Riders on the Storm

The very first time I turned on my Uber app I was in my suburban mom driveway. Before I put my minivan in reverse, I had a ride request. I accepted the rider and off I went. As a driver, you don’t choose who you get, where you pick them up, or where they are going. An offer pops up on your phone and you have 15 seconds to take it before it's declined. It gives you a really quick look at where the rider is on a map but that’s all you get. You didn’t know that? I didn’t either. I had a lot to learn and it was going to happen really fast.

Within 10 minutes I realized this was not at all what I expected. I found myself in a rough part of town with a rider going to another town that the soccer mom inside me would label as “scary in the daytime”. It was dark and rainy and I was nervous. The Doors’ song, “Riders on the Storm” came to mind: There's a killer on the road His brain is squirmin' like a toad Take a long holiday Let your children play If you give this man a ride Sweet family will die Killer on the road, yeah Of course, we live in a world where that is very possible, just probably not as likely as your average 60-year-old woman might think. (No offense, Mom! Also, shout out to my Mom for supporting my wild choices that are usually the opposite of what makes her comfortable.) I dropped my rider off and another ride popped up. In a panic, I declined the request. I sat and looked at my surroundings, scrolled through apps on my phone, and thought about whether this was worth the risk I was taking. There were scary people outside, I didn’t know that part of town at all, and did I mention it was dark and rainy? I was comforted by the show of law enforcement in the area. Or was that a bad thing? Then I figured I wouldn’t know for sure if I didn’t give this at least one good try. Another ride request popped up. I summoned all my courage and I accepted it. After that, I had continuous riders for two hours. Some were in nice neighborhoods, some in not so nice neighborhoods. Every person was kind and respectful and that’s really all that counts… and not getting shot. I really didn’t want to be shot. Every time I got a rider I would open the back door with my button up front, they would hop in, I would look at my app to see which way to go, and after I got a little ways in I would ask them how their night was going. It was my new routine. I was doing it like a pro! It was going smoothly. It really was. Until I got a request from Mason. Two times I went to the address and he didn’t show up, which was great because I made $3 just for sitting there, twice! The third time he was there. At this point we are in an older neighborhood with poor lighting, it’s late, I don’t know the area, and it's raining like Noah is waiting for the flood. He apologized for not being there the first two times and said he just needed to return this computer to a friend’s house. I see him climbing in the back with a computer in his arms. He closes the back door, I look at my navigation, drive off, ask him about his night, and realize I stole his computer and left the dude standing in the pouring rain on a corner in the dark! For those few moments, I thought my short career with Uber was over. No five-star reviews for me. I failed in the worst way. I mean nobody died or anything, but I left my rider in the rain and the app was charging him for the time and mileage! Then my phone started ringing. I never answer while driving (or in real life), but I thought maybe it was him somehow. It was. I put him on speakerphone and we laughed and laughed. I went back, I picked him up. We laughed again for a few minutes. If I had to guess, I would say the legalization of marijuana in the state of California played a big role in his positive reaction. Apparently, that helps with a lot of tense situations; even Uber drivers stealing your stuff and leaving you on the corner in a storm. I told him I was new and apologized way too much. By the end of the ride, we were best friends. We talked about our childhood, how friendships change in adulthood, social anxiety, and about career paths. This guy was so nice AND he tipped me $10. Boom! I felt so much joy from connecting with him, listening to his story, and talking about life. It was the same with my other riders. Some talk, some don’t. Many people want to talk about something that bothers them with a completely anonymous and temporary set of ears. I’m good with being that person. I just always hope to find the right words to help. My personal goal in life is to be a bright light shining in a dark world. There’s enough negativity out there. I want to let people know that they are loved and valued, even if it’s just by an Uber driver. You may think that’s silly or naive, and that’s okay. We live in a culture where we are overwhelmed with social media, chaotic schedules, and a laundry list of “friends” whom we don’t truly know. Despite all that, a lot of people still feel emotionally isolated. When Mason got out of the car, I was hopeful that I found something that would work for my life. I felt recharged. It was a way to pay my bills, be with my family, and shine my light. That was the moment I knew that this was the job for me. It has been one rider after another ever since. Oh, and it wasn’t anything like “Riders on the Storm.”