Off the Grid
Feast or Famine: I'm Still Enjoying the Meal
So, we all hear about how great Uber is and how for a few hours of work, you can earn a stress free income. What about when it falls short of expectations? It happens.
This morning at 6AM, I got a text for a pickup, 11 minutes away, 5 miles north of me and no doubt an airport trip. Within 10 seconds, it was cancelled, in favor of a driver 6 minutes away. That's one of the things about Uber; being in the right place at the right time.
Nearly 45 minutes later, I got a text for a ride in an upscale gated community. You don't know where you're going until you do your pickup and I got a polite 'kid,' on his way to prep school, just 4 miles away. I was struck by his politeness and chatty nature. Seems his folks did something right. I asked him: " so..are your teachers or other kids talking about Trump?" He replied: "OMG. Yes, he actually SAID "OMG!" In the brief ride, he said his instructors opened the classes to discussion and that the other students were overwhelmingly 'damning' of Trump. Seeing this school is in one of the tonier neighborhoods of Scottsdale (yeah..I live there too.remember, I used to be a big exe--ohhh.never mind), there is a cross section of wealthy kids, all races and cultures. He said his parents worked hard to get what they have and that he appreciated it. I was hopeful. Hopeful that there are places where discourse happens and people examine their lives and they are NOT the exception. I dropped him off and a comment popped up on my Uber screen two minutes later, with five stars: "Thanks, Barry. It was great riding with and chatting with you." Hopeful indeed.
That $3.26 ride qualifies as feast, in spite of the amount.
Next up, a call near the JW Marriott. I accepted the ride from Lyft and when I got there, there was already a car there, waiting to take people to the airport. Well, she WAS there first. Seems the mom sent a ride request at almost the same time the daughter did. Miscommunication. I graciously deferred to the other driver in a car NOT as nice as my new Genesis(!) and told them to have a safe trip. After I cancelled my pick up, there was a $3.00 tip on my app from the almost guest. As Larry David would say: Pretty Pretty Pretty Classy!
The next hour was like crickets so I cut my losses and am about to regrout the shower.
Yesterday was a mix of low fares but two airport trips. One guest was a young executive at the Valley Ho! Hotel in hip downtown Scottsdale, on her way to a corporate meeting $6.24 away..uhh..I mean...two miles away (never judge a person by their fare). Seems she lives on an island on the Detroit River and she was proud of how the city is turning itself around. really proud. I told her I needed to go back there since the last time was 1981, when the city was NOT at its finest.
So it goes, one day is different from the next, one hour more exciting than the other.
I'm learning what my sweet spots are but at the risk of creating competition, I'll keep them to myself.
Update: My LAST pickup this afternoon which..well..showed me a side of life I have not seen. (I'm NOT a Lyft fan due to their app and lack of notification and will drop them and has NOTHING to do with my story). I picked up a guest at Fry's Grocery who was headed home.He was a forklift driver next door at Home Depot and told me he is basically 'off the grid.' A former pipeline worker, he has lived..well, everywhere and has a son and two grandkids. I drove a few minutes north on one of the local roads that goes deep into the desert to where he lives.
I pulled in off this dirt road and there were a bunch of corrugated steel shacks and 1950 vintage Silver Streams but they were not the trendy kind. Beat up cars.Basically, one scary place which I posted on Facebook live. He then said he had to go in and get his wallet and would I take him to the Circle K grocery store a mile away so he could get some money. I told him it was 'off the clock' but..what the hell. he seemed like a decent guy. I took him to the grocer and he came out(no.not with a gun) and asked me to take him back 'home.' Again, off the clock and he said he'd re-sign on to Uber. I said: I have nothing to do.
As I drove him home, he called his credit card company and used his speaker. He wanted to know why his card didn't work. The bank told him he had $2.40 in his account. He said: "I just put money in.I should have alot more." The phone op asked: "how much?" he said "at least $30!" Well, as we neared his ramshackle home, he said: you don't have to drive in again. It'll toss rocks up onto your car." I would like to say I gave him money but I didn't. I said: "I have bottled water in the trunk. Take some." He took out one and said "is this OK?" I said take a bunch.No problem. He took two and walked away. Tomorrow, he has to be at Home Depot at 4:30am. I told him I wasn't up that early but if I am, and he texts for a $3.00 ride, I'll pick him up. There but for the Grace of God, Go I.
