TAXI CAB CONFESSIONS # 17

I used to drive a taxi/cab. Why? I often ask myself that, it was a shitty job, but it got me through 2 years of university, so it served a purpose. I was telling a few stories from those days to a friend recently and it got me thinking that I should write these stories down before I forget them.

The famous? Well kinda....

So it's kinda inevitable that you will pick up minor celebs when you're driving a taxi. Major celebs utilising limos and all. So I was just trying to remember who I had picked up and what they were like.

Sandman and Flacco: They were two pretty funny comics back in the day, not sure if they still perform. They were doing a gig at the Regal theatre in Subiaco when they jumped in my cab post show one night. Gotta admit I got pumped at the thought of belly laughs all the way home....err not. They didn't sound anything like the Sandman or Flacco, what the? What's with the normal voices and why are you discussing missing your timings in the second act and what do you mean you're getting room service and hitting the sack as soon as I drop you off at the hotel. You're stars and Perth is your oyster!!! Everyone's just the same in reality aren't they, just two schmucks doin a job like you and me.

Richie Benaud: Former Australian Cricket Captain and without doubt the greatest cricket commentator since Alan McGilvray, "Marvellous, just marvellous to have ewe in the cab Richie" Resplendent in a beige sports jacket and stylish silver hair, I got a little excited at the prospect of discussing yesterdays' match with the great man, but all I got out of him was a grumpy "Airport" I guess a man who talks for a living doesn't want to talk to strangers all that much in his down time. I gave him a "Marvellous ride" to the airport though.

Jeff Newman: Former host of It's Academic and long time weather guy on Channel 7. I actually picked him up from his home once and another time after a function at the Hyatt Hotel. He'd had a few after the function and promptly fell asleep so seeing as I remembered his address from the first pick up I simply headed there (He lived only a few blocks from where I picked my cab up each time in Karrinyup). So once we rolled into his drive way I woke him up only to get "No no wrong house I don't live here anymore! Errr how did you know I used to live here" All a bit hard to comprehend once you've woken up I guess and very similar to this time. Not so weird explaining it to him though.

I also remember discussing It's Academic with him the first time I picked him up and me telling him they should bring it back on air. He explained that the TV execs have to make those decisions and as much as he agreed with me they didn't. Oh yeah? Well how come less than a year later it was back on air (not with Mr Newman) huh? I'm takin full credit for that one.

An Inanimate Rod: Well kinda, it was the Sydney Olympic Torch or at least one of them and it was about 6 months before the actual Olympics. A woman was doing promotional stuff with it for the bank she worked for and I got to hold it before most people had even seen one. So of all the above the inanimate rod was the most exciting. Hey it's Perth, we get excited by simple things, I mean, take a look at what we class as celebs.

No disrespect intended Mr Newman oh and number 4 please Mr Newman.

You can read the other stories in the series so far by clicking the taxi label below