TAXI LOG by Richard Cantwell 27 Driscoll Way Morley W.A. 6062 (09) 3759403

Dedicated to Geoffrey Rees Cantwell Gone in body, here in Spirit.

I was awaken a few times during the night by Phillip who hadn’t settled since coming home from hospital and recovering from his diagnosed disease of Meningitis. He was born at 11.55 PM on 26Th July 1989 during a sudden blackout and now it was Tuesday 26 Th March 1991. Marlene felt it more than I, she seemed to never sleep and was having dizzy spells. I left home on the push bike at 4.10 AM against a cool breeze from Morley to Mount Hawthorn about 10 kilometres to pick up the taxi that I left in a group with other taxis for almost five years, driving five shifts a week. Other drivers were rostered to drive at other times. It was cold sometimes riding the bike in winter in a stupor, the hands became numb but I could smell the gum trees as I passed and the pine trees near the golf course, hearing the birds chattering in the trees and occasionally I would see the fox amongst the trees. I became an expert picking the weather as it was necessary to make a judgement on taking wet weather gear or not and the decision had to be correct. I became aware of the hills and slopes the coolest section of the journey, down in a lower section of Alexandra Drive opposite Yokine Reserve. As I rode the breaking of the peace was the occasional passing of a car that would drown the noise of the birds and drown the atmosphere with the smell of burnt fuel. The noise would gradually lessen as would the smell and after a few minutes the noise of the birds and smell of nature would return. It was a non conforming method of commuting a way of raising the endorphins’ in the body but the end result was physical and mental well being. At 4.43 Am I was in the taxi and the distant 5.00 AM airport jobs were being called by Don Barnes the night operator. I didn’t get a 5.00 Am booking this morning and drove to the Subiaco rank and sat in the morning darkness. It didn’t seem long before the regular Mr Morris waddled along with his airline bag over his shoulder and his shopping bags in both hands. He got into the front seat and as usual was going to Perth Railway station. Mr Morris was a big man probably 18 stone, used to work in O’Conner and walked about 8 kilometres from a Fremantle hotel to his engineering employer every morning. He was thinner and fitter then. The company moved to Bayswater and then he used to walk all the way from Fremantle to Perth Railway station about 20 kilometres until he finally moved to the Subiaco Hotel where he now caught the taxi instead of walking. We talked about tennis as he was a B grade tennis player in his youth and we mostly filled in the journey on that subject. Before we got to the City Railway station Mr Morris thrust the money into my hand to save an extra drop of 10 cents on the meter before the taxi stopped. I turned towards Subiaco again and kept my ear out for an airport job which was possible at that time of day. There was a taxi on the Subiaco rank and one on the Shenton Park rank and it sounded like there were taxis towards Fremantle. I drove that way and tried for a job in Claremont, but a car on the East Claremont rank was closer and got the job. I drove to the Claremont rank and parked. After a few minutes I was given a job on position in King Street Claremont. There was a party and I was a bit apprehensive at who I could pick up. Two young sensible sober women in their late teens got into the back seat. One was English, the other Australian, the latter had just finished a season in a play at the Hayman Theatre and was looking forward to a rest 2 until her next play. The English woman was travelling around had been to Melbourne, didn’t like it much as it was big and expensive and reminded her of her own city London. I dropped them both in Kensington and went and parked on the Kensington rank. I tried for a few jobs, there were closer cars, one taxi called the RAC via Don Barnes the operator, a woman had broken down on the way to work in the morning darkness. As time passed the sun began to shine on the tops of the tall buildings in Perth and slowly it was moving down. A cloudless sky was appearing. I changed the flag fall on the metre from the night rate of $2.90 to the day rate at 6 AM of $1.90. On the news was the passing into history of Sir John Kerr who died of a brain tumour aged 76 years. The man who sacked the Whitlam Government on the same date that Ned Kelly was hung in the old Melbourne Gaol, two people who have had and will continue to have many words written about them. Launceston was forecast 22 degrees maximum and little rain. Three dogs walked around the taxi smelling each other enjoying each others company. There were several cranes on the sky line in Perth indicating a lot of building activity, the buildings were committed during the boom times of the late 1980’s and there was an oversupply as the boom bubble had burst. One skyscraper had no tenants committed and the interior would be left a shell until a tenant could be found. Others had few to fill the floors. About 