You still want a cab after I had you arrested?

(A call comes in the dispatch office. I enter the phone number in the computer and press the talk button.)

Myself: Oregon Taxi.

Idiot: Yes, I need a cab at North A street and Ne B street.

Myself: OK, are you at an address or business. I cant enter two named streets into the computer

Idiot: Its 1234 North B Street......wait it 1234 North A street, my bad.

Myself: Is that a house or an apartment?

Idiot: House. I will be on the porch wearing black and grey.

Myself: OK, where are you headed to?

Idiot: I'm going to 157th and SE Clinton Street.

Myself: OK, I will send a taxi out to you.

I thought about telling the driver to check for cash, but decided I needed to cut back, because the past few I have told the drivers to check were good. I take more calls over the next hour, step outside on my first break for the evening and smoke a cigarette.

When I go back in the office, I found out the guy ran from the taxi. I get a stomach sickness feeling in my abdomen. The driver took him from his house in North Portland, to Gresham, to Downtown Portland, and back to Gresham. The guy wanted to make more stops, and when the driver asked for a $100 deposit which the meter was at, the man and his girlfriend ran out of the cab with out paying.

I was fuming and pissed. I called every single cab company he could possible try to call and black listed him. Myself and my coworkers researched his information, and found out he called us on a few different phone numbers, but went under the same name and gave the same clothing description. We then analyzed all the facts to where he most likely lived and his travel habits.

Then the phone rings again....

Myself: Oregon Taxi, may I help you?

Lady: Yes, I need a cab at the 162nd Avenue commuter rail stop.

Myself: Okay, how many passengers?

Lady: Two.

Myself: And where are you headed to?

Lady: North A street and Northeast B Street. Just send one. We've been taking cabs from you all day.

Myself: Alright, we will send one to you.

I don't send the information out to the drivers. We research her call history since they were a street away from were the fare skippers ran out of the cab. Sure enough, her phone matched an address we had on file of the idiot dude that called me. I decide to let her wait it out and have her think shes getting a ride. The lady and the guy call back about 3 times wondering where their cab was, and we kept reassuring them we were working on getting them picked up as quickly as possible.

Finally she calls my coworker again and begs her to send one asap, because the police were harassing them. My coworker asks the lady to hold. We all talk amongst each other and decided to call the police since they were in the area, and this would be our only chance to get out driver compensated for the services he provided. (We would have called them earl er, but it usually takes more than 45 minutes for a cop to arrive and is more of a hassle for the driver) To make sure they were still at the same place my coworker asks them, "Okay sweetie, your still at the same location right?"......pause as the lady replies....."Alright, I will do my best, and send you our VIP treatment cab asap."

About ten minutes go by and the police inform us they have the two in custody, but have to do an arrest and release ticket, until we can send them the photographs our cameras in our taxi took of the two. I was pissed, yet happy at the same time. I never get the chance to have an idiot run away from paying a fare and call me back with their new location. Time goes by and then...

Myself: Oregon Taxi.

Idiot: I need a cab at XXX SE 169th.

(I am shocked the asshole decided he needed a cab with us again! What moron would call a company right after he ran, and then again after we sent the police after them)

Myself: No, you can walk or take the bus, no cab for you.

*He hangs up*

About 10 minutes go by and he calls one of my coworkers. (The same coworker that tricked them into thinking they were going to get VIP treatment) She pretends like she is taking the order, collects his info so we know his current location, and tells him its on the way. He then calls about 3 minutes later.

Myself: Oregon Taxi

Idiot: I am calling to check up on the status of my cab.

Myself: Don't you get it, I am never going to send you a cab, your not even worth our time.

Idiot: What! You discriminating against me cuz I'm black?

Myself: No, I am not. I have had many friends in the past who are black. But I am discriminating against you for not paying my driver.

Idiot: That's B.S. I'm gonna sue you for discrimination!

Myself: Have at it. You can explain to your lawyer you wanna sue us for not sending cab to you because you run away when you feel like not paying.

Idiot: Once I'm done with you, I will be able to pay for all my rides.

Myself: Okay idiot, you should be paying for them in the first place instead of stealing from honest working people. They lose money when you run, not the company. This is how they feed their kids, and his kid might have to go a night without eating because of you (*click*)

Long story short, he calls us over, and over, and over, requesting us to send him a taxi over a period of 4 to 5 hours. He changes his name, tells us a stupid lame exuse about the character he creates such as a stranded father with a 5 year old boy in the freezing cold, or that he is a slightly mentally handicapped man that needs help out to the cab. He was probably severly mentally handicapped because he kept calling on the same phone number, and because he called so often checking up on the status of the cab we knew it was him by his voice without looking at caller id.