Probably illegal substance

"Stop!" Some fellow flagged me down right next to Center Point. As I soon realised he was accompanied by about 6 other people. They looked Arabic, spoke with American accent and mixed English with some, probably, Arabic words. The guy who stopped me was already sitting on my trike, consuming some white powder from a little plastic bag. His friends also seemed to be a bit... confused. They asked me about B.L.C. (British Luxury Club). They were, obviously, too many for me to take them there all at once. It wasn't a big problem, for they were very indecisive... One of them, a fit looking girl, wanted a cab, each of the guys started to talk about something else, somebody was complaining that it was too cold to take a rickshaw, somebody else asked about BLC's address, the chap on my rickshaw was seriously busy taking his, probably illegal, substance... For a moment I was sure that he actually stopped me just to lick his plastic bag clean, out the public sight... Suddenly, though, another fellow with a serious, Muslim style, kind of reddish-dyed beard grasped quickly my goatee exclaiming: "I love your chin-chin!" Him and that girl joined the dude sitting on my trike and asked me to go to BLC. There were two sets of lights between me and our destination. I had to stop twice, as each of them turned maliciously red. The bag-licker kept enthusiastically slapping my bum. I said to him that it was gay and demanded him to stop. His friends were very apologetic and tried to stop him too but the fellow had been in a serious state and couldn't get easily persuaded... I decided to add it to the bill. Even though BLC is not far from Center Point, as soon as we got next to it my customers told me they needed a cash-point... I carried on and found one a bit further down, where New Oxford Street forks with Bloomsbury Way. The bag-licker got off, slapped my bum passing me by, stopped in front of the cash-machine and talked to it for a long while. In the meantime his bearded friend apologised to me for him, asked if I was surely all-right, assured me that us, the bearded men, should stick together and invited me to share some powder with him and the lady. I refused politely. The chap by the ATM kept talking to it, then decided to take a leak in a doorway right by. Next he started to talk to it again. I couldn't see any cash coming out of it, though... Finally the bearded guy got off too, tried to take some cash himself and found out that the hole-in-the-wall was actually out of order. The bag-licker told him to relax and was about to start talking to that cash-machine again. The bearded got upset and pushed him towards my trike telling him to get on it. The girl also got off, went to the cash-machine, tried to take some dosh herself, only to confirm that the actual machine was clearly out of order... I asked them all to sit down, to take them to another one. The lads were very close to fight each other. The lady got back on the rickshaw, the bag-licker was telling loudly the bearded to relax, fortunately the bearded told his friend how much he really loved him and also sat down on my trike. The bag-licker kept telling everybody to relax, however didn't want to come back on the rickshaw, for he was convinced that the ATM took his card... Personally I didn't even think he had ever put it in there, in first place. The bearded started to yell at him that it was absolutely impossible and that he had better check his pockets. Finally I got all of them back and moved on to the corner of Bloomsbury Way and Southampton Row, to another cash point. The girl took some money out. They kept snorting as I brought them to BLC. The chaps just got off and moved away, paying no heed to me whatsoever. The girl payed me the fare. I extended my hand to help her to get off the rickshaw. She took it, thanked me politely and, as she was pulling herself out of the pedicab, she squeezed my hand gently three - four times, in a quick sequence. To be honest, that was the most pleasant part of that job...

Golden Apple of Discord

To watch humanity is my little game. We the People are predictably vain and selfish. Anything could become the Golden Apple of Discord. One night, me and a fellow rider Julian P., we stopped in front of that NCP car park on the corner of Lexington and Brewer St. in Soho. A young couple was passing by. She was one of those ladies who imprudently wear a very high heels and then you can see them stumbling around like disabled (if you have a disability, please, turn a blind eye at this metaphor) up to about 3 am. Later, fed up and shitfaced, off they go shamelessly bare-feet, holding tight their stilettos. The couple saw our rickshaws and brazenly asked for a free lift. As it wasn't happening for the first time, I quickly rose to the occasion and, innocently, asked them where were they going. As usual, it apparently was "just to that corner there". Hearing that I offered them a lift for a fiver. They said it was too much or that they didn't have any cash on them... "I see." I played along. "If so, I can give a free lift to the lady here but you, sir," - I addressed the fellow - "will have to walk." She was delighted and immediately moved towards my rickshaw when he literately pulled her away and moved on. "What are you doing?" She squeaked defiantly. "Are you looking for an argument?" He answered boldly and kept pulling her away. Struggling on her high heels she followed clumsily. Eris the Greek goddess of chaos, strife and discord laughed loudly in my ear. ^_^

