Cabbing about, and more substantial things

I took 7 cabs (and 2 planes) today.

All of them knew where they were going and were polite.  Except the last one.  Well, he knew where he was going and that was the problem.

I got off the plane, climbed in the cab, told him where I was going and was met with "oh no, this is a problem" and regretful clucking sounds.  As he drove out of the airport he began to advise me, in tones designed to elicit maximum sympathy and guilt, that if ever I got off a plane again I should go upstairs and get into one of the cabs that was dropping off someone else because it would always "hurt the heart" of the driver picking me up downstairs because I wasn't going far enough. 

Of course, in the politest possible way, I advised him that I fly and take cabs from the airport all the damn time and never, ever, has a driver indicated that he didn't want to take me where I wanted to go or otherwise appeared put upon.  The driver advised that this was because they didn't want to hurt my feelings.

I believe he would have been only made happy had I asked him right then and there to drive me to Ringwood and back.  He then kept sighing and making clucking sounds and occasionally asking "do you feel bad now?  Upset."  Ultimately I was forced to firmly put him in his place and advise that no, I didn't feel bad or upset, but I did feel very tired after a long day and just wanted to get home.  Cluck, cluck.

Now, sure, I don't live that far from the airport.  I am somewhat sympathetic to the guy trying to make a living and sitting 2 hours in the taxi queue at the airport before picking up a fare.  But it's still a $40 fare with tolls and an airport charge.  And into an inner urban area where it is very easy to pick up another passenger.  So quit whinging mate and if you don't want to wait two hours for a comparatively small fare then don't wait.  Especially when there are so many more important things going on at the moment.

I was in Sydney today, and was a little surprised to discover the fire coverage there.  I guess because of being Victorian, and knowing people whose houses were under threat, and having people in the office lose friends, and seeing everyone being in quite a degree of shock, and having the fire threats still being read on the radio every 15 minutes, it was very easy to get caught up in it as a local/State issue.  But that's not how the rest of the country seems to see it, in the best way.  The coverage in Sydney was almost as substantial as in Melbourne.  There were appeals for funds on the freeway traffic signs and on the planes.  Hopefully it leads to continued support after this initial outpouring.

Then I spoke to someone in California and the first thing they asked me about was the fires. Being fire-prone too they feel quite an affinity with everyone here.  I hadn't realised how much coverage it was getting overseas - which just served to reinforce just how huge and awful it has been.  The magnitude remains somewhat surreal to me.  I still can't quite believe it.  And get teary hearing reports. 

We did have some good fire-related news though.  One of our clients is up at Kinglake West and we weren't sure for several days what had happened to him.  But then news came through that he and his family were not only fine, they had stayed and managed to save their house as well.  Everything all around is burnt, but the house survived and more importantly, so did they.

I also checked my lotto ticket in the airport lounge this afternoon.  I didn't win $40mil, but I did win one of the lower divisions.  When I get the cash I'll add it to my Red Cross donation.