Cartel Candy

The last story I have to write is my very frist ride wich in some ways is the most crazy and prepared me for what to expect from this business. This story is number 2. I had a rare Saturday afternoon pickup from a local Hospital. She seemed like the last person leaving there as locals call it a bandaide station not a hospital. My pick up was an older Albino lady. She seemed different. Obviously from her looks but also her demenoir her behavior. Not bad, intelligent. I asked if we could stop at a local gas station since I had been running all day and was getting low on fuel. She agreed as she wanted to buy drinks, well, I actually needed to use the bathroom as I dig back into my memory, that was more the issue not filling up. She tried to buy a few things but had trouble getting her new food stamp card to work properly. So she gave up and we left. After about 20 mins of her making sure we where going the right way and before that I was certian we where, she asked one more time, then it dawned on me we where not going to the address she had requested in fact it was closer to the hospital. So I apologized, ignored the App and brought up my map on google as this can happen very rarely. This is where she calmed down as she was getting a little upset, infact she began to recount her tale of why she was in my car and how she ended up at the hospital. "I was taking the trash to the end of my driveway, a white Van pulled up with two Mexican men asking me directions, the next thing I know im in a shed full of women and children some naked some clothed all chained up all had on gags, the next thing I remember after that was running down a street up North by Columbus naked down an street, some one called the police. I was being asked over and over for more details at the hospital but I don;t remember, I was drugged up, and my mind has blocked alot of the trauma." I chimmed in " WOW..., you need like a deep relaxation hypnosis to bring it up" "Yeah, It was the Cartel, I'm sure of it. I normally conceal carry, but who is expecting to get snatched by thier house in broad day light? As we drove to the right address I recognized it as a womans shelter. I had no idea untill I dropped her off. I apologized for stopping and not going to the right address. She was ok with it and went inside. A few days latter I gave a ride home to an adminstrator of that building. I tried ever so delicatly to ask if there is anyone there that was a victim of trafficking. Ofcoarse she stone walled my question, but said we do get them periodically, infact she had a gal from England that met a guy online only to be sex trafficked some years ago. She could tell me that. It wasn't unusual. Since her ride my once a week pickups of random women stopped. I did mention I have a blogg/book but kept identities secret. Well I guess she didn't believe it.

Gator Bait

Its Summer, and summer in Southern Ohio is more Akin to Kentucky than it is to the rest of Ohio. As a friend had called and was on an ear bud while I did a few short pickups and drop offs, I notified my passengers that an olde friend was on the phone and that I was finnishing up the call. All 3 where ok with the phone call. Something interesting that I had not realized was a "southern accent" that my friend on the phone noticed who lived out West. I had become used to it. So thats why I left him on the line for 2 more rides from the first one. I wanted to ask where my riders had grown up where are they from , and so on. Sure enough all were born and raised here. So one busy weekday I was running a gal who lived in section 8 government housing and was just another gal going to a specialist or a doctor at a local hospital. She was originally from Louisiana a state I hadnt been to yet, but I have relatives from there. She was living in Columbus but found the winters too long and to cold, wich is just two hours North. Some how we got talking about Louisiana and some of the wildlife further south. She went on to tell me funny but odd story. "One day I was sitting at home watching TV in my section 8 housing as ive been doin this all my life now, I heard this banging on the backdoor coming from the backdoor, I go up and looked out the back door window and didn't see anyone. So I went back and watched TV. Sure enough not even 10 mins, I heard that banging again. So this time I snuck into the kitchen and peered thru the blinds real quite like. I about screamed when I saw a gator sitting on the steps at the backdoor, a bigin. I knew he wasn't goin to leave so I went into the fridge and got some left over fried chiken and thru it out the kitchen window, I didnt dare open that door. That had worked, he snatched up the chicken then wondered out the backyard of my row home."

I Made Trump Run!