Eris by telthona1

Jimmy the Incredible

Chilling after work we inevitably found ourselves floating in depths of absurd. Somebody mentioned a recent encounter with some Lithuanian chicks. Jimmy the Japanese Rastafarian said that Lithuanian girls were very nice. Then he grinned at Andrius, a Lithuanian chap and added: "...but the boys not at all! They don't even want to shake your hand!" Encouraged by some smiles from the gathered, he carried on with his anthropological lecture. "I've noticed that Poles are very fat and Lithuanians are very skinny.  It's because Poles eat potatoes, whereas Lithuanians eat only potato skin and sand and drink buckets of vodka!" Everybody roared in laughter. Andrius took the banter and rose to the occasion: "Jimmy why are you so small? You must be from North Korea!" Everyone laughed again. "The capital of Lithuania is Riga, right?" Jimmy asked quickly. "With this attitude, no wonder, no Lithuanian want's to shake your hand, mate!" Was the Andrius' answer. Nothing could stop Jimmy though. "Are you sure you are from Lithuania? Perhaps you are a Latvian? There are only two cities in Lithuania, the rest is a countryside where only sheep and cows live, and him!" Jimmy indicated Andrius and added: "No electricity!" "Yeah, right! And Japan's capital is Beijing!" Said Andrius. He seemed to be thinking for a while and finally added: "Actually I heard about an old Lithuanian woman who eats sand and claims it really keeps her healthy and energetic. She got herself in the Guinness book of records for that reason." Jimmy was delighted. "Is she Lithuanian? I knew that! Only Potato skin and sand, mate! Just like I told you!"

By hook or by crook

I met C. on Old Compton Street. We both stopped in front of that little liquor store, across the road from that Spanish restaurant. As we where looking at the variety of spirits on display he said: "You know there's that place around the corner. They've got a bottle of whiskey over there worth thirty five grand! Someone should take a picture of that bottle, forge a label, put it on a regular bottle of whiskey, go there, ask them to let him take a look at that madness and swap the bottles." He laughed. "You could sell the original one for twenty grand on eBay..." At that point Sting the Crackhead appeared, riding a Barclay's bike, big blue bag in his hand. "Do you want a printer? A FIVER!" "No thanks" "THREE QUID!" We definitely didn't need a printer. Stingy didn't really mind. "OMG!" He exclaimed with delight. "I found all sorts of different shit today!" He handed to us some nail clippers/bottle openers. "A present!" Next he produced some toys from McDonald's and started to play with them, before finally passing them to us too. C. told him about the very expensive whiskey and what one should do about it. "Naaaaah mate! The best thing to do would be actually going to a shop like Boots and nick something for about 250 pounds. Then you come back there and buy exactly the same thing. Just make sure you cause a lot of mess while buying. You ask for assistance and you involve as much staff as you can, you want to talk to the manager too. Everyone must know that you actually buy the product. In half an hour you go there again and you tell them 'Sorry guys, my wife has actually got one already...' They want to give you a refund and then you 'realise' you 'lost' the receipt. You start to make a scene in case they try to refuse you. All of them know you bought it, on top of that you tell them to check the cameras if they want to. They must give you the money back. Next thing you go to another branch, you still have got the receipt and the actual thing, so you simply double your money." It was exactly when The Undertaker showed up. We call that rider The Undertaker cause he's always black-clad and unlike any others he wears a suit. He's kind of peculiar too, so that nickname fits perfectly. C. immediately started to advertise Sting's printer to him, pointing out that he can get a decent equipment for only a tenner. The Undertaker soon made up his mind and gave the dosh to Sting. The crackhead quickly picked up "his" Barclay's bike, put some change into C's hand and pedalled off. "What was that? What did he give you?" The buyer grew suddenly uneasy. "A commission, mate! Initially he was selling it only for a fiver."  Sting was already gone. "What?!" Yelled The Undertaker. "Why did you ever tell him?" I asked smirking C. The Undertaker looked really pissed off... "Don't worry! It's worth it!" C. tried to calm him down. "Yeah, right!" I thought. "We don't even know if that junk actually works..." Considering the circumstances I decided that it was definitely about time to follow quickly and not purely metaphorically, the path of my destiny.