6.20 Am I received a 6.30 Am booking from Willis Street East Victoria Park to the Home of Peace nursing home in Subiaco. A woman came out and told me as we drove that yesterday morning she had slept in and the taxi driver kindly knocked on the door and woke her and she managed to get to work on time. Soon after dropping I heard a job going in Cottesloe to the airport, I pressed the button and was given the job. A young man going to the International airport going to Cocos Islands to supervise the loading of fuel to tanks that belonged to Qantas and were now used for supplying the needs of the Islands. He said the Clunies Ross family owned the shipping line and had gone bankrupt when the Commonwealth Government had changed the freight from their shipping line to another company. The family had owned the islands dating back to Queen Victoria and there was a Copra industry that had kept the islands busy with a local currency that was used by employees only on the islands. Went from the International airport to Kewdale (2 cars) East Victoria Park rank (2 cars) to Manning (2 cars ) then I switched to the Fremantle channel and went to the Applecross rank. Took an impeccably dressed woman going from Applecross to the St Georges Terrace. Next a young woman from Mount Street Perth to Colin Street West Perth. She was appreciative of me arriving so quickly as she had worked late last night and slept in. Next job was a woman from the main entrance of Princes Margaret Children’s hospital to a newsagent in Milligan Street Perth. As she got out she said she had picked her lucky number at the casino last night and had won $100 and walked out. I drove towards Fremantle, there were cars on ranks and eventually got a job from the North Cottesloe Surf Club. An unshaven man about 30 years old smelling of alcohol with a bag with Tweed Heads emblazoned on the side. Before he could say where he wanted to go I asked if he wanted to go to Tweed Heads. He was a bit taken aback until he realised where I got it from and said he wanted to go to Loftus Street Leederville. He was happy keeping to himself as it was obvious he had a heavy night. Next fare was two men from the West Australian Ballet company going to the Edith Cowan University to give a workshop. They told me where they had performed and that the company operated on a shoe string with only 16 dancers whilst experts had said that they needed an extra 4 dancers to operate effectively. Next job a man about 30 years old going from West Perth to Murdoch University. He was having soap placed in his eyes as an experiment to see what his bodies reaction was and he got $5 dollars an hour for it. He was back into study after drifting aimlessly for many years. Drove towards Fremantle and saw the deep blue of the sea in the distance a refreshing sight at any time. There were 3 personality changes to Fremantle in the 15 years I had been driving taxis, pre America’s cup, America’s cup and post America’s cup. Picked up a regular elderly man from Holdsworth Street who travelled to the Fremantle Town Hall. He was crippled, polite and a proud man who didn’t like us to help him. He’d worked in the Public service for 34 years and went daily. He returned of an afternoon with a couple of brown bottles in the airline bag that he carried with him whenever he went out. He was born 3 in Narrogin. Did a few hours work around Fremantle seeing the different nationalities from the cargo ships and American Navy personnel walking the streets. Got a job from Hilton Park to Fremantle. Knocked on the door and there was no answer. Told the base operator and drove away. After 5 minutes they rang back and said they were on the toilet when I knocked. There was a soul around Fremantle, people were proud of where they lived and had pride in their history and future, a city in architecture that was unique. At 1.30 PM I picked up two American Sailors from an ammunition ship that had just returned from the Persian Gulf. They talked of their involvement in the Gulf War and asked my opinion of their involvement. They asked what the affect on the local economy was when so many sailors came into port. They got out in Perth. Next job was a youth who kept me waiting a while who cleaned windscreens on the corner of Fitzgerald and Newcastle Streets in West Perth. He said he had been cleaning windscreens since last Christmas throughout the metropolitan area and earned $25 an hour three days a week. Next fare was a farming couple from Mullewa in the wheat belt who had two sons in the town on the dole and had never been so low in their farming life. The area was putting in a fifth of what normally went in for cropping, the contract carter was battling to pay for his trucks and the two drivers he usually employed were living in the town and on the dole. They had a low opinion of politicians who had misdirected people’s money during the boom years and we were all paying the price The bike ride home was never as nice as the morning ride as there was always the noise of traffic dominating the ears and the smell of carbon monoxide dominating the air, but