Its been slow during the winter and ive been chewing on other employment as the cost of repairs, taxes, and fuel are starting to out weigh the benefit and forward momentum of rideshare. Today was finally a day for the books. It had been fairly boring and cookie cutter in the past. It was far out away from the city into the many acre spreads of private no Tress Passing signs gravel drive ways today. One wrong driveway could lead to a nasty confrentation just as deadly as being in its polar opposite in the concrete jungle of a major city. Since there wasn't any other houses for miles a man sat just about to smoke as I drove down his 1/4 mile drive way. He had a bag in his hand and the ciggerete he just put out. He was thin dark haired glasses tall and wirery. Blue tucked button up long sleeved shirt, with bleach blue jeans old style, tight fitting but not Indie. Probably from first impression a blue colar worker most of his days prior of employment. With out hesitation despite the front seat being cluterted, I had to quickly move things as I didn't interrupt his flow of what he wanted to do or say. He seemed pre programed like he had everything planned out, his conversation, where he would sit. Very organized. Normally I prefer the front seat to stay open as its easier to navigate with out visual obstructions. "Hi Andy, do you want these maple syrups? I'm hypoglicemic, and we are not supposed to tip you." Not wanting to turn down a free gift, I glady accepted a 10lb grocery bag of Syrup and canned Apple Sauce" As I turned around and started down the long driveway, before we could even make it out to the road to start the journey to his clinic, or insurance ride, he with out interuption began to explain, " I lived in Arizona for 30-40 years, and those Illegals where pouring in,(I couldn't get in, I lived there also, and that I had also worked with Illegals) They are all 18-29, most where criminals ( I know, that could be a whole other book) Well..he finally took a breath, "I told all this to a Billionare, who also knew a Billionare, as Birds of a Feather Flock Together. Well this Billionare told the other Billionare how bad Arizona was getting. How it was an invasion. Guess who that Billionare was? Trump!" He said it with conviction, "Im the reason Trump Ran!" just as he said that I saw a hand made Trump 2024 sign in red white and blue just at the end of the access road called his driveway, it wasn't visible on the way in. "Nice", was my monetone response, I could barely get in any dialouge as he quickly switched to the big Evil Monster he called Israel. I saw a giant scratch off ticket in his pocket, and before I could ask him about it, he said, " Did you know that Biden took a whole bunch of Lotto money and gave it Israel?" Like a well reheresed and well digested book on big bad Israel he went on with total conviction. Like a new found religion of Good and Evil. "Also Israel wants to get rid of all white people, like the Nazis in reverse, they own the world, they own America, if you asked an Illegal who owns America they will say Israel even they know." I tried to remind him of Chinas anti imigration policy but he wasn't having it, he was converted to the hate Israel Church. "Russia and China, will stop this, just you watch, they will stop them from killing all the white people." Whats sad I used to feel a kinship for Russia, but these days its like watching Wrestling on TV as a kid, they all talked how they hated each other and would destroy them in the ring for TV. But in reality they ate dinner together or fished together when the cameras where off. Proof in point, Hillary Rodahm Clinton sold Urianiam for weapons to Russia during Obamas adminstration. She talks a huge its all Russias fault about Trumps election. Russia talks like they support Trump, but I promise you no Comunist wants Americans to have freedom, especially speech. Remember as he said it, Birds of A Comunist Feather, Flock together, Cuban troops fight for Russia in Ukriane, China is Russia's biggest Ally. Russia and Venezuela are budz. Putin never once made any interjections about a lack of election interference and they continue to wedge and divide America by throwing support behind Trump. But when your super focused on Israel while your loosing your rights and freedoms slowly I quess its all part of the Q pysop corrupt garbage truck. Taking you to the dump while your hyper focused on the little monster that controls the enitre world and is the source of all its problems. He wasn't crossed eyed but talked as such. His tirade reminded me of Radio Free Europe from the cold war days, A radio that was heavy handed on Dissinformation, inverting truth, and judo at its finest. Most people had no idea untill Ion Pacepa a top level KGB defector wrote books about it. Infact he was warning about Putin and his comunist past decades prior to today. Love or hate anyone or any group, he is a verifried person that had the old Romanian dictator overthrown because of his books becuase the people knew who Ion Pacepa was, please forgive me of the spelling. My rider would not let Israel have one positive note, one positive thought. As much as I don't trust Putin I have some positive thoughts about him. He went on and on, with in the frame work of this story untill I stopped at his clinic. With out a hitch he was already planned on where to get out, where to smoke. He mentioned he was very sourced from youtube on his info. I asked him to give Rumble a try since its not demonitizing content. He looked perplexed.His thoughts gave away a suggestive "Israel owns Rumble" look But ive seen similiar Church of Hate Israel content on Rumble periodically as the world turns agianst a tiny minorty island surrounded by a vast ocean of Muslims.