Olympics

Superman Alex also known as Alex The Cindy said he read my blog recently. He told me he liked it but it seemed to him that I lost interest in writing: "You are slacking off! There are so many things to write about, Olympic games for instance." It's hard to write about something that doesn't happen though or, in other words, it's simply no fun to write about a disappointment. Anja Gottschalk, a rider with most likely best looking bottom in the world, said a few days ago, interviewed by Evening Standard: "...Everyone has been scared off coming into the centre by all the warnings about public transport, car parking and the greedy hotels putting their rates up three or four times." Anja is absolutely right on this one. Streets of Soho are empty and whoever expected a financial boom is a doomed dreamer. Sad news is that on top of that Anja got arrested (her rickshaw got impounded) for stopping on double yellow line for a minute... Alex The Cindy, her beau, avoided detention calling his mom, who confirmed his address... Police doesn't get tough only on rickshaw riders. Critical Mass was cut short by Mets and 182 people got arrested too, for maybe protesting the Olympics: http://www.care2.com/causes/182-cyclists-arrested-for-maybe-protesting-the-olympics.html#ixzz22DhUjIUi. Clearly Olympics brought rather general tension than expected prosperity. People keep talking about a nuclear doom and UFOs over London. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1262668/Olympic-Armageddon-Top-thriller-writer-imagines-terrorist-attack-London-2012-Games.html
This video, fortunately, has less than 8000 spins.

Let's be honest! UFO strikes ruthlessly, no doubt! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181066/Olympics-2012-UFO-sighted-Games-opening-ceremony.html.
The harsh reality, though,  remains unaltered. UFO or not people get same drunk and messy.
One of these days I met an American by Leicester Square tube station. He had that face of a liquor soaked alcoholic. "I lost my partner and I lost a thousand pounds!" - He informed me. "You probably got robbed." - I suggested. ""I'm quite good at it." - He answered somewhat mysteriously. After a while his expression changed. "YES! I GOT ROBBED!" - He got all passionate - "THEY SAW I WAS DOING WELL AND THEY ROBBED ME!" Casinos are surely dangerous places, aren't they? And here was a truly Olympic deal for me. "I need to go to Lancaster Gate!" - He stated. I had nothing better to do. "I'll take you there for twenty quid." He gave me a chagrined smile. "So you've got no money?" - I guessed. "It's not this... I've got thousands of dollars... However I've got only about seven pounds on me... I'll give you the rest when we get to my hotel." It was late so I decided to give it a try. On the way he seemed to be pretty vexed. I heard him saying to himself: "How am I gonna explain this to my partner?!" As we arrived he handed his passport out to me and asked to wait a minute. He had many stamps from Paris, Amsterdam and States there. Soon he was back carrying a mug full of coins... We counted pounds and pennies until we reached twenty, not even a pence more. He took back his document saying: "This passport equals a loser!" and was gone.
About two days later I saw an interesting situation on Charring Cross Road. You know, them hustlers, they have that peculiar quality. Any time they see an attractive girl they absolutely have to have a go at her. An average "bad boy" usually stops in front of a girl spreading his arms, waiting until she literately steps on him and then he attempts to give her a hug. Another popular technique is to grab a passing-by girl's arm in attempt to stop her, talking some bullshit simultaneously. They usually call a girl "Sexy" or "Princes" and soon enough offer their company, ask for her number, invite for a drink etc. I don't need to explain how very much welcome is that kind of intrusion. That night I saw one fellow pinching a random girl on a cheek, calling her a "cutie" or something. Let me tell you - she didn't like it! She was pretty small and he was quite a big guy. Nevertheless she pushed him away immediately, screaming: "Don't touch me!" She started to punch that hustler's face. She really could punch! I could tell he would love to beat her back, but all eyes were on him. He had to simply take it, begging her to stop. People around watched with satisfaction. I hope he learnt a lesson.
...and by the way: the Olympics are FULLY ON!!!

