A few good rides, and the car died

My Income

A guy from Mexico City asked me how much I make per hour and what the cab lease was, and how much I spend on fuel. I told him the truth on all accounts. What's the big deal? When I dropped him off, the fare was $16. He gave me $40, and when I asked if he was sure about that, he said, "Yes." I guess he thought my earnings are low. I'll take pity tips any day.

Philippines

I drove a guy who is a civilian contractor for the Navy, in San Diego for a month or so to work on several ships in port. He's born-and-raised American, but he lives in the Philippines now.

Me: What do you like about the Philippines?

Him: My kids wear uniforms to school, and they respect their teachers and parents.

That's a huge contrast to here, where uppity brats sue their own parents and schools. Discipline is considered abuse, which is not helping the situation. He also said he pays $185 per month rent on a huge, four-bedroom apartment with tile bathrooms, marble countertops, and lots of other decent stuff. Sounds intriguing.

Car is dead

The cab died at 10:30 tonight, and there are no loaners available. I called my cab partner to let him know tomorrow morning will be "interesting", and I wished him luck. The car wouldn't shift from 1st to 2nd (it could have been 2-to-3; it was at 25mph, and it's a 4-speed automatic). Instead of upshifting, there is a crunching, grinding noise and the car lurches almost to a stop. Something is seriously wrong.