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Putting Things In Perspective

2K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  New2This 
#1 ·
Normally I am the resident assclown and Mr. IDGAF but yesterday had a ride that got to me.

I finished my day stuff early afternoon and headed downtown to try to get some rain Surge. Get to my perch, set DF and all is well. In comes a $9.50 ping (allegedly on the way to my destination) and off I go.

Get to the pickup spot at 19th and L. I'm at the pin, 4 minutes and change goes by. Phone rings and it's her. I answer because Surge is dying down so I know next trip is not gonna be nearly as good. She makes it to the car. Cute girl in workout gear.

She gets in, I start trip and I see it's Falls Church. YES! Decent chance of extending, so should be decent payout.

She says "do you mind if I change the destination to the Wharf?"

In my mind I'm thinking "****ing-A I mind because in the time it'll take to creep from 19th and L to the Wharf I could've Longhauled your ass to Falls Church" but I said "OK no problem"* and helped her change it in the app.

I do my usual "how's your day going? Off work early?" and she lets out a sigh and starts crying. I'm used to this from the drunk crowd but not in broad daylight.

"I just came from the doctor. I have Stage 4 breast cancer."

Stunned silence on my part. I mean what the **** do you say to THAT?

After an eternity (probably like 3-5 seconds) I just said "I'm sorry" not knowing what else to say. I know women that have dealt with it and survived so I said so and tried being as upbeat as I could.

I usually have XM Channel 39 on (Hair Nation, yeah I like shitty 80's hair bands, sue me) but handed her the XM channel guide and said "pick whatever station you want". She picked some hip-hop station. (One of a VERY small handful of times I've ceded control of my radio.)

I tried being as upbeat as I could. She's mid 30's, smart, hot, (not trying to sound like JayJay here) with a 2 year old baby and was understandably devastated by the news.

I had a workout bag on the front seat. Had a freshly laundered towel in it. I gave it to her to help with the crying. Funny thing was when she got to her destination she tried handing it back. I told her "keep it, it has magical healing powers" because it would've been a little weird reminder. She smiled at that as she got out.

I still don't know what else I could have done in that situation.

Anyway back to the title of this, it put everything in perspective. I do piss and moan about Uber/Lyft but in reality I have little to (female canine) about.

I'll go back to assclownery, fart jokes, GIFs and wishing for Lyft's imminent failure but this one made me think.

*The main reason I didn't tell her GTFO when she said Wharf was because of the $500 IPO Bonus. I've seen a few things about people not getting the bonus for various things so I have put up with a little more than usual.
 
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#2 ·
Normally I am the resident assclown and Mr. IDGAF but yesterday had a ride that got to me.

I finished my day stuff early afternoon and headed downtown to try to get some rain Surge. Get to my perch, set DF and all is well. In comes a $9.50 ping (allegedly on the way to my destination) and off I go.

Get to the pickup spot at 19th and L. I'm at the pin, 4 minutes and change goes by. Phone rings and it's her. I answer because Surge is dying down so I know next trip is not gonna be nearly as good. She makes it to the car. Cute girl in workout gear.

She gets in, I start trip and I see it's Falls Church. YES! Decent chance of extending, so should be decent payout.

She says "do you mind if I change the destination to the Wharf?"

In my mind I'm thinking "@@@@ing-A I mind because in the time it'll take to creep from 19th and L to the Wharf I could've Longhauled your ass to Falls Church" but I said "OK no problem"* and helped her change it in the app.

I do my usual "how's your day going? Off work early?" and she lets out a sigh and starts crying. I'm used to this from the drunk crowd but not in broad daylight.

"I just came from the doctor. I have Stage 4 breast cancer."

Stunned silence on my part. I mean what the @@@@ do you say to THAT?

After an eternity (probably like 3-5 seconds) I just said "I'm sorry" not knowing what else to say. I know women that have dealt with it and survived so I said so and tried being as upbeat as I could.

I usually have XM Channel 39 on (Hair Nation, yeah I like shitty 80's hair bands, sue me) but handed her the XM channel guide and said "pick whatever station you want". She picked some hip-hop station. (One of a VERY small handful of times I've ceded control of my radio.)