So, we all hear about how great Uber is and how for a few hours of work, you can earn a stress free income. What about when it falls short of expectations? It happens.
This morning at 6AM, I got a text for a pickup, 11 minutes away, 5 miles north of me and no doubt an airport trip. Within 10 seconds, it was cancelled, in favor of a driver 6 minutes away. That's one of the things about Uber; being in the right place at the right time.
Nearly 45 minutes later, I got a text for a ride in an upscale gated community. You don't know where you're going until you do your pickup and I got a polite 'kid,' on his way to prep school, just 4 miles away. I was struck by his politeness and chatty nature. Seems his folks did something right. I asked him: " so..are your teachers or other kids talking about Trump?" He replied: "OMG. Yes, he actually SAID "OMG!" In the brief ride, he said his instructors opened the classes to discussion and that the other students were overwhelmingly 'damning' of Trump. Seeing this school is in one of the tonier neighborhoods of Scottsdale (yeah..I live there too.remember, I used to be a big exe--ohhh.never mind), there is a cross section of wealthy kids, all races and cultures. He said his parents worked hard to get what they have and that he appreciated it. I was hopeful. Hopeful that there are places where discourse happens and people examine their lives and they are NOT the exception. I dropped him off and a comment popped up on my Uber screen two minutes later, with five stars: "Thanks, Barry. It was great riding with and chatting with you." Hopeful indeed.
That $3.26 ride qualifies as feast, in spite of the amount.
Next up, a call near the JW Marriott. I accepted the ride from Lyft and when I got there, there was already a car there, waiting to take people to the airport. Well, she WAS there first. Seems the mom sent a ride request at almost the same time the daughter did. Miscommunication. I graciously deferred to the other driver in a car NOT as nice as my new Genesis(!) and told them to have a safe trip. After I cancelled my pick up, there was a $3.00 tip on my app from the almost guest. As Larry David would say: Pretty Pretty Pretty Classy!
The next hour was like crickets so I cut my losses and am about to regrout the shower.
Yesterday was a mix of low fares but two airport trips. One guest was a young executive at the Valley Ho! Hotel in hip downtown Scottsdale, on her way to a corporate meeting $6.24 away..uhh..I mean...two miles away (never judge a person by their fare). Seems she lives on an island on the Detroit River and she was proud of how the city is turning itself around. really proud. I told her I needed to go back there since the last time was 1981, when the city was NOT at its finest.
So it goes, one day is different from the next, one hour more exciting than the other.
I'm learning what my sweet spots are but at the risk of creating competition, I'll keep them to myself.
Update: My LAST pickup this afternoon which..well..showed me a side of life I have not seen. (I'm NOT a Lyft fan due to their app and lack of notification and will drop them and has NOTHING to do with my story). I picked up a guest at Fry's Grocery who was headed home.He was a forklift driver next door at Home Depot and told me he is basically 'off the grid.' A former pipeline worker, he has lived..well, everywhere and has a son and two grandkids. I drove a few minutes north on one of the local roads that goes deep into the desert to where he lives.
I pulled in off this dirt road and there were a bunch of corrugated steel shacks and 1950 vintage Silver Streams but they were not the trendy kind. Beat up cars.Basically, one scary place which I posted on Facebook live. He then said he had to go in and get his wallet and would I take him to the Circle K grocery store a mile away so he could get some money. I told him it was 'off the clock' but..what the hell. he seemed like a decent guy. I took him to the grocer and he came out(no.not with a gun) and asked me to take him back 'home.' Again, off the clock and he said he'd re-sign on to Uber. I said: I have nothing to do.
As I drove him home, he called his credit card company and used his speaker. He wanted to know why his card didn't work. The bank told him he had $2.40 in his account. He said: "I just put money in.I should have alot more." The phone op asked: "how much?" he said "at least $30!" Well, as we neared his ramshackle home, he said: you don't have to drive in again. It'll toss rocks up onto your car." I would like to say I gave him money but I didn't. I said: "I have bottled water in the trunk. Take some." He took out one and said "is this OK?" I said take a bunch.No problem. He took two and walked away. Tomorrow, he has to be at Home Depot at 4:30am. I told him I wasn't up that early but if I am, and he texts for a $3.00 ride, I'll pick him up. There but for the Grace of God, Go I.
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