Strip mall in west Trenton, three hours into the shift, late for a weeknight but not late. No one's talking, no one's tipping, no one's paying surge price. It's been like this for most of the week, because the Eagles lost the Super Bowl and the region is depressed. Also, it's February. Get in the car, stare at your phone, and make sure your driver is making as little as possible. Not great.
The pick up is two young women, 15 minute ride to a local college. College kids are usually better than most. They want to know how to save time and money on rides, they are a little better at holding a conversation, they tip more often. So I force myself to be a little chattier than usual, try to engage. They respond just enough to make me feel bad for trying, and as the car gets quiet for the final 2/3rds of the ride as they pray to their phones, this track comes up on my iPod. Specifically, the last few minutes of it.
You've got to have fear in your heart / you've got to have fear in your heart...
Have I offended my passengers? Are they going to be the ones that decide to 1-star me, make some specious accusation, or worse? I've been doing this off and on for six years now, over 25K rides. Eventually, you are going to run into some significant problem of a person. Maybe these are the ones.
I roll up to their drop point. They exit cheerfully and politely. Nothing that was going on in my head or the soundtrack was real.
This time.
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