He was on the Slow Side!

I am not sure what is it about YellowCab that sends me their worst drivers and cars. I really admired their service, and thought highely of them. Why don't they treat me back with some love. Forget love, just treat me without stinkiness and crazy drivers, puhleeze! After that time when Santa Clause's evil, unemployed brother drove me to the airport, I had a series of stinkiness luck. And I mean literal stinkiness. One guy couple of weeks back was, I swear, dozing off on the highway. I saw him slapping himself to wake up. But that dude at least kept his car going straight. Today's dude was just something ... unique!

By now, I could do my monday morning pre-flight routine while still asleep. I woke up at 4:15 am. I showered, brushed my teeth, dressed up, threw the trash out, and put the NetFlix in the outgoing box. In that order, I did them like a robot. I finished early, and the cab was 5 minutes late, which was enough for me to get that funky tasting $0.45 Mocha coffee from the machine downstairs.

The cab is here. The driver got out of his car. My robot eyes started checking the list. Clean: check. Doesn't Smell: check. Understandable language: check. Looks normal: No-effin-way. He was wearing this big massive chain with this big massive cross hanging at its end, rapper style. Though, he was not like Eminem trying to act black. The "necklace" was just out of place. I could see a similar sized cross hanging from the back mirror. Apparently the guy is serious about what he believes. Fine with me! Though, it got kind of interesting when I found a gigantic, grandma-cant-see-well sized bible on the back seats. (Here for my pleasure reading.) This will be interesting.

Of course, the taxi stunk like a puke. I would rather be cold over asborbed by this smell so I rolled down the window, put on the headphones and kicked back to sleep.

BOOOM. TSK TSK TSK. ZZZZZZZZZKKKKK ZZZZZZKK. Sparks. Swerving. Slowing down frantically. Controlling the car. Pulling to the shoulder.

For some reason, despite that the tires just blow up at a highspeed, and the driver lost control of the car for a little, I was a little calm, rather cool. "Tire blow up?" I said. "Are you calling for another cab, or should I?"
"Oh .. I am very sorry sir. This does not happen often to me." (I really hope it does not.) "I will fix the tire quickly." He said frantacilly.
"No No NO. I have a flight to catch. Call your office and make them send another car. I have no idea where I am."
"Ok, sir." He said while getting out of the car.

Part of me hopeed that coming to a resolution will take a bit longer time so I can nap!

He came back to my side of the car and opened the door, "sir, this gentleman in the van is going to the Airport. He offered to take you with him."

REALLY. Great. Here I am at 5:20 am at the shoulder of Highway 59 N somewhere between Downtown and the Airport. A weird taxi driver telling me to hitch a ride with another van driver, who, chances are, might be a real professional creeper. Hmm ... I really need to get to the airport though. Let me see how creepy is that guy.

Walked to the back. It was a white supershuttle-like van. A peek to the inside revealed what seems a normal guy. O.M.G. I thought, WTH, this is un-effin-believable. He seems normal, and just being nice. I might try my luck.

I was in the van with Brian, who apparently was driving behind us for a while and anticipated this to happen because of the burning he smelled. He was actually on his way to pick up the Eagles band and will be with them for a day as a runner. They are performing at the Toyota Center. Pretty cool. We chatted a bit, and then after a moment of a silence, Brian said:

"Poor guy ... he seemed on the slow side."

Thank you Brian!