Lucky drunk

It's Monday, my day off. While I'm laying horizontally on the couch with 300 channels at my disposal, I'll post this gem from my 2006 journal.

Two men and two Marlboros

Aug. 6, 2006

Picked up a younger guy from a bar in National City, upper 20s or so, and after he got in he said to start the meter but to wait for a minute while he made a phone call.

He called his sister and explained that his brother-in-law, her husband, got lost. They had been out drinking and bar hopping, and at the last bar (where we were), he had just disappeared. His name was Mike.

After much worried discussion, I gathered they were going to hope he could find his own way home. He's a grown man.

I brought the kid to a house off of College Ave. and I-94. It was a $35 fare plus he gave me a $5 tip. It was a good ride. I wished him luck finding his brother-in-law.

Two hours later I got belled to the same bar, and it was a guy so drunk I almost drove off before he could get in. I asked if he was Mike, and sure enough, it was the missing drunk.

He was too drunk to speak, and went right to sleep in the back seat. It was lucky for him I already knew where he was going. En route I turned on the light occasionally to see if he was ralphing.

We got to the house and I had trouble rousting him. When he did come to, he tried to leave without paying. I said several times I need $35. Finally he dug into his pocket and got ... a pack of Marlboros. He gave me two cigarettes and tried to leave again.

Now I know why Muslims don't drink.

It was a five minute struggle, but I ended up with $35 plus the two cigarettes. I've had worse tips. Before leaving I made sure he had staggered all the way to the front door. He laid down on the top step. Good thing it was a warm night.