it was always a time to wind down after a days work and felt good to reach the front gate. On Wednesday 27 Th March 1991 Up at 4.00 AM and cycled in cold air this morning arriving at Mount Hawthorn at 4.35 AM. I drove towards Subiaco and heard on the two way there was a police chase in a possible stolen car. The police should have the power to use any means at their disposal to apprehend these people even though it may have dire consequences for the thief. It would stop the thieves treating this as a game where innocent people were sometimes killed. Parked on the Shenton Park rank and a police van came by shining the torch on houses and drove into the adjacent hotel parking area. At 5.30 AM I was still on the rank and less likely to get an airport job as this was Easter week and less people likely to go away. A job came up on the corner of Hay and Rokeby Streets in Subiaco, as I was the closest car I was given the job. An elderly man got in the taxi and all he wanted to say was “Loch Street”. I took him there hearing his heavy breathing as we went. The fare was $6.40 for an hour and a half, I was seriously thinking of cleaning windscreens. I drove back to the Shenton Park rank and got a corner job from Monash Avenue and Winthrop Avenue. I always went as quick as possible to the corner jobs as the opposition or even some of our cars will take them if they could get away with it. A young unshaven man in his mid 20’s wanted to go to Loch Street North Perth. A coincidence to get two Loch Streets in a row I told him. He worked for a removal company and was busy now. He’d worked for the company in the Eastern States and had recently transferred to Perth. He said that some of the people he had moved over from the East during the boom years were now selling up here and moving back to the East again. Went to the Mount Lawley rank and got a 7 AM airport booking from Hill View Street.to the airport. Knocked on the door to ask if I could assist with luggage and the man was clearly resentful at my early arrival. He came out and got in the taxi. He didn’t have his suitcase done up and was securing it as he put it in the rear. He had forgotten the combination of his briefcase and was fiddling with its lock. We got going and had to return as he had forgotten his sunglasses. I tried to explain to him why we were sent early to addresses but the combination lock had him busy the whole time. We were half way there and he reached for his left breast pocket and gasping in relief that the tickets were there. He told me in between turning the lock that he was going to Adelaide today, Sydney tomorrow and tomorrow night he would be home to take his wife and family down the South West for the Easter weekend. As we drove down Brearley Avenue to the airport he had conquered the lock and relaxed. 4 Picked up from Bayswater going to the Edith Cowan University at the Joondalup Campus. Hotels, Motels and Government departments were all changing in name and position, changes that were confusing and indicative of an unstable system we lived in. Passed a radar trap on the way Drove down Wanneroo Road checking ranks. Picked up at the Water Authority in Leederville. When we picked up here we were required to tell the base that we had picked up as a double check for important customers as with airport work and parcels. Took an Aboriginal couple and their infant to Princes Margaret Children’s hospital and as they alighted a woman got in. A taxi pulled up behind me and I asked the woman if she had rang, she answered in the affirmative. Drove down to the City and picked up a woman going to Karrinyup shops. She worked for a Melbourne company that supplied shoes to retailers. Cars were on the Karrinyup rank, so I drove to the Osborne Park rank. Four Pakistanis were shot dead in Singapore after attempting to hijack a Singapore Airlines jet to Australia. The State Government made a decision to give a guaranteed minimum wheat price for farmers in the wheat belt if they plant crop this year. Took two elderly woman with their shopping back to their unit in Osborne Park. Picked up two men punters going to the races at Ascot. Next job was in Maylands, when I arrived a woman was playing with a dog in the backyard She was loathe to leave the 9 month old puppy looking from behind the wire fence with its sad eyes watching the woman’s every move. Parked on the London Court rank and soon after was given a bunch of flowers to deliver to a High School teacher in Carine. Drove to the East Perth rail terminal and picked up a woman from Jerramungup who said that the farming community were ecstatic at the Government decision to give a guaranteed minimum price for their wheat. Took a man to the airport from the city. He told me he’d lived in the north for the last 16 years and hoped to settle down in the South West of the state. On Thursday 28 Th March 1991. Today was my last day riding the bike to pick the car up. From now on I’d drive on my own. There was not a demand for taxis as the work was not there, the America’s cup had gone and drivers were harder to get on night shift. The owner of the taxi