Whoever would have thought Breezy would have to shut down its services
due to a winter storm? I definitely did not believe the weather forecast when
they predicted a wet wintry mix. I told Mike to use his best judgement if the
roads became too slippery. He is from Syracuse, NY so he has experience
with this type of winter hell.
He called me after some accumulation and said it was getting slick on
the roads and I reminded him I had said to use your best judgement. I also
added, “I will fire your ass if you wreck the car, so that should help with
your decision.” He came by HQ shortly after our conversation and I drove
him home. I will admit that I was getting all kinds of sideways, intentionally,
on the short two block drive to his house. He put on his seat belt and I said,
“Good choice, as I have spun into things with this kind of behavior.” That is
why I don’t drive in the stuff, I can’t help myself.
What a difference we are experiencing from last year’s winter. Besides
the cold temperatures, business has been extremely slow compared to last
winter. If I had to guess how many tree roofers and tree service crews that
were helping us get through Matthew last winter, I would bet maybe one out
of ten had a driver’s license.
Last year, when the TIPD would call us for an off-island run, we were
usually too busy to handle it so we would turn them down. Truthfully it is a
good source for Taxi Tales. However, some of the folks we pick up can get a
bit unruly. Once I went to pick up a couple on the south end, these geniuses
locked their keys in the car, so they broke the window out. TIPD was called
by some witnesses, not knowing it was the couples own vehicle. I showed
up, the officer told them that I was their ride OFF ISLAND. They grabbed
their belongings, got in the cab, and as I started to drive off, the guy yelled,
“FAWK the police.” I stopped, put Breezy in reverse, and asked the officer,
“Do you want them back?” She said no, just get them off Tybee. I dropped
them off somewhere on Henry St. It only took about an hour and a half
because they couldn’t remember their address.
Recently we got a call to take a guy from the Lighthouse to Savannah.
34 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | FEB 2018
By Ron Goralczyk
Leigh said we were not very busy, so I went to check it out. When I rolled
up on the scene, I noticed the guy I was picking up had a nice Corvette. I
called Leigh and told her I was going to take him because he had a nice car,
so it shouldn’t be a shit show. What I should have noticed was the fact that
somehow, he had taken up four parking spots with that Corvette. The officer
told me that the man and his girlfriend had an argument in the parking lot
and she was arrested and he needed to go back to his hotel in Savannah.
He got in the cab with a bloody nose and his right eye was a little
puffy from the punches he had endured from his beloved girlfriend. My first
question was the location of his hotel. It was closer to Richmond Hill than
Savannah. I told him how much, he agreed, and we started our journey. My
second question was what set your girl off? He said she was upset because
she caught him looking at some porn. Third question was why were you
looking at porn while at the lighthouse? He answered, “Man she was talking
about three weeks ago! I kept telling her, Lynn I ain’t looked at no porn since
you caught me. I swear I haven’t looked at any. I kept telling her that and
she became violent. I kept telling her to stop or the law was going to come,
please stop. Well she didn’t stop, the law did come, now she is in jail.” He
then asked me, “Do you think they will set bail for her?” I told him, “If they
keep her on Tybee yes, if they send her to Chatham County, I don’t know. It
is Christmas and most government agencies are closed.” For the next 45
minutes he must have repeated himself a thousand times, “Oh, I don’t want
Lynn to have to spend Christmas in jail.”
Of course, later I checked the 24 Hour Chatham County arrest page and
poor Lynn got to spend Christmas in Jail ... no bail. The other thing I learned
from this ride was that he had purchased the Corvette from his neighbor for
a thousand dollars. Seems the guy needed some cash for a different kind
of speed.
Please never drink and drive Go Breezy!
1605 Inlet Avenue, Tybee
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