It's a short month of driving, but I met a lot of incredibly interesting, generous, and funny people.
HE DID WHAT?
He's just a normal guy who has the habit of doing abnormal things. Married for thirty-nine years, he met his wife when he was cashing his check in the local supermarket. Going out on their first date he told me, "She looked a lot better not in her supermarket uniform." After dating awhile, she asked him what his intentions were and he said, "I'll think about it and get back to you."
Returning home that day, his roommate was packing and decided he was going out to California. He asked him if he wanted to go and he said, "Hell yeah!" Two days later he called his girlfriend who didn't believe he was in California. He said he'd be back in a month, but he was gone for a year and she waited for him.
Two months ago, he became a grandfather. When the new parents showed up at their house, "My wife cut in front of me and held our granddaughter. After awhile I took her and walked to the back of the house and told everyone we were going to take a walk. The woods are my favorite place. I took some dirt and put it on her feet and then walked inside. I told them that's what happens when you walk in the woods. They weren't very happy with me the rest of the day." I wonder why?
THE FUNNY CHEF
The ride was maybe five minutes long, but she had me laughing. When I asked how she was doing, she said, "If I was any better, I'd be you. I'm as smooth as cream cheese on a bagel. When I got up this morning and I didn't pee in my bed, it's a good day.'" I told her she needed to put some lox on her bagel too since she had never tried it. She just opened a Japanese restaurant and she's been a chef for many years. I asked, "What's your favorite dish to cook?" She said, "I cook edible food for humans." I hope I get to drive her again, she put on quite a performance.
PERFECTLY PITTSBURGH
My favorite state to pick people up from is Pennsylvania. and this couple and his sister gave me a perfect ending to my day. Telling my Franco Harris story, his sister thought I said that I drove Franco Harris's son and he didn't know anything about his dad's legendary catch. We all broke up laughing, but she did say that her husband bought a Pittsburgh Steeler Super Bowl ring for $10,000. Amazingly, her brother told me that Franco had refused to give him an autograph one day, despite his reputation as being a great guy.
His wife was a probation officer and he was sheriff, the first time out of 14,000 rides I have driven someone with those occupations. He told me a bizarre story that he went to a arrest a guy and, "He had about 120 poisonous snakes in his house, each one in their own aquarium which lined up against his wall in this living room." In between these comments and stories I entertained them with a bunch of things including stories about my two favorite riders, both from Pennsylvania.
A TAILOR EXTRAORDINAIRE
It took only a minute or two to realize that this guy was dedicated and exceptional at what he did. He worked for three companies and loved doing it. He was a "high end tailor" and definitely a perfectionist. I was fortunate that we got stuck in a 20-25 delay due to an accident. He was very outgoing, engaging and entertaining. I was surprised when he told me that communicating with people has been a challenge for him.
I asked him if he could go to a wedding or big event without looking at how everyone's clothes fit, and he laughed and said he could not. He told me, "It's a blessing when I can go to one without being called out for an emergency to look at someone's clothes." He told me that some people have "champagne taste and a beer budget." I probably don't have either, but if I need a tailor I know who to contact. It was a great way to end my day driving, he was extraordinary.
A YEN FOR YOU
A month ago I received a $1,000 yen from a woman who had recently visited from Japan. This month a guy got in my car and in the first 60 seconds said, "I have a yen for you." His mom is Japanese and he had just come back from visiting Japan. He saw my money and pulled out this 10,000 yen which is worth $62 here. He wanted me to have it and it's easily the most valuable bill I have in my collection.
THE SPANISH TEACHER WHO DOES COMEDY
Another fun ride from New Jersey with a Spanish teacher, her husband and daughter. She taught me something in Spanish, how to say, "I have." The word is "tengo." She surprised me by saying that she just started doing comedy as a hobby. She has an incredible ability to do a lot of voices with accents. She said, "I started when I was five years old." I encouraged her to continue to pursue it. She's obviously comfortable speaking in front of people and with her delightful personality she will definitely make people laugh. She made me laugh, I just wish I had time to record her different voices.
THE ECCENTRIC
The guy was very positive immediately and I loved it. He calls himself eccentric because he likes so many very different things. He grew up in a ghetto in Texas and he learned to conform so he didn't get beat up. He told me, "They don't like the band Kiss there, at least they wouldn't let anyone know they do." In showing him my collection of bills I mentioned the Japanese Government bill from World War 11 for the people in the Philippines people to use when the Japanese invaded their country. I was surprised at his response.
His grandfather escaped from that invasion. He told me that he was brilliant and invented or helped to invent several important things and was also a math professor here. He was very excited to see the bill and I really enjoyed hearing about his grandfather's successful career. It was definitely an interesting and fun ride.
IT ALL STARTED WITH POOP!
Relationships start in many ways, but beginning with cleaning up poop is about as unique as it gets. He was staying next store to her house and she was working very long hours. She needed someone to clean up from her three dogs and asked him if he'd be willing to do it. He paid her and then later asked if he wanted to rent an extra room she had and he did and so he paid her.
They became friends and then very good friends and they are now dating. She told me, "We knew everything about each other, the good, the bad, and the ugly." She is a senior processor in the mortgage business and I asked her, "How long have you been in the business?" She said, "Since birth, I really like to be part of someone's adventure." They get along very well and he's still cleaning up the poop!
THE GENEROUS ACCOUNTANT
I always enjoy talking with accountants and they usually laugh when I tell them that some of my favorite conversations are with accountants. My conversation with the woman from Buffalo, New York was another good conversation as I drove her to the airport. One minute from the airport, the ride changed. She left a small bag with her wallet in the room. I pulled over immediately and she called someone staying with her and confirmed it was there.
She was upset and I calmed her down and I told her it was not problem for me. It was 22 minutes back and another 22 minutes to the airport again which would leave her an hour before her plane left. Our conversation was very different and I let her talk and offered some advice. I told her not to be too hard on herself and I told her all the positive things that just happened, namely she discovered it before she was in the airport. I shared some inspirational stories and we returned to the airport in plenty of time.
She hugged me when she got out and told me she would take care of me. Since the extra stops were not on the app, we were unsure about what Uber would charge her and what they would pay me. Uber charged her less than we both thought and Uber did pay me fairly. Still, she sent me $80 through Venmo. It was too much and I tried to talk her out of it, but I did say I would accept a reasonable tip.
Trying to argue numbers with a professional accountant is not a winnable argument. She told me, "I am very grateful for your generosity and ease to help. In a world with so much hate and bitterness, and in a time where I needed a shift in outlook (after a personally dark year for me), it is the least I could do."
She was the generous one.
THE JERSEY GIRLS
A special thank you to the two young women from Monmouth County in New Jersey. They had a great time in my car and one of them wanted to give me something for my car. She pulled out the bill and wrote me the above message, "Thank you so much George." She may have confused me with, "The Father of Our Country" since we look so much alike. Thank you Martha!
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