Well, it actually began the Thursday prior with the princely gift of a new phone from the wonderfully generous brother of a dear friend. I desperately needed a new phone because my old one would barely run Amazon Music, let alone the Lyft app. I had to get it unlocked. I received the unlock code at 5:30pm on December 31st, the busiest day of the year for Lyft and Uber and I didn't want to miss it. It was raining, foggy, and unseasonably warm but that wasn't going to hold up business.
I blazed over to my carrier's store, which closed at 6pm. Made it with ten minutes to spare, but I needed a new sim card because my old one wouldn't fit, the old phone made porting the information over to the new one a hassle...yadda yadda. I left at 6:30pm with a shiny new phone. God bless D at my carrier store! I so appreciate her all over the place! Unforeseen: I was signed out of every single app! Oy vay.
I took a ride, and it put me close enough to a friend's house that I could stop in and deliver a jacket that had been left at my house at a holiday get together. I hugged, noshed, made a pit stop, and flew out of there again.
retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjU1_Kugc3fAhUOmeAKHWGfCZQQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpetslady.com%2Farticle%2Fhave-happy-hamster-holiday&psig=AOvVaw2nCNocTXNIVyfeJ2JgRU8D&ust=1546446782285731 on January 1, 2019
From there, it was one ride after the next. As soon as I got back in the car, I got a request from a congenial gentlemen who programs lasers. I dropped him in Phoenixville, and from there got a short ride from a young lady getting off work at the Outback in Royersford. Another rider took me back into Montgomerville. On my way to the location, I saw a flash in the sky. I wondered if it was lightning, the second coming, or perhaps an invasion. It turns out it was a transformer because when I got to the Korean restaurant to pick up my riders, the lights were out and everyone was eating by the light of their phones! I dropped them off on the other side of the highway about five minutes away, and sure enough the lights were out there too. People were pouring out of darkened restaurants. Take a moment to feel for the local businesses that took a financial hit on a holiday.
Another pickup in Montgomeryville took me all the way out into New Hope. On the way, we saw a vehicle that had crashed through a huge wrought iron fence and was sprawled on the huge lawn. Not two blocks away, another car had crashed into some bushes at the side of the road. Probably the result of rain, huge puddles of water, alcohol, and a growing dense fog. I dropped off my riders and checked my map to see where I was in relation to a couple of parties at friends' houses. I was closest to one near Philly, and was tempted to take one more ride but came across yet another accident less than a mile away. A mini van was sprawled across my lane. Another car was off in some trees. There was a large group of college kids standing by the road. I pulled over to see if they were okay and if they had called 911. They were fine, just really bummed. Their plans had taken a crappy turn. Poor kids. At that point, I tapped out for the time being and headed to my friend's house through the rain and fog to ring in the New Year.
I made it with about forty five minutes to minute to a good friend's house in the city. I noshed, had a glass of Santa's Little Helper which was most tasty, and chatted it up with the most fabulous people present. Midnight rolled around, and I was struck amidst the noise how I did not recognize really anyone on the stage in NYC. Then, someone pointed out that it was New Kids On the Block. Well, not so new anymore. None of us are new anymore ;) I hung out until around one, and then blazed out again to take advantage of the spike in ride cost. They were spiking at 300%; I had never experienced that ever, and I would have been a fool not to take advantage of it.
retrieved from https://c.ndtvimg.com/2018-12/3pgvlh9g_happy-new-year-2019_625x300_30_December_18.jpg on January 1, 2019
Most of my post midnight riders were happy revelers on their way home. One young lady was feeling particularly poignant and requested the Beach Boys Auld Lang Syne. Her sister had just gotten married, and she had spent the evening with old friends and was feeling. Feeling lots. She listened quietly and thanked me for finding the song.
The next two riders were my first one star rating that I have ever given. They were both drunk, which was not the issue. The issue was that they got into my car with open bottles of alcohol and continued to drink in the car. Now, if I was not in the middle of Philly as a single female driver I would have asked them to cap the bottles and put them away until they got to their destination. However, the one was borderline belligerent and was arguing with his son in the front seat. It was a short ride. I could not wait to get them out of the car. Yeah, don't trip up the steps to your abode, creeps.
The last ride was a family of four, and bless them the one son had stayed awake all night. His sister was out cold. Mom and dad were yawning. Little Man said he was going to stay up more, but halfway through the ride I looked back and he was out like a light. A few minutes more, and he was snoring away in the back. Bless him. Luckily, they were only a ways across the city, and it put me in a good position to jump on the expressway and head home. Traffic was light by three, and I rolled into my garage around four.
I had not planned on staying out that late, not by a long shot. But, I earned twice what I usually do in that amount of time. I met some interesting people, got to see two groups of friends, however briefly, and rang in the New Year feeling pretty good. I go back to...the 'S' word....SCHOOL tomorrow. But I actually feel mentally ready. I'll be happy to see them, though it's going to be a physical struggle, lemme tell ya!
The Saga continues on January 1, 2019.
Happy New Year to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment. Feedback is always appreciated and I thank you. Derogatory, inflammatory, or just plain nasty comments will be deleted.