Interested in a new CD of Christian music? Watch this space for a link to details on my debut album. And read on for some humorous thoughts on the area I call home!
BURKARD'S BLOG
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
21 OCT 03: BIG YELLOW TAXI
I rented a car for the vacation trip to Panama City Beach - but how would I get to the rental car office? Enterprise seems to be the only company that "picks you up" to rent a car - which is good, given how wildly one Enterprise employee drove me home three years ago.
Payless Car Rental was the official car company of my vacation. To get to the office on River Road, I decided to use Yellow Cab. I had a discount coupon, the office was a short walk from my home - and several of the cabs actually are yellow, instead of burnt orange.
It's doubtful many people walk into the Yellow Cab office at 8th and Veterans Parkway and ask for a ride. The office is modest, with a window at the end of a hallway - and you may be surprised to learn the walls were NOT covered with posters of supermodels.
The woman behind the window invited me to come around into the dispatcher's office, while I waited for a cab. She was at the two-way radio while a man stood nearby -- and the two traded insults back and forth in loud voices. It all looked so familar: he acted like Danny DeVito, and she mixed the voice of Rhea Perlman with the big hair of a Marilu Henner.
The man walked into a restroom, yet the loud office discussion continued. I noted this interesting TRUE exchange between the female dispatcher and the male co-worker:
"You're full of cr*p!"
"Not anymore...."
You might imagine how thankful I was for the Yellow Cab to arrive at last. But I quickly was surprised to learn this company does NOT accept credit cards, the way some other taxi companies do. "Columbus is not yet in the 21st century," the driver explained. Tell me about it - no radio station in town is broadcasting the World Series.
The Yellow Cab driver explained to me taxi companies have decided accepting credit cards is not "cost-effective in revenues." I almost wanted to ask the driver which college economics department laid him off.
The Yellow Cab driver was so focused on me and the ride that he forgot to turn on his meter for several blocks. So a ride that cost me six dollars after vacation cost only $4.50 at the start. The bottom line: if you want to save money on taxi fare, start talking with the driver as soon as you can.
BIG PREDICTION: IF the Muscogee County school sales tax vote fails in two weeks, Superintendent John Phillips will be out of a job within a year. Either the school board will grow tired of him -- or the board will tire of all the protest groups holding news conferences before meetings.
COMING SOON: Reason to rejoice along the Chattahoochee.... a former Mayor goes online.... and a new concrete wall in the middle of downtown....
To comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post a reply.
If you quote from this in public somewhere, please be polite enough to let me know.
© 2003 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.