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April 30, 2007
Weekend Fun & Games
Well, it was a typically busy Burlington weekend. End Time is approaching for the students, and they were out partying in numbers, final exams be damned.
As Saturday night rushed towards last call, I began thinking, "Wow, I'm doing pretty good tonight; let's see if I can finish up with a flourish." Can you jinx yourself with thoughts? I wonder . . .
My next fare was a guy from Wolcott and his gynormous friend, who immediately passed out next to him, like Jabba the Hutt in repose. So, all the way to Little Eagle Bay (formerly "985 North Avenue," much less sexy) my entire discussion was with the Wolcott fellow. I have an affection for Wolcott. To me, it's like the heart of Vermont - tucked in there, humbly, in the Northeast Kingdom. My wife lived in North Wolcott for a spell many years ago, and, in 2001, I drove my brother to a home in that town where he bought a nifty little Toyota, which is still running strong.
Anyway, just as we pulled to a stop, Jabba, snoozing there in the back seat, opened wide his baby blues and, in the next instant, the projectile vomit was all over the back of my seat, the top of my jacket, my hat and the steering wheel.
"Sorry," he said.
"Get your friend out of the cab," I said to the Wolcott person.
It's like a volcano, I figured. One eruption may just be the beginning. Although I was fuming (there's no excuse for this behavior unless you're 15 and it's your first time getting drunk), nothing I could say would remove the vomit from my clothing and vehicle and return it to the insides of the offender where it rightfully belonged. So, I just took a twenty buck tip, accepted the profuse apologies from both of them, and rushed to the carwash.
A half-hour later, this is what my taxi smelled like: A heady blend of cleaning fluid, air freshener and vomit. How lovely is that?
One final reflection, slightly random as it is: At Cumby's, I searched out the green, pine-scented, tree-shaped car deoderant. They were out of that flavor, so I bought the "new car" scent. Where the "new car" scent arises from in an actual new car is a mystery to me. But, darn if that little air freshener didn't have my old buggy smelling just like it was direct from the showroom. That is, if someone had already vomited into it in the showroom.
Wow, this was a pleasant posting . . .
April 30, 2007 at 04:27 PM in A Cabdriver's World | Permalink
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Comments
Jernigan:
Man, this must have happened soon after you dropped me off! I'm sorry that your cab got puki-fied. I think I have an extra "pine" air freshener around the car somewhere...I'll dig it out and give it to ya next time! HAHA See you around and keep up the great work!
Posted by: AustinDriveGuy | Apr 30, 2007 5:14:13 PM
Funny stuff!
Posted by: cresmer | Apr 30, 2007 5:21:03 PM
Just "found" you - now I have another blog to read. I love your stuff. Thanks. ( I always read you in 7D I just found your blog - just to clarify)
Posted by: montpelier28 | Apr 30, 2007 10:11:14 PM
Hey Jernigan, I was always a fan when living in Burlington. So glad to see that you're blogging and that I can now follow you online from DC. Keep up the great work.
Posted by: matt | May 1, 2007 8:18:39 AM
Oh, and sorry to hear you got puked on. That's never fun.
Posted by: matt | May 1, 2007 8:22:04 AM
Man, I love a good puke story...sorry about your cab though...
Posted by: Eva | May 1, 2007 5:24:51 PM
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