pool I had got to know had sold out. I drove down to Claremont and parked on the Claremont rank. Got a job from a block of flats in Claremont going to the airport at 5.30 Am. After leaving the airport I got a job from Redcliffe to Midland. A youth who left his car at a friend’s house and intended having a few drinks after work tonight. He only had 1 point left on his license and claimed that last time he was booked he wasn’t doing 100 KPH in the 60 KPH zone as claimed by the police, but he would lose to police in court if he tried to contest it. Did a job from Guildford to the airport. Went to Peter Dunsire the mechanic to do the brakes on the taxi. I took my taxis to him for 15 years and never once did I have to take it back for a job not done properly. I’ve never been able to find any mechanic as capable. Drove to the Morley rank. Took a woman from Morley to the casino about 10.0 Am. We heard a lot of stories of the casino where people lose their savings, spouse or life. The casino had negative stories I avoid. Picked up some people from the casino from Brisbane. They were over for a BMX competition to be held at a track in Kardinya over the Easter Weekend. Took a man to the International airport who was travelling to Stockholm in Sweden. He avoided disclosing the work he did except to say he worked for Government and knew a lot about the way things were run throughout Sweden and liked the system of Government there. He said the Government owned alcohol outlets and it was not unusual for people to wait half an hour in a queue to get a bottle of wine. There was less alcoholism and a general acceptance of the system. Got a job in Mount Lawley and when I knocked a woman told me her friend had gone in a northerly direction. She had been drinking and I couldn’t be bothered looking for her. Took a man from Mount Lawley to the airport. He was going to Adelaide for the Easter 5 weekend as there was a folk festival a wine festival and plenty happening over the weekend. Did some work in Midland, the rank there was on the old tram terminus where the tram line was still exposed through the bitumen. The Jewish Passover was at the same time as Easter weekend this year the annual feast of the Jews when they were delivered from Egypt. The Country Fire Brigades had their annual competition at the Gilbert Fraser reserve in North Fremantle every Easter weekend and this year was no exception. We did a lot of work to and from Fremantle Prison with Prison Officers handcuffed to inmates. Sometimes the inmate was visiting a doctor or attending the nearby Fremantle Hospital. One morning I was driving to the hospital to pick up a radio job when a Prison Officer was running almost out of breathe and mumbled something about he wanted to get a prisoner back to the prison who had escaped. George was the operator in Fremantle, I told him the Prison Officer wanted me urgently and would he mind giving my radio job to someone else. Another Prison officer came manacled to an inmate in prison greens struggling and shoved him into the back seat between both Officers. What had happened was the prisoner had faked a pain in the stomach and the prison doctor had been unable to give a correct diagnosis, so he had to go to the hospital for an X- ray. When all was ready for the prisoner to lay down and receive the X-ray the handcuffs were removed and the prisoner pushed the prison officers aside and made a run for it. He didn’t get very far was blocked by a locked door and apprehended. He was given an extra 6 months on his sentence for the effort. We were always taken into an area where we were isolated and shutters were down on the front and rear of the taxi, they would search the boot and underneath the taxi before the front shutter was raised and we would go into the pick up or drop off section of the prison. The process was reversed coming out. The morale in the Prison was passed onto us through the Prison Officers or inmates or visitors who would say what people were thinking in the prison. It was a little village to itself depending on the numbers of inmates, as the numbers rose, then the morale fell. The following Tuesday morning at 4.30 AM I went to the Morley taxi rank and parked on the rank. I was watching the man that had the job of sweeping the bus bay where the buses pull in. He swept the rubbish onto the roadway whilst the man in the mechanical sweeper was driving around the empty car parks sweeping with his mechanical sweeper and unlike some of his predecessors he would get out and push some of the rubbish under his truck to be picked up by the mechanical broom. It was obvious he took pride in his job. A police van went against the one way street. I’d get booked if I did the same. It was a cloudless sky and people were beginning to stop their cars opposite the K mart store in the darkness go into the store and do some work. Don Barnes was the two way operator a past taxi driver who drove taxis before me and used to work the Bassendean area where he still lived. I knew a bit about him and no doubt he knew a bit about me, although we hardly ever spoke to each