UBERCARE

If you have been reading along, the last week has not been my favorite. What's FUNNY is, I told someone that I WASN'T going to WRITE about it! 

oops...  

That someone was an Uber passenger. It is not unusual to share a bit about ourselves as we ride along. The best riders are the ones that like to talk. Not everyone is that type, but I find it easy to get folks to open up about things. Nothing too personal.

Nothing like I sometimes do.

I have to admit that I survey people all the time. It may be about a current event, or something I want to write about or just interested in. It makes time go by fast (sometimes too fast!) and hopefully making the ride a bit more fun for the customer. 

But.... as I've said, this week was particularly difficult to stay upbeat. 

I didn't want anyone to notice, but I may have let my true face show up just a bit. Why do I say that? Because everyone has been extraordinarily nice this entire week. How could I be so lucky?

I wish I could thank each and every one that helped make that fake smile I carried around, a bit more real. I wish I could let them know how much they helped... like a mini-rehab of my heart. I went from incredibly sad, as I started the new week on Sunday, but by tonight,  I'm just plain sad. It's nothing you get over in a blip. 

Without the positive and happy people I had the pleasure to drive around, it would have been a much more depressing 120 hours. It's not like I run into a bunch of meatheads out there. Most people are kind and compassionate. Some are thoughtful. Some are ready to get out immediately. 

Hopefully I don't jinx myself for tomorrow! 

UBERING - LOOKING BACK IN THE PAST YEAR

Hard to believe it's been a year since I started giving rides around Middletown. The cool surprises that have come out of it are many.

College kids - While some folks look down on our younger generation, I see the positives. Enthusiasm, compassion, and interesting stories. These kids might be young, but they have done and seen a lot already! 

I should qualify that most of the ride requests have been from international students. Many have been in the United States for high school. They speak English well, they respect their family, and  have traveled to many places, here and abroad. Their families are generally well-off. It IS expensive to go to school here, but the advantages are in the quality of education and experiencing the world.  

Diversity - The first six months, I tried to keep track of all the different countries my passengers have originated. China was the most common. India was the second, no surprise, since they are the two most populated countries on Earth. Mixed in with those, I counted over 20 nations represented. If I include ALL riders, I had over 30. Wow...

Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Panama, Mexico, Korea, Japan, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Argentina, Australia, Namibia, Jordan, and many others have given me a peek into the mind of people that are, on one hand, similar, on the other very different. 

Take, for example, the two passengers that were maybe the most interesting. One from Israel and the other from Palestine. They rode only a month apart, yet the questions I had were the same. I felt so lucky to have the opportunity to see the world through their eyes, no media bias or political slanting standing in the way of their truth. 

The questions were simple. The young man from Palestine showed passion and resolve in his speaking about home. I asked how he felt about Israel and it's people. I asked about the problems there and if there was hope for a peaceful future. I asked the same of the man from Israel. They both had the same answers. 

What you see in the news is NOT the reality for the common man in that part of the world. According to these two guys, 95% of the people care about each other and want a peaceful resolution to their issues with the land. It's the remaining percentage that creates the issues that have plagued their home for decades. The rest of their stories could have come from anywhere. Most people have the same desires, concerns, and values. They confirm to me that we COULD all get along, if not for those in power that profit from the conflict or are addicted to the power. 

I've had many conversations with people that didn't realize they were NOT just going to sit there and be ignored by their driver! I've had riders that were having a bad day. I've had some that were as happy as could be. I feel like it's my job to lift those that are down and celebrate those that found joy. Talking of hobbies, or work, or vacation destinations, it didn't matter. Getting a stranger to share is something I truly enjoy.

I also enjoy driving, but not at night. I only pick up folks in the daytime, so I don't have drunken fools to deal with. I have met a few that I can call a friend, and a few that I'm sure hope I don't pick them up again, because I talk too much. I've had a few that I had the pleasure of taking on their first ride. 

Long Distance Fun - Most rides are short (less than 20 minutes) but some have crossed state lines. New York City a few times, New Jersey a few times, Virginia more than a few times, DC, and BWI airport have been driven. The really cool part of those trips are, IF you have someone that wants to have a conversation, you can talk about many things. The time just flies by. 

After more than 2000 rides and over 10,000 miles, I can say it is a very interesting way to earn a few extra dollars. Of course I started tracking what I made, hours I worked, and miles I have driven. The average income turned out to be around $8 - $10 an hour. It doesn't sound like much I agree. It serves our purpose though, since I can't be away from Mom for too long at any one stretch.  

The money earned mostly goes to Mom stuff, like saving for travel adventures and related items. I can't imagine doing it full-time though. Too much of ANYTHING, no matter how much fun, is still too much.