A few interesting fares tonight

Two sailors who graduated BUDS training today. The training isn't quite as intense as SEALs, but it's a big accomplishment nonetheless. I congratulated them. They went from a South Bay suburb all the way to the Sand Bar in the Mission Beach neighborhood; $40 after tip. I should have comped them as a way of saying "thank you." From now on, any new graduate of SEAL, SEARs, or BUDS gets a free ride.

Married couple in their 40s from a fairly nice Italian restaurant in Little Italy (our Little Italy is nothing compared to NYC or San Fran, but it is nice). They admitted to having a bottle of wine with dinner straightaway. They were from Tennessee, and spoke with a sharp Southern drawl. The guy told woman jokes all the way to their hotel, and the wife laughed at all of them.

"If we weren't fucking them, it would be open season on them."

I enjoy a good female joke as much as the next guy, but I failed to see any humor in that one. I told my favorite, which they enjoyed: "Have you heard that Japanese engineers have made a camera with a shutter fast enough to photograph a woman with her mouth shut?"

Another Southern couple, this time from North Carolina. I asked if they had spotted any NASCAR drivers in the area, and they said they used to live in the same building as Brian Vickers (Condos?). Vickers used to drive for Hendrick, and is now the top-ranked Toyota driver. They said he was a very nice guy.

I mentioned that I once drove a couple from North Carolina who used to live next door to Tony Stewart. They reported that Stewart was just as much of an ass in person as he is on the race track.

Each was a big fan of auto racing. She likes Harvick and the 29 team, and he likes Jeff Gordon, team 24. Since I'm a Gordon fan, we made fun of Harvick for most of the trip -- good natured, not mean.