So, I am sitting in my cab, parked at Farringtons Bar in Pleasant Hill. Rear-right door opens and this very drunk guy stumbles inside. This is how it went down.
Him "I wanna go to Santa Cruz."
Me "Sounds great. I'm going to need cash up front. I figure about 180-200 dollars."
Him "I have money. Just go."
Me "Sir, I can't leave without a sizable amount of money now."
Him "I have thousands of dollars. Just trust me."
Me "If you don't show me money, I will have to ask you to step out and find another taxi."
Him "Ok, fine. Here."
He hands me many bills totaling 30 to 40 dollars. Most were ones.
I finally asked him "do you really want to go to Santa Cruz?"
Him "Yeah, Santa Cruz in walnut creek."
Me "Wait, what? Walnut Creek? Why didn't you say so. Let me get your driver's license so I can get your address." I often ask for a D.L. if they are quite inebriated. It makes things easier. I just wish I had gotten it much earlier in this particular situation.
I get his address, which is an apartment complex off Treat Blvd. The meter runs to 8 dollars. He hands me a $100 bill and says "keep it." I was pretty happy.
He got out and I drove off. I went back to Farrington's to see if I could get myself another hundred dollar bill. After I parked, I looked in the backseat. Guess what I found. I see 421 dollars in cash strewn all over the backseat of my cab. He had enough cash to get from here to Santa Cruz and back and he left it in my taxi. It looked like Christmas morning.
The problem was there was no way I could possibly find him after leaving him at a very large apartment complex. So I gave all the money to my boss. He told me if no one claimed it in a week, it's mine. Odds of him calling were slim, seeing as how drunk he was. I didn't think he would even remember taking a cab home. In the end, the money was mine. He was the drunkest person I have ever seen and that was the biggest accidental tip I have ever gotten by far.
“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19