Gangsters Paradise

The late afternoon spring sun was doing its best to warm the outside air, my car being closer to an oven in shape and design often required AC even in the winter if the sun was able to bake its contents. We where stuck in Traffic, my passenger Johnathan was from a major east coast city close to Baltimore. We bonded on that foundation than begun to build, what was scheduled as a 45 min ride from work to J's home was now going to be about an hour and 15 mins, but as he unfolded his story to me, the walls of time where eroded by the imagination, the illusion of time that is unacounted for in our sleep was being drummed in a silent steady cadence as my concience mind powered and manuevered thru traffic the other "unused" part became very much alive as time became unacounted for and fleeting like a waking dream. "I was inta selling dope in the east"- he said with a slight street slang. He was thin, early 30's about 5'8 and not more than 130lbs. He talked like he lived it and breathed it. He continued, "I saved up a few dollars than headed out to Cali. (California) I went for my birthday and decided to stay. I found that weed was cheaper in California, so I had the idea to send it USPS thru the mail to my contacts on the East Coast. I was killing in. I had so much dough in such a short period of time I began to live a higher standard of living, I met new people, different circles. I met a gal that I fell absolute love with. She was a stripper and a high $ call girl , she made more money than me as she had clients that flew her to Vegas just to be the weekend with and would come home with 1,500$ cash. My chill personality was perfect for her because she was usually wore out. She knew what I did and was ok with it. Down the road as we became more serious, and I wasn't jealous of her business but I wanted to provide for her and wanted her to stop eventually. I found out her Dad was a famous gangster who had escaped prison as his partner had not. I saw his photos in her house with her his daughter, also him with his friends. I couldnt believe it, since I had idoilized him growing up. I couldn't believe I was dating his daughter and was thinking of marriage wit her. She was drop dead beautiful. I had the most amazing life, I couldnt believe a poor city boy like me was living the high life in Cali. I was making tons of money, and had a rich beautiful gal that who's dad was "king gangster." It was like a dream. I was living it. She couldn't believe how chill I was when I found out what she did, and was not trying to get her out of it. Atleast I wasn't yet. Well the day came when she wanted to introduce me to her Dad. I told her not to tell him what I did for a living. She smiled and said Ok. That day came I couldn't believe it when we shook hands. I couldn't believe it. We talked for a second then he asked if he could talk with me 1 on 1 out back behind the house in the shed. I thought I was going to get kilt and put into a few bags after I got chopped up by his friends who where also there. It was a BBQ. I was terrified man. Terrified. As we got to the shed he hadn't said a word, and I could smell a familiar smell but I was to worried to notice. When he opened the door it was dark, he pointed for me to go in, the fading light of the afternoon disapeared as he closed the door behind us, this is when I said in my mind, its been a nice life. Goodbye momma. After an eternal second he switched the light switched on. All around me was black trash bags. At first I tought man, hes kilt alot of dudes or its weed?!? it smelled like it.. Then he took my hand clasped by my forearm in an embrace and said "welcome to the family" Then it clicked the bags I could see where full of weed, all kinds, I could see some opened up in the unlight parts of the shed. I could see it,&the closed ones had to be weed. I had truly died and arrived in gangsters paradise. "If you ever need let me know, we can work it out, call it a family discount." he smiled with the white teeth he had left overshinned by gold ones in his cat like grin. For the next few weeks, my girl and I partied hard, we both smoked that was the coolest thing about her, now we really smoked. We went to Vegas for a few weeks/ends, we gambled, we ate, and we made love. She took off from her job and now that her Dad was my number 1 supplier I was high rolling it out to the east coast with an Amazon style of Inventory. I used a burner phone that my hommies had the number of and I would write the number on the box of the package just incase I got a call from the Post Office I knew I had to lay low or stop for awhile. This was mid 2000s and Weed wasnt legal and it still isnt in alot of places, it was harder then. Things where smooth roses for a few months, than the phone call happened. I answered but didn't say anything becuase I didn't recognize the number. "Hello this is USPS, there is a problem with your package it got wet..." I hung up before they could tell me the rest. I smashed the phone. At first I was only sending small amounts, as I got more confident I started sending a large box full. Your talking lots of jail time my friend if they ever caught on to who when where. I was so scared, that I stopped. My girl detected my mood change and started working agian. I couldn't live with not bringing in some kind of money to our table. She didn't care but I did. I got so upset I came back home then later on got a good paying job out here where you picked me up. She called me a few times and even flew me out for my birthday. I still smoked with her and still smoke now but its different, you feel me? Its a dangerous life I didn't want to live anymore. I loved her but couldn't be the little fish in the money world. Shes got some one else now but she kept the door open for me for a few years. Whats your number, we gotta have a few beers sometime your really kool" I exchanged numbers just before he went to his humble apartment. I still have the number in my phone, and picked him up agian a year later he remembered me and was working on starting a clothing store. I get so busy with hustling in the ride share world that Its easy to be a bad friend as Im working the weekends most friends are hanging out chasing women. Chasing the dreams we all live.

