August 1, 2009 at 14:44RE: 95% done or "Travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg"
You really like to drive a car. You got behind the wheel for the first time at the age of 14, got right on your day of majority, having passed the test site with your eyes closed. At some point you understand that in order to make money you do not have to go to the office. Becoming a mid-level manager, with dreams of a mortgage and a vacation in Antalya, is not at all part of your life plans. In order to make money, you can just do what you love. And you become a driver.
You have a great reputation. Colleagues respect you, passengers advise their friends. You saw different passengers. Someone was rude, someone ran away without paying, someone, on the pretext that the “crisis” and “200 rubles in his pocket” paid five times less than promised. But this is your favorite thing. And you continue to carry.
Once at a train station a sober-up person runs up to you.
- Take me!
- Where to? - you are interested in
- Let's faster! - the man screams impatiently, waving money. - Faster, I will pay for force majeure, only faster!
You get in the car and turn around in the square near the station.
“Why couldn't we drive on the lawn?” I ask - I need faster!
- Maybe you can tell where we are going? - you ask again
- Yes, of course!I have a big project. I need to get to St. Petersburg as soon as possible. Then, if you meet the deadline, I will take you as a full-time full-time driver.
The last phrase is very inspiring, and you press the gas pedal. You agree on the time of the road and the price. It is quite adequate for such a distance. Comfortably grab the wheel and, avoiding the bumps and pits, carry your passenger. Having hardly left the Moscow Ring Road, your passenger asks you to call in Khimki. Like with my mother did not say goodbye. You reluctantly turn off. After an hour and a half, you still leave Moscow. The passenger constantly grumbles that so much time has been lost. Then he begins to wonder what experience you have, how many times you have had an accident, whether you were in prison, what is your girlfriend’s name, and what road do you take. The conversation tires you, but you try to be polite and answer all questions. Then he asks to stop the car and begins to "test" you according to the rules of the road. It seems to him that you are not competent enough to drive his ass. On one question, you stammer (the situation starts to annoy you slightly) and the passenger asks you to immediately return him to Moscow, because it’s scary to go with you. Using all your diplomatic abilities, you settle the problem, and the passenger reluctantly agrees to move on. On the way, he asks many times to stop. And during one stop, you notice that he stepped onto the highway and catches a passing car. You are interested in what’s the matter, to which he replies that the assigned price is inadequate for such a route, and he wants to play it safe. After half an hour, he still gives up and sits back. Then, suddenly, he asks to drive through Tver. You did not plan this, but still agree. When you hint that this is an additional destination, and it would not be bad to pay extra, the passenger is indignant and says that you are not a person of the word, and that you have already agreed on a specific amount from which it is impossible to deviate. And again reminds you that if you are unhappy with something, then he will find another driver. In Tver, you lose 3 hours waiting for your passenger. Then he comes and claims that he no longer needs your “incompetent services” and leaves without paying a dime. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up.
For the rest of the journey, he tells you how to go, which radio station to listen to, where to turn and how to live. After a few hours of such a hell, naturally breaking out of the 5 hours schedule you get to Peter. Your passenger is so sick of you that you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. You bring him to the outskirts of the city and say that you have fulfilled your part of the agreement - to take him along the Moscow-Peter route and lay down your duties. He pays you, but since you don’t have a change, he shrugs and rounds the amount down, and unhappy that he was not taken to his destination, he dumps it.
Dear habralum, let's see both sides of this issue.
You have a great reputation. Colleagues respect you, passengers advise their friends. You saw different passengers. Someone was rude, someone ran away without paying, someone, on the pretext that the “crisis” and “200 rubles in his pocket” paid five times less than promised. But this is your favorite thing. And you continue to carry.
Once at a train station a sober-up person runs up to you.
- Take me!
- Where to? - you are interested in
- Let's faster! - the man screams impatiently, waving money. - Faster, I will pay for force majeure, only faster!
You get in the car and turn around in the square near the station.
“Why couldn't we drive on the lawn?” I ask - I need faster!
- Maybe you can tell where we are going? - you ask again
- Yes, of course!
The last phrase is very inspiring, and you press the gas pedal. You agree on the time of the road and the price. It is quite adequate for such a distance. Comfortably grab the wheel and, avoiding the bumps and pits, carry your passenger. Having hardly left the Moscow Ring Road, your passenger asks you to call in Khimki. Like with my mother did not say goodbye. You reluctantly turn off. After an hour and a half, you still leave Moscow. The passenger constantly grumbles that so much time has been lost. Then he begins to wonder what experience you have, how many times you have had an accident, whether you were in prison, what is your girlfriend’s name, and what road do you take. The conversation tires you, but you try to be polite and answer all questions. Then he asks to stop the car and begins to "test" you according to the rules of the road. It seems to him that you are not competent enough to drive his ass. On one question, you stammer (the situation starts to annoy you slightly) and the passenger asks you to immediately return him to Moscow, because it’s scary to go with you. Using all your diplomatic abilities, you settle the problem, and the passenger reluctantly agrees to move on. On the way, he asks many times to stop. And during one stop, you notice that he stepped onto the highway and catches a passing car. You are interested in what’s the matter, to which he replies that the assigned price is inadequate for such a route, and he wants to play it safe. After half an hour, he still gives up and sits back. Then, suddenly, he asks to drive through Tver. You did not plan this, but still agree. When you hint that this is an additional destination, and it would not be bad to pay extra, the passenger is indignant and says that you are not a person of the word, and that you have already agreed on a specific amount from which it is impossible to deviate. And again reminds you that if you are unhappy with something, then he will find another driver. In Tver, you lose 3 hours waiting for your passenger. Then he comes and claims that he no longer needs your “incompetent services” and leaves without paying a dime. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up. As soon as you leave the city towards Moscow, your grief-passenger calls you and says that he has changed his mind and is ready to move on. Promises to pay extra. You reluctantly come back and pick it up.
For the rest of the journey, he tells you how to go, which radio station to listen to, where to turn and how to live. After a few hours of such a hell, naturally breaking out of the 5 hours schedule you get to Peter. Your passenger is so sick of you that you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. You bring him to the outskirts of the city and say that you have fulfilled your part of the agreement - to take him along the Moscow-Peter route and lay down your duties. He pays you, but since you don’t have a change, he shrugs and rounds the amount down, and unhappy that he was not taken to his destination, he dumps it.
Dear habralum, let's see both sides of this issue.