Also, here is Andrew's thought of the, uh, what's it been, 4 months? Thought of the Quarter!
Americans are crazy about money. And it's a little disturbing - I think it's because there's a general lack of depth in people here. Not, I should hasten to add, anyone I work/spend time with, because, quite frankly, I wouldn't if they were like that - but the general atmos here? It's ... hmmm, it's not the same as in Sydney, or Thailand, or even Greece!
All the songs are about making money. All the books are about making money. The people who are famous here? They are often famous SIMPLY FOR MAKING MONEY. What do the bums on the street here ask for? Education? Equality? Medical? No - money!
Call me stir-crazy (although I do prefer 'Andrew', maybe with the appellation 'Sri Sri'), but that's, well, stir-crazy!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Confessions of a taxi taker
Hi blog people!
There are rarely any people who read this blog - so I'll let you in on a secret! I'm a tad ill now (the flu, or something disturbingly alike to it), but I'm better (or my back is - thanks to Thai massage!) but, assuming I feel in tip top shape tomorrow (which in yankee land is a Wednesday -and hey, it's new Comic Book Day on Wednesdays, so of *course* I'll be better) I'm going to go and book some sky-diving. I'll even add photos of it!
In the meantime, here is a story I call: "The stupid idiot who answers phones at the taxi company here in San Fran"
It's nighttime, and I need a cab. So, oddly enough, I call the cab people up - *** Cabs - and ask them to pick me up.
"What's the address?" asks an intimidatingly confident deep voice - the kind of voice that Darth Vader only wishes he had - only I'm not intimidated. Not because I'm the balls, or whatever stupid term is hip on the hop these days, but because I've long since learnt that people who emply Deep Voice are trying to impress people, mostly because they aren't that impressive otherwise.
Obviously, I give the address - "1324 BayView" I respond, and then, after a reassuringly deep and intimidating:
"Cab'll be there in 5 to 15" I hang up. I might have added a tired "ok" but I can't recall.
5 minutes later, I get a call, it's a lady cab driver, she's right outside. Only, as I venture down, I discover she isn't, in fact, right outside. She's on Billy St. I don't know *why* she's on Billy, but I'm endeavouring to find a cab at 1am on this cold (and yet, somehow, safe-feeling) street to take me to Billy St so she can take me back to the Hostel when she chirpily tells me she'll contact base station, to find out what's up.
I call the base station anyway - I know what's up. Someone, somewhere, has stuffed up. I'm pretty sure it's not me, and I'm also sure I don't care, because it's late, and I just want a cab! Lo and behold, I get Dr Deep Voice:
"*** Cabs" (maybe he's called *** Cabs? I've heard stupider names here, like, f'r instance, Lacey ["just like the lingere"]).
"Hey, I just made a booking with you, only the cab isn't here - can I get the cab to..."
"What's the address?" booms a defiant, cool, intimidatingly deep voice.
"1324 BayView"
"And where did the cab end up?"
"I don't know - look, can we just send a cab to 1324 Bayv.."
"I need to know where the cab went - ahhh"
"Really, I don'..."
"Andrew, right? You used the automated voice system, you made a mistake, you shouldn't have done that, that's why the cab went to Billy. You need to tell us where you want to be picked up from"
"but I didn't... I talked to you - "
"No sir, you didn't"
"You're an idiot"
Now, the rest of the conversation can go like this:
Deep Voice talks to me for about 20 seconds on about something, and THEN realises I called him an idiot. He tells me (in a deep and authoritative voice) that I'm so clever to be using the word idiot, did I go to school to learn that, etc etc.
I inform Deep Voice that I may well not be super smart, but at least I'm not a chump working at 1am answering phones for a taxi company.
Deep Voice tells me to use another cab company, because no *** Cab is coming tonight.
I tell Deep Voice to attempt an anatomical impossibility, and then book with another cab company.
It's not much of a story, but there you are!
There are rarely any people who read this blog - so I'll let you in on a secret! I'm a tad ill now (the flu, or something disturbingly alike to it), but I'm better (or my back is - thanks to Thai massage!) but, assuming I feel in tip top shape tomorrow (which in yankee land is a Wednesday -and hey, it's new Comic Book Day on Wednesdays, so of *course* I'll be better) I'm going to go and book some sky-diving. I'll even add photos of it!
In the meantime, here is a story I call: "The stupid idiot who answers phones at the taxi company here in San Fran"
It's nighttime, and I need a cab. So, oddly enough, I call the cab people up - *** Cabs - and ask them to pick me up.
"What's the address?" asks an intimidatingly confident deep voice - the kind of voice that Darth Vader only wishes he had - only I'm not intimidated. Not because I'm the balls, or whatever stupid term is hip on the hop these days, but because I've long since learnt that people who emply Deep Voice are trying to impress people, mostly because they aren't that impressive otherwise.
Obviously, I give the address - "1324 BayView" I respond, and then, after a reassuringly deep and intimidating:
"Cab'll be there in 5 to 15" I hang up. I might have added a tired "ok" but I can't recall.
5 minutes later, I get a call, it's a lady cab driver, she's right outside. Only, as I venture down, I discover she isn't, in fact, right outside. She's on Billy St. I don't know *why* she's on Billy, but I'm endeavouring to find a cab at 1am on this cold (and yet, somehow, safe-feeling) street to take me to Billy St so she can take me back to the Hostel when she chirpily tells me she'll contact base station, to find out what's up.
I call the base station anyway - I know what's up. Someone, somewhere, has stuffed up. I'm pretty sure it's not me, and I'm also sure I don't care, because it's late, and I just want a cab! Lo and behold, I get Dr Deep Voice:
"*** Cabs" (maybe he's called *** Cabs? I've heard stupider names here, like, f'r instance, Lacey ["just like the lingere"]).
"Hey, I just made a booking with you, only the cab isn't here - can I get the cab to..."
"What's the address?" booms a defiant, cool, intimidatingly deep voice.
"1324 BayView"
"And where did the cab end up?"
"I don't know - look, can we just send a cab to 1324 Bayv.."
"I need to know where the cab went - ahhh"
"Really, I don'..."
"Andrew, right? You used the automated voice system, you made a mistake, you shouldn't have done that, that's why the cab went to Billy. You need to tell us where you want to be picked up from"
"but I didn't... I talked to you - "
"No sir, you didn't"
"You're an idiot"
Now, the rest of the conversation can go like this:
Deep Voice talks to me for about 20 seconds on about something, and THEN realises I called him an idiot. He tells me (in a deep and authoritative voice) that I'm so clever to be using the word idiot, did I go to school to learn that, etc etc.
I inform Deep Voice that I may well not be super smart, but at least I'm not a chump working at 1am answering phones for a taxi company.
Deep Voice tells me to use another cab company, because no *** Cab is coming tonight.
I tell Deep Voice to attempt an anatomical impossibility, and then book with another cab company.
It's not much of a story, but there you are!
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