Taxi Adventures - Part 2

[Make sure you read the first part]

"Don't ever, ever put me in a cab with that driver again!" was what the rep on the other end of the line got told.

"In fact, I'd like to speak to somebody in charge." Jared said just to take this thing further.

"Yes sir, what can I possibly help you with?" Said the manager as he got transferred.

"I didn't like the way the last driver treated me on my way here!" Jared said with annoyance. With that, he whipped out his pda, opened his mini spreadsheet and basically outlined the reasons why he didn't like the driver.

* Wasn't very friendly.
* Was arrogant.
* Didn't like the fact that I was only a couple of minutes late.
* Didn't like my flabby body.
* Didn't like the way I was moving my man boobies.

What can the manager do but apologise, right? Then again, Jared was in his right to do so. He rarely complains except when people really gets on his nerves.

"Well just make sure you tell your employee. Right?" with as much authority as possible.

"Very well sir." said the manager professionally.

"By the way, can I make another cab booking in 5 minutes please? Thanks." He postulated.

After a couple of minutes, Jared quickly hopped on the back seat of the taxi which promptly came.

"I'm going up to Symonds St. please" he said as he buckled his seat belt.

After a couple of minutes driving, it started to dawn on him that this cab looked very, very familiar. Even the magazines that were strewn on the seat pressed on at the back of his mind.

It suddenly dawned upon him, as he looked at the driver, that it was the exact same cabbie that he had the argument with earlier. (I sh*t you not as this apparently happened.)

"Oh, motherf*!, of all the taxis why would I get this one?" he silently told himself. "And after what I told them on the phone? Sheez!."

Jared decided not inflame situation, as you'd never want to aggravate the person driving you around.

All of a sudden, the cabbie's mobile alert system gave off a distinct noise and message indicating that he cancel his current pickup.

The driver at this point really didn't realise who he picked up and was bewildered why the cancellation would take place when he's already got the fare on his back seat.

After a long pause, Jared finally said something. "Oh, I know why they're cancelling that." he said a matter-of- factly. "It's because I called in a couple of minutes ago and told them about how I was unhappy with your service earlier."

The driver suddenly went ballistic. With his mouth foaming, he grabbed the wheel with his two huge hands, leaned forward as close to the steering wheel as possible ala Collin Mcrae mode.

Now this was a cab driver you definitely wouldn't get on the back seat off - even if you were drunk, passed out, or badly had to go to use the toilet. He literally slammed on the gas as he weaved through the busy streets of Auckland like a crazed maniac on steroids.

Jared was holding on for dear life... screaming like a girl. It sounded like it was a cross between a wild boar getting slaughtered and Michael Jackson's high pitched cry should you kick him in the nuts. It's also the same sort of dinosaur sound that Tracy would make if you poked her with a very sharp stick.*

*Disclaimer : The last couple of paragraphs may or may not have happened.

But in reality, what really happened during that ride back was a long awkward silence.