Thursday, December 15, 2011

My Taxi Day's




I lived in the High Desert. It was hard there hardly any Jobs. I had taken my Early retirement to go Trucking with my Husband then. That was the only way I could keep him in the Truck ( I thought-Wrong) So needing to Work I started a Taxi Service. I would pick up parts, people, anything I could to keep working. I got a car phone, Oh you remember those the battery took up most of my trunk and running wires.
I would be out to pick up a customer, there weren’t any street signs, so I would use the phone. One day I was out looking, I couldn’t find her for nothing. I called her on the phone, she laughed so hard ( as she was outside watching me). She said: “how did you get there, told me to turn right at the big rock, then left at the next trail”, when I did that I could see her, we laughed. Now I wasn’t in a 4 wheel drive. She showed me a good way out, we went shopping down in the Valley.
I picked up a Man headed off to town. He said he had to get something from a Friend would I wait for him, kept the meter running. He came back in about ½ hr. took him to the store and back home. He paid the bill, was a good run for me. The next time He called it was late abt 9pm. Took him to the same place waited outside, then home. Next time he called I told him I couldn’t pick him up any more. DAAAAAAA
I had accounts with Parts stores, Drug stores, Liquor stores, all kind s of things I would pick up and deliver

Hard to get a Job that paid anything, so I started another Taxi. Used my San Bernardino license to get the new one.  I moved up in the Mountains, It was so beautiful.  I  ran, Southern Cal, and Northern Ca

To pay the Insurance fees I started advertising on the Taxi Cab. Sold signs on top and doors and
back end. That paid to keep the cab running. It was great. I hared out to the local bars for a fee to help with gas. I depended on tips.

Years ago I ran a Taxi, after hours I would find young Girls hanging out in under stair ways, in some very dangerous places. So I would offer to take them home. It got so they would call me I would take them Home.

One night I got a 911 call at the lake, the phone booth number was on my phone. I made a list of the phone booths so I would know where they were coming from. I drove around the Lake, it was dark about 2am. Where the phone was is at the Far end in a very deserted area. I drove very slow, put the Taxi light on as bright as I could.

She was hiding in the bushes, came running and got in the Cab crying. asked her home or, the PD. With a gulp and fear She Said home. She didn’t say much just cired. When we got to her house, I parked across the street, waited until she went in and Her light went on. I flashed the Taxi light and she turned her light off and on. It was about a week when a call came in on the Taxi line it was her Father, thanking me for saving His Daughter Life, there was a write up in the Local paper.

I went to the Local Police Dept. and asked if they had a place I could take the Young People, if for some reason they just didn’t want to go home. I was told I shouldn’t be taking them in my Taxi, just call the Police and they would pick them up. I could and would not ever do that, There was no place to lake them. So I called the local Churches and other people to help. Do you know I never found anyone to help. So If I found one that was hurt or sick, I took them to the Emergency Room, or I would ask do you want to go home, or the PD station 90% it was Home.

Pulled into the Club to pick up a passenger. Had to go up stares, under the stair case I saw 3 young Girls (about 15), talking to a not very nice Man. I parked my Cab, and walked up to the Girls. Told them to get in the Cab ( in a very loud voice) NOW!!.

They didn’t even question me they got in the Cab.  I locked the doors, and windows. Turned around and Said; Home or the PD, of course they said home.  The Girls asked me how I knew they were in Trouble. Told them because they weren’t smiling. They were also in a place they never should be. I took them home. Later that week I went to fill my Cab with gas, I was told it was paid for. 

The Taxi was hired to take passengers to and from a large party held in hall up in the mountains. It was a long twisting road. Had made several trips, everything was going well.
Pulled in to pick up a couple, I knew them very well. Now my Taxi was a white Chevy. Expect for the yellow light on the top It looked like a cop car.

The Gentleman was very drunk, he saw the car and freaked out. He took off running, across the road and down the hill falling and getting up again. There was people out looking for him. I heard him yell “ I’m not getting in that _____ing Car. He was a small man, but it still took 4 men to get him in the Cab.
Now we headed down the Road, going as fast as I dared. Twisting up and down hills Him yelling all the way. Now we get to there door. His wife gets him out of the cab and up the steps to the door. All of a sudden He is in a fight with the screen door ( I never saw anything like it). Off comes the screen door, down he comes with the screen door. Now picture a full grown man laying on his back with a screen door on top of him. Then he gets up grabs the door again, off the deck he goes with the door between deck and car parked below. Yelling, screaming. He wife goes in the house, I drive off laughing and shaking my head.
Next Day His wife calls and thanks me for taking them home. He didn’t have a scratch, spent the night with the screen door.