Oh shit! Exhibitionism!

I have to warn everyone. This entry is for nerveless only. 

"You’d be quite surprised by the amount of exhibitionism that happens around us every single day. Of course, not the disturbing flashers who jump out of bushes, but the soft hot flashing that can be so hot." - reads www.lovepanky.com in the article "Sexy Exhibitionism – How to Get Naked in Public". Even if hot flashing could be hot (sic! sic! what a nonsense!) flashers don't need to jump out of bushes to be disturbing, and yes, it is quite surprising! I'll spare you the story of a customer who decided to "finish himself off" on my trike on the way to Knightsbridge, for it is basically too creepy. Last Saturday night though, I follow Brewer Street. It's dark, rather cold and my pocket is rather empty. I am in front of some shop, move on slowly. Suddenly somebody calls me, saying something that I don't quite grasp. The only thing I'm sure about is that someone offers me money. I catch a glimpse of a guy sitting on a step behind a little pillar. It seems like his pants are down... I'm thinking: "Another perv", but I put on a brave face and ask: "Where would you like to go?" "I just need some toilet paper!" - says he - "Have you got any? I'll give you £10!" "I like your style!" - I tell him. I really can't believe it, can't stop myself from laughing as I jump off my trike. I pick up some tissues and pass them to him. He accepts, produces his wallet and gives me £20. He just seats there on the step, pants down, like if nothing happened, even though he probably just laid some seriously hot and heavy brick. I can't tell if he's blushing while flashing but I doubt it, for in darkness you feel no regret, plus it's not in his pants, which counts. I wish him a pleasant evening and I'm off.

You put me in a mood

Those people who expect YOU to pay THEM as they get on your trike are my favourite customers... With no sense of shame whatsoever they proudly expose a chip on their shoulders. First of all the place they are actually going to is "just around the corner", "only two blocks away" or "only down the road". Not to mention that "something is better than nothing", "you can either take this (i.e. some petty change) or wait here in vain" or even "you should think about making your living". As if one would be able to make one's living riding around all night for two pounds seventy three pence or something... "HOW MUCH?!!! ARE YOU FOR REAL?!" "I'M A SINGLE MOTHER!"  "I'M ONLY SIXTEEN!" "K'MON BOSS! JUST PEDAL! WE'LL PAY YOU ONCE WE'RE THERE!" By the end of the day you are but a "fucking rickshaw" and very soon somebody will remind you about it. Thick skin and selectivity are the key virtues, for even if people are really equal, the equality has nothing to do with a size. And when it comes to technique... Well, technically you are supposed to pedal. Therefore big, heavy people should pay more, innit bruv?! The only problem is to set things straight... Another night, on New Oxford Street, a couple comes to me. They want to go to Old Compton Street. She's an English girl and he's a smartly dressed big black fellow. I say a fiver per person, a just price, Lord is my witness. She does't seem to mind but she looks at him first thing and I already see his scowling expression. "It's just around the corner! Let's walk!" He says. "Do it for eight pounds in total." She suggests. "Not with him." - Is my answer. Addressing the fellow I add: "Look at you! You are a RESPECTABLE gent..." With my hands I'm showing HOW respectable he actually is. I see another rickshaw coming, the girl moves towards it and I'm kind of relieved, for I can tell that the small Asian guy who rides it is so desperate that he would probably go for a fiver... The guy is still by my side though and presently he says: "I think I will slap you!" I have to say something to this so I ask quickly: "Why?" "You put me in a mood." He gives me a dirty look. I'm asking myself how tough I REALLY am. To get some more time I say: "I'm only trying to do my job..." "I'm here with a lady and you... I really should slap you!" But he doesn't. I look around. "Well, you gonna do as you like..." I'm already sensing his hesitation so I add sharply: "I CALLED YOU A RESPECTABLE GENT, RIGHT?" He agrees. "Fuck that!" He says and follows the girl. They get on the other rickshaw. Much relieved I pedal off.