Today,

• I drove 381 — a van!
• I picked up an 80+ year old woman with an unrecognizable Slavic sort of accent. She was born in China but her family was originally from Russia. Any country I name, she’s been there. She hates the NHS with a passion and sees no value in any form of socialized medicine. Her sister was diagnosed with cancer in the UK and couldn’t get any medical aid. Her sister then jams a pair scissors in her neck. Suddenly, she gets great care! Score one for socialized medicine!
• I learned the Indian Consulate in San Francisco is in the Inner Richmond. How weird. They also have a crappy website complete with an animated gif of their flag.
• Seemed to be Japan Day…
• I picked up an older Japanese man who recently suffered his 3rd stroke but seems to be doing great aside from needing a cane for stability. He was heading back home from Japan Town to 19th/Judah. He is a prolific reader — we had a great chat about shitty books and great books. He mentions Grapes of Wrath which happens to be in my bag. He gives me a $10 tip. My roommate says I should buy some grapes with the ten bucks.
• I picked up a white middle-aged dude at the CalTrain station. He’s going across town to be an extra in a Japanese TV game show (for some reason taped in San Francisco). He stops by his apartment so he can get a change of clothes. He changes in my cab on the way to the taping.
• I picked up a nice older Japanese lady from the Kaiser who thought she had a heart attack this morning. Turns out she was just suffering from a major case of stress. She lived through the American bombing of Tokyo during WWII. She had dreams of leaving Japan and living in the US of A from a young age (even despite the war). Got a work visa at a young age and then met a nice American guy. Now she’s living the dream in Pac Heights! Said if she ever lives in Tokyo again she’ll have a heart attack for real.