Tampa Taxi Shots

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GUY?

Often times drivers get caught up in things they should not be doing.  I am afraid this has happened to Mike Willis.  Mike is a long time driver for almost 20 years.  He got divorced a couple years ago, and never seemed to get over it.  I know he was shacking up with crack whores that he thought he could convert.  But I am afraid he might have started down the road of drugs.

One day I pulled off the side of the road down by Westshore and Interbay where there is a wooded area to take a leak.  It just so happens that area is a couple of blocks from were Mike was living at the time.  A Black kid on a bicycle pulled up real quick when he saw me.  He stopped and then said he was sorry because he thought I was mike.  I know the dude was selling dope.

Anyway, if you have seen this wayward cab driver tell him to get in touch with me.  I just want to know what happened.

WOULD YOU PAY FOR THIS?

United Cab has gotten into the advertising business sort of in a big way.  No, they are not trying to drum up business for the cab drivers, so we can have more calls which would benefit them because they would be able to hire more drivers. 

No.  They are selling these cheesy on the roof ads that the cab drivers have no choice about.  Well, you sort of have a choice.  You can pay a higher lease to not have one!

When you hit 60 MPH or cross one of the area bridges, it sounds as if a reindeer has landed on the to roof of the taxi.  Needless to say, the customers do complain and want to know if this is really necessary, especially if they are on an important phone call.

Just something for the company to consider. 

How much revenue can the Gold Club and Morgan & Morgan really generate with this type of advertising?

SICK AS A DOG

I have been sick for days.  I have not been able to do much.  My lungs are inflamed and all I can do is cough.  I need to get better while I struggle to pay the lease on my taxi.  They don't care if you're sick, all they want is their money.  We should get some kind of sicktime.  Right.

SKUNK APE TRACKS FOUND NEAR TAMPA

Deep along the Withlacoochee River In Pasco County I found these interesting tracks.  One of them with five toes and was about twice the size of Shaquille O'Neal footprints.  You can see this at about the 5 minute mark.  Is it Sasquatch or Bigfoot?  It does seem to have a very big foot.

A LOT FULL OF CABS

This time of  year if a cab driver did not have an assigned cab for his shift, he may not have gotten one.  Look at the lot today.  Amy said "Take your pick" when  I needed a loner cab while they detailed the old #497 for inspection.  Thank God she is 10 years old and will be taken off fleet in the next year.  I will finally get a new cab.  I don't think they like me and that is why I have been in my cab for so long.

Anyway, I think many guys have turned it in after the Super Bowl.  There really is not much going on because of the economy.  I am hanging in there and some of my projects are paying off.

If your thinking of coming back to work, there are plenty of cab for hire at United Cab.

TONY EVEN SAYS IT'S GOOD!

Cab drivers in Tampa all know Tony cab #440.  He is Italian, he is a long time driver, he is also known for a very bad attitude. 

However, with the last two months being rather good (the Super Bowl) Tony even admits there has been  money to be made.  Why, he even has a CELL PHONE!  Can you believe that. 

He even text MSG me about 20 times a day with stupid shit, such as farting and someone singing "I just called to say fuck you; I just called to tell you to kiss my ass."  You know, friendly stuff.  All that from a 59 year old man.  You can't beat it.  

But Tony can only be Tony.  His last text message said "Don't worry buddy, things will soon be shit again." 

Somethings things never change.

I heard he was going to be the keynote speaker at the next Tony Robbins Convention in Tampa.  Can't wait for that bit of positive injection!

Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite (US Version)

DEMON CAT FOUND IN TAMPA!

They say he prowls Tampa looking for a meal...He found one, in the dumpster at Stoney's Bar And Liquor in Palmetto Beach.  When I pulled up at sunrise, this cat jumps out of the dumpster licking his chops.  Forget about Fancy Feast, he wants garbage bins.  A cat is a cat.

Notice the chewed off ear.

He then looks at me with green, demon like eyes.  It was really the effect of my flash unit on the camera. 

He did have a fine meal from what he found in the can.  Hate to think of what that might of been. 

He did better than I did, I ended up with some cold Cuban breakfast sandwich from a roadside diner.

BIGFOOT NEAR TAMPA?

The search is on, right here in Florida, for the legendary Bigfoot.

Some say Bigfoot is real and some say it is a myth. However, new sightings now have some scientist looking for it in the Tampa area. 

Members of the "Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization" believe the giant primate may live here, as well as many other locations around the world.  They were in Tampa on February 18-20 looking for the Skunk Ape.  They found nothing.  I beleive because they only looked at night.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said many sightings have been reported since the early 1800's but that no scientific evidence exists.

I went up to the Dead River Swamp area of Hillsborough Country Tuesday.  I went up by the old logging camp off of US 301; It is a desolate area that still has water and may be were Bigfoot is because of the drought and his need for water.  I went during the day and possibly made contact.  Something did happen!

I took over 30 minutes of video and broke it down into 3 parts which have now been posted on Youtube.  Check them out and see if you believe.  I was amazed that something was captured on video.

SAY A PRAYER

One of the four football boaters has been found off of Clearwater Florida.  Nick Schuyler formaly of the USF Bulls was found clinging to the overturned boat, about 30 miles out in the Gulf.  This is wonderful news.  Aparantly his buddies do have on lifepreservers, and may still be floating out there.  The Coast Guard has stepped up the search and they are focusing on a particular area.  Hope for the best.

I cannot imaging what their families are going thru.

TAMPA MARATHON ON BAYSHORE

With an approaching rainstorm, the runners are on their way down Beautiful Bayshore Blvd in Tampa Florida.  The temperatures were cool, but the spirits were high as thousands made their way to Macdill Air force Base for the turnaround point.  This must be one of the only marathons that's an "out-and-back." 

Most cab drivers don't like race days because Bayshore is all blocked up, but the extra money we make from people using the cabs to get to event more than makes up for any inconvenience. 

There were people of various "fighting trim" in the race.  Hell, there were people that looked like me!  Now that's a scary thought.