I tried being as upbeat as I could. She's mid 30's, smart, hot, (not trying to sound like JayJay here) with a 2 year old baby and was understandably devastated by the news.

I had a workout bag on the front seat. Had a freshly laundered towel in it. I gave it to her to help with the crying. Funny thing was when she got to her destination she tried handing it back. I told her "keep it, it has magical healing powers" because it would've been a little weird reminder. She smiled at that as she got out.

I still don't know what else I could have done in that situation.

Anyway back to the title of this, it put everything in perspective. I do piss and moan about Uber/Lyft but in reality I have little to (female canine) about.

I'll go back to assclownery, fart jokes, GIFs and wishing for Lyft's imminent failure but this one made me think.

*The main reason I didn't tell her GTFO when she said Wharf was because of the $500 IPO Bonus. I've seen a few things about people not getting the bonus for various things so I have put up with a little more than usual.
Did she tip?
 
#5 ·
Normally I am the resident assclown and Mr. IDGAF but yesterday had a ride that got to me.

I finished my day stuff early afternoon and headed downtown to try to get some rain Surge. Get to my perch, set DF and all is well. In comes a $9.50 ping (allegedly on the way to my destination) and off I go.

Get to the pickup spot at 19th and L. I'm at the pin, 4 minutes and change goes by. Phone rings and it's her. I answer because Surge is dying down so I know next trip is not gonna be nearly as good. She makes it to the car. Cute girl in workout gear.

She gets in, I start trip and I see it's Falls Church. YES! Decent chance of extending, so should be decent payout.

She says "do you mind if I change the destination to the Wharf?"

In my mind I'm thinking "@@@@ing-A I mind because in the time it'll take to creep from 19th and L to the Wharf I could've Longhauled your ass to Falls Church" but I said "OK no problem"* and helped her change it in the app.

I do my usual "how's your day going? Off work early?" and she lets out a sigh and starts crying. I'm used to this from the drunk crowd but not in broad daylight.

"I just came from the doctor. I have Stage 4 breast cancer."

Stunned silence on my part. I mean what the @@@@ do you say to THAT?

After an eternity (probably like 3-5 seconds) I just said "I'm sorry" not knowing what else to say. I know women that have dealt with it and survived so I said so and tried being as upbeat as I could.

I usually have XM Channel 39 on (Hair Nation, yeah I like shitty 80's hair bands, sue me) but handed her the XM channel guide and said "pick whatever station you want". She picked some hip-hop station. (One of a VERY small handful of times I've ceded control of my radio.)

I tried being as upbeat as I could. She's mid 30's, smart, hot, (not trying to sound like JayJay here) with a 2 year old baby and was understandably devastated by the news.

I had a workout bag on the front seat. Had a freshly laundered towel in it. I gave it to her to help with the crying. Funny thing was when she got to her destination she tried handing it back. I told her "keep it, it has magical healing powers" because it would've been a little weird reminder. She smiled at that as she got out.

I still don't know what else I could have done in that situation.

Anyway back to the title of this, it put everything in perspective. I do piss and moan about Uber/Lyft but in reality I have little to (female canine) about.

I'll go back to assclownery, fart jokes, GIFs and wishing for Lyft's imminent failure but this one made me think.

*The main reason I didn't tell her GTFO when she said Wharf was because of the $500 IPO Bonus. I've seen a few things about people not getting the bonus for various things so I have put up with a little more than usual.
Stage 4 is pretty bad. There's a world of crazy waiting once she starts treatment. I'll send her goos karma.
 
#6 ·
Similar has happened to me more than once. It usually hits you from behind when not only are you not looking, but you ain't even thinking about it.

I have wanted to be pee-yo-ed at some passenger over something, but, for whatever reason, I grudginly (initially) did what they wanted and it turned out that I had done the right thing.

This is what happened to you. As you so correctly state, there are people far worse off than you.

I do not like hip-hop at all, but, if some customer told me that the doctor had just told her that she had Stage Four breast cancer, I would let her listen to all of the hip hop that she wanted. In fact, I would even have let her change the destination to the Gaylord at 5:45 P.M. on a Thursday in blinding rain.

You made a deposit to the Karma Bank. You did the right thing.
 
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