The Indian Connexion

Tim or Fred or what ever the name is, every time this tall , very thin dirty blonde with glasses gets in my car its a vale of distracive darts trying to get my innocent questions off track. The first pick up and subsequent pick ups are in the same place. outside by a bar or A VFW. She is wearing a black dress with the back exposed. On the late dark night her silhouette looks seductive. Sleek. While in the back seat her reality was less seductive. Her conversation is split between playing candy crush on her phone with her thick bottle glasses brightly light up by a bright screen. Her playing seems like what people do as if about to go to a job, for being at night she seems like she is not carefree and intoxicated its more work mode. "I cook at a restaurant during the day for work" was a statement at some point during our shallow innocent no judgment conversation. Her breath even from back there with the windows cracked to let the cool early fall air mixed with a hot day to air out the car smelled of a sick cats. My nickname in my mind was "cat breath, or Kathy we shall call her was on an only 7 min ride, and she sneakily with a koi playful smirk in her approach had got my number by getting me to sign up to her candy crush game rewards. I willingly accepted out of curiosity not attraction. Her speech was price hill slightly ghettp gal. When dropping her off at her stop it was some nice apartments right near 275. She would tell me to stop and then she would say " Goodnight Sweetheart." and stand in one place till I left. This happened 3x on random weekend nights. Kathy would be at a VFW with an apartment complex just behind or adjoining and she would be dressed up. She would talk about her job working with Mexicans and how they wanted her to come over for dinner with 10 people to an apartment. and we would go to the same stop. But the ride names or the owner of the ride would be a males name with same name being twice. She would get out and not move till I left. " see you sweetheart " she would say as she got out." call me" she continued. The most recent and possibly last was a wild conversation about her Uncle where her and the mother live, or live with was about how before she left the apartment two naked women where laying on the couch. Then did you get my message? No I honestly didn't. was my response. Then she texted me again " lock me in" being so busy with work and not really attracted to her beyond friendship I haven't, she had a very attractive street charm, she was a baby " Hey Baby" she had alot of confidence. Now fastforward 2 weeks latter. I hadn't had Kathy in awhile, and I get a pick up for the exact name and area I kept taking Kathy who claimed she was getting an apartment there at one point but was having problems. The oddity, I never had asked. This time Im meeting the owner of the ride. The buyer, who name is Capitolized exactly as Kathy's In hops im a man, its early Friday evening and its still twilight. Frank is about 50 ish but young looking, just behind him jumps in a very fit Indian woman complete with a strong accent very tan skin, thick shorted legs and long black thick hair. They where headed to Jimmy B's and seemed very happy. She was clearly younger in age but age wise seemed older business oriented, professional. That made it hard to descern her age. They are happy and talkative. " what if I send them bitcoin for money, its like 20$ an hour " the conversation continued from before they entered the car. ""Im telling you , its a scam" I was told the whole modern reinvention of stealing, the latest ahah idea of hoodwinking people into stealing from them. "That sounds like money laundering or they are trying to rob you was my response. Fred said " See , I told you". The ride is only going one mile so it's over fast. A week goes by and I get a pick up for Fred again. This time his beautiful Indian gal is not with him. So i asked politely, " where is your side kick?" He chuckled, I don't know how I got her. I met her on tinder we both swiped right, shes looking for an older man and is very chill she just wants to watch Netflix as she stays over for a few days. She is not supposed to date white guys, her parents would kill her. she has to FaceTime her parents two times a day in India. If she is over my place she goes against the wall in the hallway and doesn't show them where she is as I tip toe around" I congratulate him on how he is 55 and she is 25. He continues " Her parents will arrange a marriage for her when she goes home after she is done her business program at UC in Clifton. When i first picked her up I thought I was going to get killed because it was all Indians in her area. Luckily it has worked out and I tell her I will never get married again." for a young gal going for a divorced man is the part they mess up on. Yes they are more mature and relaxed but could be a jaded to the point of never wanting to get married again. " Her parents will make her date and marry someone they choose, its so wierd, they would kill her if they knew she was with me a white guy in the states." I joked he could change his name to Hijabbu and get a spray tan. "No im never getting married again, maybe she will stay here in the states after she is done school?, my friends at Jimmy Bs really like her". As I dropped him off at JBs, it all connected. With the small back burner thoughts and the absence of Kathy the Call gal who like to cook up stories had been absent. Its a wild world.

