1/4/19

For some reason when the first riders asked how long I had been in Austin, I answered 3 years.  I immediately corrected myself to say 8 years and we laughed about how there could be a relation between 3 and 8.  I didn't know but it just struck me that many people ask how long I have been driving for Uber and the answer to that is 3 years.  Great conversation about having a second language.  When they asked what my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant was, my answer was Lupe Tortilla.

The passenger revealed that he was going to Round Rock Tavern to see a band that would be playing all '80s music.  That ignited a great conversation that turned into an 80's themed Uber experience.  I quickly found the Everybody Loves Eileen song by Steelheart and when that was finished I put Sirius XM onto Hair Nation and told him the hairy armpit lady story (6/21/16).  We ended up talking about electronic dating sites and how meeting someone has changed so much over the past 10 years.  He in fact was meeting someone for a second date and it had turned out to be a lady that he knew from when they were kids in Houston.  He got out at the destination and thanked me for the "themed" ride.

This was the second time this week that I have dropped someone off at the Canary Roost.  Up until this week I had never heard of it although I would not have had a reason to have heard of it.

The rider was in the military, the Marines I believe.  We talked at length about long term versus short military careers.  He believes that military is the answer for those youth coming out of high school and not knowing what they want to do.  I had read an article about how some military personnel are offended by civilians telling them that they appreciate their sacrifice because it is an empty gesture in most cases.  I agree with this and have often thought, who am I to say to a soldier that I appreciate their sacrifice when I don't or possibly can't have an idea of what that is and therefore a gesture my gesture would be purely superficial.  With that in mind, I geared my conversations in a manner that expressed appreciation from the heart for what he was doing.

"Get your hands off of the driver" said one of the ladies in middle row.  Yeah, the lady in the passenger seat was rubbing my arm and telling me how good looking I was.  Yes, she was drunk, although I am good looking.  I could have took that situation anywhere I wanted to and the lady was attractive.  The mood changed once I let her know that I was married and had a young daughter.  I did not take offense to the aggression and as always, I enjoy the interactions with the passengers.