Pirates to Pyramids: Las Vegas Taxi Tales by JJ Carlson, George Bunescu, Sylvia Carlson Read Free Book Online Page A
Boulevard. Now almost all airport traffic was being affected because of the chain of events that followed.
The executive airport managers trying to gather the plane back to the blacktop noticed the plane could not be pulled backward without risking snapping those skinny front legs. So it was correctly decided to hire a truck-mounted crane to lift the bird back onto the blacktop. When the crane arrived they were stunned by its overall height and started to worry about its work zone proximity to one of the active runways at McCarran Airport.
To add to the problem this was Friday night, the big night of the week for incoming flights. What a time to call the FAA and report the need to shut down a runway.
Having heard this long list of calamities my thoughts went to the poor company manager who might have just got home from work when he got "the call." Yes, he will always refer to this one as "the call." Or even if he was still in his office and it came by radio, still, "the call." Or, did the call come from the police saying you got a rogue plane in the street, it would still be "the call." Poor guy. This could push a guy around the bend. One can only guess who forgot to set the brakes or set chuck blocks at the wheels or whatever they do to immobilize a giant sleepwalking bird.
But windy night, or no windy night, even we all know to check the birdcage door before we go to bed. Birds can get into mischief.
ABSOLUTELY ANYONE CAN SURPRISE YOU
I have never completely gotten over this cute ride.
I was cruising down the Strip at a good clip when I noticed the New Frontier Hotel blinking light was signaling for a cab. The same funny thought came to me that always came to me when I looked at this hotel - if this is the New Frontier Hotel I would hate to see the old Frontier.
An old lady was waving at me so I pulled up to next to her and her bags.
“ Where to, ma'am?” She could not go yet; her husband was still coming out.
” We have to wait for him,” she said in a thick vaudeville Swedish accent.
I thought she was putting me on. Does anyone really talk like that? She did .
I said to myself, how long was this going to take, waiting with no meter running? She told me to start the meter because he might take a while. Oh good, she understands cabbies. I told her to sit inside the cab and wait. How long did she think he will be? Maybe I would I go in and help? I was impatient.
"No, he is good at taking care of himself, even if he did just have brain surgery." What did she say? She repeated it. He had just had brain surgery, so now he moved slower.
"I told him years ago he needed his head examined," and laughed out loud. This was a vaudeville act, pure vaudeville. I had to find this guy, so I asked what he looks like. She said,
"He doesn't look like much, but he's all I got." She laughed again. She was the playful type.
I watched one old-timer after another exit the hotel and she didn't claim any of them. Then a little old Japanese man appeared, and that was when she spoke up.
"I'll take that one." I was so shocked I didn't move. I thought she must be joking, again.
"That's him right there," she repeated. I blurted out,
"That little Japanese man?" (Was that offensive?) She ignored me but said,
"I told you he's not much. But I am stuck with him." I hoped they wouldn't fight in my car.
I loaded their bags into the car and I noticed he was moving a little gingerly, but at least he wasn't wearing any bandages. She started right in:
"I told the driver you were moving slower, now, with the brain surgery. I said you got your head examined like I'd been telling you." I braced for his hurt reaction. He belly laughed.
Oh brother, they're perfect for each other. Who knew a Swede and Japanese would work?
"So which airline do you want?"
They shrieked at me. "We are not going to the airport."
Never had I been yelled at by old folks like that in my
The executive airport managers trying to gather the plane back to the blacktop noticed the plane could not be pulled backward without risking snapping those skinny front legs. So it was correctly decided to hire a truck-mounted crane to lift the bird back onto the blacktop. When the crane arrived they were stunned by its overall height and started to worry about its work zone proximity to one of the active runways at McCarran Airport.
To add to the problem this was Friday night, the big night of the week for incoming flights. What a time to call the FAA and report the need to shut down a runway.
Having heard this long list of calamities my thoughts went to the poor company manager who might have just got home from work when he got "the call." Yes, he will always refer to this one as "the call." Or even if he was still in his office and it came by radio, still, "the call." Or, did the call come from the police saying you got a rogue plane in the street, it would still be "the call." Poor guy. This could push a guy around the bend. One can only guess who forgot to set the brakes or set chuck blocks at the wheels or whatever they do to immobilize a giant sleepwalking bird.
But windy night, or no windy night, even we all know to check the birdcage door before we go to bed. Birds can get into mischief.
ABSOLUTELY ANYONE CAN SURPRISE YOU
I have never completely gotten over this cute ride.
I was cruising down the Strip at a good clip when I noticed the New Frontier Hotel blinking light was signaling for a cab. The same funny thought came to me that always came to me when I looked at this hotel - if this is the New Frontier Hotel I would hate to see the old Frontier.
An old lady was waving at me so I pulled up to next to her and her bags.
“ Where to, ma'am?” She could not go yet; her husband was still coming out.
” We have to wait for him,” she said in a thick vaudeville Swedish accent.
I thought she was putting me on. Does anyone really talk like that? She did .
I said to myself, how long was this going to take, waiting with no meter running? She told me to start the meter because he might take a while. Oh good, she understands cabbies. I told her to sit inside the cab and wait. How long did she think he will be? Maybe I would I go in and help? I was impatient.
"No, he is good at taking care of himself, even if he did just have brain surgery." What did she say? She repeated it. He had just had brain surgery, so now he moved slower.
"I told him years ago he needed his head examined," and laughed out loud. This was a vaudeville act, pure vaudeville. I had to find this guy, so I asked what he looks like. She said,
"He doesn't look like much, but he's all I got." She laughed again. She was the playful type.
I watched one old-timer after another exit the hotel and she didn't claim any of them. Then a little old Japanese man appeared, and that was when she spoke up.
"I'll take that one." I was so shocked I didn't move. I thought she must be joking, again.
"That's him right there," she repeated. I blurted out,
"That little Japanese man?" (Was that offensive?) She ignored me but said,
"I told you he's not much. But I am stuck with him." I hoped they wouldn't fight in my car.
I loaded their bags into the car and I noticed he was moving a little gingerly, but at least he wasn't wearing any bandages. She started right in:
"I told the driver you were moving slower, now, with the brain surgery. I said you got your head examined like I'd been telling you." I braced for his hurt reaction. He belly laughed.
Oh brother, they're perfect for each other. Who knew a Swede and Japanese would work?
"So which airline do you want?"
They shrieked at me. "We are not going to the airport."
Never had I been yelled at by old folks like that in my
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