"I'm Running for President "

Saturday, its still Cincinnati hot, for some reason pools close Sept 4th, yet by the end of the month its still swimming hot for Oktoberfest. This Saturday the first of September there is a hoge poge of events all attracting young gals in extremely short shorts, and short white shirts, mainly to support the college football team and to cause car accidents. There is also a baseball game, my least favorite because of the traffic jams caused by those who have to park right next to the stadium. At some point early afternoon I'm in the vicinity of aka Over the Rhine west of Clifton and start to Notice the many Catholic mini Cathedrals built atleast a hundred years ago and the surrounding neighborhood with stone walls. I immagined the German immigrants building these whos families are long gone and have been replaced. I noticed these Catholic churches and adjoining buildings, maybe old monasteries now apartments buildings for the first time everywhere as I grew more comfortable in my navigations on a very rare consecutive cloudless sunny afternoon. Add the cherry to the day of the busy day was a Soccer game or football as its called in the rest of the world. Maybe it was named soccer in the USofA as a way of describing the poor simple suckers (kids like myself), that played it. Its busy. Its hot for Cincinnati. The pings for rides are relentless. I tried my best to avoid Kentucky because its a dead end. Im an Ohio driver with a CDL A but have to take Kentucky defensive driving re-teaching every year for 40$ in order to pick up in Kentucky. Sounds like another government scheme to generate Bahama vacations. So as a small protest I refuse to re-teach myself a language that was drilled into my head over and over during my CDL days and Im an Ohio driver. Only those laws apply to Kentucky drivers. As I got closer to the 60 rides in 2 days grind, grinding out 33 today hopefully by midnight. I get a ride to the dreaded tipless west side. I see one pop up for 15$ I ignore it, after a few minutes yet it popped up again. So I grabbed it. 15$ with out a surge is a 30 min to 45 min total ride. Im on Baltimore street its dark, its sketchy its run down. A large African Male with a bag is waiting. My first thought given the surrounding area and having witnessed true Baltimore City level violence during the daylight hours, I was very skeptical of this ride, or the intentions. Ive had plenty of drug deals needing rides. When he first spoke, he was alittle broken like my speech tends to be as his mind is way ahead of his mouth making it difficult to keep up or articulate his high horse powered mind. He was very observant, he expressed his passion to learn about other cultures and life in general as he talked about his frustration of the last Uber driver who chickened out from picking him up as they where 3 minutes away they turned around and started to head away, back towards mad max thunderdom after midnight aka Downtown with 2 hours to go, so he dropped the ride. He was praying someone with the ability to drive to arrive. The thought to cancel had crossed the back of my mind, but something told me to continue before my arrival. Maurey was destroying every bias ive developed from west side rides. He was a Gentle Giant. we talked about Uber drivers and past travels. He stated at one point, "I had a lady with a hijab who was asian pick me up once. I thought she must be Indonesian." Ive also noticed a huge uptick in Muslims in Cincinnati. By forceful design not a natural change as I've picked them up all over town like purposely placed transplants. A few families live in one house in my neighborhood as of last year as the Government had bought the house for them. I have no disdain for them but they follow strict rules for social things, those woman who wear the hijab , who have been passengers for the first time this year out of four.5 years of rideshare. Maurey had 2 women in hijabs pick him up. One 2 times. Each one did not wish to engage in conversation. I told him its considered flirting or cheating on a spouse if they are married. Im certain its forbidden. It was my intuitive thoughts as Ive ingaged in basic communication when interacting with the half dozen in 4 weeks now from all over the area. His asian one turns out had converted to marry her current husband. "I had another driver who was Asian with a German accent, it was so bizzare , as I told him, you have a German accent, he acknowledged that he was raised in Germany." I called out Maureys name as being French in origin. He dittoed my observations and then we dived down the french rabbit hole for awhile from cooking to his preferred Vegetarian burgers we shared so many small similarities from food to observing people. As the subjects changed from my weeks long conversation fatigue he blurted "We need an Independent Party President, I should run for President. " he said after a short discussion his statement was after I had asked who he preferred in the current cards of candidates. "Both parties are the same" I agreed , " You need to run now for the next one, as in 4 years." was my suggestion. He thought about it for a second as the political discussion started to dissipate we moved onto a rider I had who meditated the entire ride, a Chinese lady who spoke 0 English. " I practice Qi Gong, and meditation " he chimed in to make her odd ride less marginal to more mainstay. " Your not the average rider, your a special person, thank you so much for the talk and meeting you." he was warmly quiet and said thanks quietly. When we arrived to his night shift job at the horse races at Beltaire the local casino. I tried my best to verbally show my appreciation and how much he captured my respect on his intelligence and observations. He was a mon friar, my brother, as he got out and hugged one of his co worker at the gates at about 1030pm dark, as I pivoted to go on to pick up Hunter....just another rider who is as normal as all the other Cincinnati Midwestern people. Earlier in the ride I tried to help him understand that inside him is a seed that will blossom 🌸 in its own time as he begins to write his stories, his observations. I felt a French connexion with him, on an ole Louisiana style, one of a deep unseen familiarity many are unfamiliar with. He was and probably will be my best ride and one of my favorites.

