gave me his address and said that he would give me five bucks.Knowing it was about a ten dollar ride,I told him he would pay the full price or walk,but he wanted to argue about it anyhow.When the meter hit $5 he realized he had forgotten his pizza and wanted to go back for it.Of course when we got there it was up to around $8.He got his pizza and we headed toward his address.
Once we got close to the given address,he decided he wanted some female companionship.Girls and guys were walking all thru the streets of his neighborhood-no place I needed to be at 1230 AM.I was getting antsy when he told me to pull over.I wasn't too happy about it,but my thinking was he was gonna get out here.He handed me a twenty and told me to give him ten back.The meter was $12,but I figured I'd get rid of him and hurry dontown and make some money,so I handed him ten.Then he said take him on home.So I headed for his home a few blocks away.Once we got in the vicinity of it,he wanted to start the games again.
I drove a cab for thirteen years and altho I had a few close calls,I never was assaulted,but this guy got under my skin and he knew it.I called the dispatcher,who called the fuzz,then I told this punk if he didn't get out of my cab,I';d kill him.He started to say something and I slammed on the brakes,slammed it in park and started out my door.He musta got the idea,so he got out and ran.I got back in and got my butt outta his turf.
The damn dispatcher sent me to another call,this one he promised was a regular and good rider.After screwing around infront of his house five minutes,we gave up and I went back downtown.It looked like Mardi Gras.Mobs were in the street.I picked up a flagger at Fifth and we went to get his buddys at Front.About six got in the car and we pushed thru the mob and got up the street.It was a nice 20 dollar ride and ten dollar tip.Back to the money making.
At 0130 I got to Wrightsville Beach and snagged one off the road.Thank God.The place was desolate.Dropped them off on the beach,then got a call in Ogden.$25 later,it was over with.Downtown was cleaned out,beach was cleaned out,and dispatcher had no calls.From 0230 to 0600 I sat at the beach waiting for the sun to come so Mom coud come back and get me.I cleared another $140.Oh well,I had more fun coming!
I immediately began to look for local work of any kind and after applying everywhere,and having two interviews,I landed a job locally at $6.50 an hour for maybe three months.Within two hours I realized my nueropathic feet would not allow me to stand on them for long,and this was not a sitting job.I was dismissed the second day.We had no idea how we were going to make it at age 64 and 62 respectively.
In late December I got a letter from the Zimmer Clinic that my blood work showed elevations of something and they suggested a CT Scan.As usual I wasn't worried because I felt so good and Morgan had already told me "I was the perfect picture of health."The scan was scheduled in February.
New Year's Eve,2008 was my last night in the cab business.Mom dropped me off at 5PM and headed the thirty miles back home.I figured I would at least make 2-3 hundred.Things were goin good until1230 when I was dispatched to take a guy home from work.I guess he was pissed cause he had to work and everyone else was out havin fun.So he decided to take it out on me!
First I had to wait 10 minutes while he decided to come out.Then he had to go to the trash bin and told me not to leave.I could tell soon as he got in he was lookin for trouble.Many times I have found young black men wanting to challenge a white honky like me.
First he gave me his address and said that he would give me five bucks.Knowing it was about a ten dollar ride,I told him he would pay the full price or walk,but he wanted to argue about it anyhow.When the meter hit $5 he realized he had forgotten his pizza and wanted to go back for it.Of course when we got there it was up to around $8.He got his pizza and we headed toward his address.
Once we got close to the given address,he decided he wanted some female companionship.Girls and guys were walking all thru the streets of his neighborhood-no place I needed to be at 1230 AM.I was getting antsy when he told me to pull over.I wasn't too happy about it,but my thinking was he was gonna get out here.He handed me a twenty and told me to give him ten back.The meter was $12,but I figured I'd get rid of him and hurry dontown and make some money,so I handed him ten.Then he said take him on home.So I headed for his home a few blocks away.Once we got in the vicinity of it,he wanted to start the games again.
I drove a cab for thirteen years and altho I had a few close calls,I never was assaulted,but this guy got under my skin and he knew it.I called the dispatcher,who called the fuzz,then I told this punk if he didn't get out of my cab,I';d kill him.He started to say something and I slammed on the brakes,slammed it in park and started out my door.He musta got the idea,so he got out and ran.I got back in and got my butt outta his turf.
The damn dispatcher sent me to another call,this one he promised was a regular and good rider.After screwing around infront of his house five minutes,we gave up and I went back downtown.It looked like Mardi Gras.Mobs were in the street.I picked up a flagger at Fifth and we went to get his buddys at Front.About six got in the car and we pushed thru the mob and got up the street.It was a nice 20 dollar ride and ten dollar tip.Back to the money making.
At 0130 I got to Wrightsville Beach and snagged one off the road.Thank God.The place was desolate.Dropped them off on the beach,then got a call in Ogden.$25 later,it was over with.Downtown was cleaned out,beach was cleaned out,and dispatcher had no calls.From 0230 to 0600 I sat at the beach waiting for the sun to come so Mom coud come back and get me.I cleared another $140.Oh well,I had more fun coming!
Posted by John W..