They Automatically Give You A Lot Of Stick
For a short while between jobs, I worked as a rideshare driver. Most of my rides were uneventful; however, one stuck out.
I picked up [Girl #1] and her friend for a drive that would earn me about $40. We set off, and I went onto the highway and encountered a bit of traffic. The two girls in the backseat were chattering as normal — that is until we reached the traffic. It should be noted that I drive a cheap little manual transmission car.
Girl #1: “Um, what are you doing?”
Me: “I’m sorry, isn’t this the route you would like to take?”
Girl #1: “Um, no. Why are you fiddling with that thing in the center?”
Me: “The gear stick?”
Girl #1: “Um, no. The fidget stick you have glued to the center console?”
Me: “No, that’s a gear lever for changing gears on the car. It’s a manual car.”
Girl #1: “Stop lying and pay attention to the road, and stop playing with the fidget stick!”
Girl #2: “Oh, my God, [Girl #1]! Leave him alone and let him drive!”
Girl #1: “No, [Girl #2]! He’s going to crash and get us killed!”
By then, we had come off the highway and were about three-quarters of the way to our destination.
Girl #1: “Listen, stop playing with the fidget stick, or else I will cancel this ride!”
Me: “It’s a manual car. I’m changing gears. I don’t know how else to explain this to you.”
Girl #1: “You are lying. No such thing exists. My boyfriend is a mechanic.”
By then, I was turning into the parking lot of the destination and was about to stop in front of the movie theater they wanted to go to.
Girl #1: “I am not paying you. You were driving distracted for the whole drive.”
Girl #2: “[Girl #1], shut up! Here, I’ll pay.”
[Girl #2] paid and included a $10 tip.
Girl #2: “Thanks for the ride. [Girl #1] is stupid. I don’t know why I’m friends with her — and her boyfriend works at [Fast Food Chain].”