Died Suddenly

The real hustle is late nights on Friday/Saturday. Tonight was a Friday. honestly it had been a low day. I kept getting a ride request that was at Kenwood mall for a rider named Kava, I had a surge and in order to keep that surge I had to accept her ride, even though I Kept accepting it, she kept canceling it. After about 5x she messages me, "stop accepting my ride!" then dropped. gone. Well since im less than a half mile away. Her ride pops up again, my message: Racist? this time I drop the ride and loose my surge charge of 9$. The rider can see me, my picture and what kind of car I drive, All i see is her low rating and the name. It could be anyone really, im quessing a woman. So after loosing that 9$ I left and hopefully called out they're bias. As I drove down the road I laughed as that area jumped up to a 12$ surge, to Kava thats a 40$ charge plus all the times Kava canceled at 5$ each time. So her ride was probably costing about 100$ at that point and her judged by a cover driver probably got an ear full to help lower her rating. Later that night, 9 hours latter its around 11 pm. The rides going home from the local bars are in full swing at this point. Im working my favorite, less mad max effect of Anderson. Compared to downtown at this time, its manageable. I get a reguest at a place called the lounge where a very attractive middle aged lady with a low cut white blouse and black pants is quickly smoking a ciggerette as she is about to enter. she hops in the front and as she is doing so, im adjusting her seat because its rarely used. She has dirty blonde hair, and looks almost hispanic. She immediately says, "Im so glad to see you" thank you Chastity, was my response. "Im soo glad to see you as she touches my arm , she proceeds to recount the tale of woe of her current dilemma. " My boyfriend wants me to sleep with him in his wifes bed, she just died, I can't do it, i have principals. Im not like that, she just died and hes already wanting me to move in. You need a new FN house man, you and your wife lived in it for 30 years. He said I will buy a new bed, No you need a New FN house." I agreed and asked a few small questions...she then continued buzzed but not drunk. "She just died suddenly, unexpected, the kids hate me and never will like me, you need a new FN house yeah douche.." Have you ever been married? i asked..."yes, he got some girl pregnant " she starting laughing and than gave me a hug before she left to her next watering hole to spend a few hours hopefully trying to forget the whole thing...