other in person. I had respect for the way he did the job on night shift from 11 PM to 7 AM. I think it was reciprocal. Kim came up to be second car on the rank behind me. Kim hadn’t been in the taxis as long as me and was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He was a carpenter by trade and decided to go into the taxis after getting sick of being a ““chippy”. He was married to a Spanish woman and had been to Spain twice to see her family. The first bus came down to the bus stop. I got a job about 5.10 Am picking up a man going to play golf. He usually got up a lot later for work but when he played golf he was always up an hour earlier and always played with the same group at the same golf course in Embleton. He spent the whole day playing golf and then socialising after. Got a job at the “Happy Haven” a brothel in Bayswater. I rang the bell and the sitter came to the door and said “Come in love “I told her I was after a fare for the taxi and she told me that the customer had gone in another taxi. Went to the Maylands rank and soon after got a job from Bayswater to Mirrabooka. A trainee manager working for a national supermarket chain that was thoroughly versed on the benefits of working for the chain and was determined to climb the corporate ladder with the company. Drove to the East Perth Rail terminal and waited for the Indian Pacific that was arriving half an hour late at 7.30 AM. Got a job from the terminal to Kwinana, three youths and a girl. I wasn’t too happy with them, they wanted to smoke and I told them they could catch another taxi as I was a non smoking taxi. They wanted to go with me, I asked them for the fare which they gave up front and 6 found out the street they wanted to go to. As we went on this fairly long trip there was little said between us they were talking among themselves and whispering in the back. I positioned the radio to give a message to the operator to let them know of my concern and the girl asked me to turn down a street that was not on the way, I refused and went only to the street nominated. After dropping I drove north alongside Cockburn Sound looking at the beautiful expanse of blue water across to Garden Island the naval facility. I picked up three American sailors from the “Missouri” in Fremantle who had been engaged in the Gulf War. One of them said that during the war a silkworm missile was heading for the heart of their ship and they were saved by a British plane that managed to shoot down the missile. The “ Missouri “ was the Flag ship the Japanese signed the surrender documents on after the Second World War and a sailing museum that had been refurbished and had modern equipment on an ancient hull. She was the pride of the American fleet. One man spoke of the deadly accuracy of the tomahawk missiles. Picked up an Englishman who migrated to Australia many years ago. After he arrived in Australia he applied for a job as an orderly in Claremont Mental hospital. The Senior Sister told him there were no Medical Orderly vacancies, but they were short of Psychiatric Nurses so if he’d study they’d accept him as a nurse. He then studied as a nurse and in three years was qualified and still worked in nursing. Next was a man going to the city to get a bus to his work place, I then got a sailor from the “Missouri” who was returning to the ship in Fremantle. He asked me how much it would cost and I told him about fifteen dollars. I told him that he could catch a train which was a lot cheaper. He said he had to get back to the ship and wanted to go with me. He had obviously been out enjoying himself and wanted to keep to himself .When we got to the ship he only had ten dollars not enough to pay the fare and he expected me to waive the difference I told him I would go on the ship and see his superior officer if he didn’t give me the money. He left his bag in the taxi and went to the ship and returned with the money. He was the exception rather than the rule. The Americans were shown videos of our port and city as an induction and were told of our customs and ways. For the number of men who were let loose after a period of time at sea away from society at a young age they were very well behaved. Next morning at 5.00 AM I picked up a taxi driver just starting his shift in Morley going from Noranda. Next a couple of youths who caught the taxi from Inglewood to a house in Mount Lawley. We parked opposite the house stayed for a short time and then they went back to where I’d picked them up. They were secretive and were whispering to each other. I went to the Wesley rank near the Wesley church in the city. A man was unashamedly checking all the rubbish bins and took an unfinished sandwich from the rubbish bin and started biting into it. A man who was a bit smelly got into the taxi and pulled out a wad of notes and thrust $20 into my hand. I had seen him wandering the streets and knew he was an itinerant. “How are you mate where do you live.” I asked ”Under that canopy“. he said pointing to the sky. He was born in Melbourne and was married and had three children. He had decided to get out of the marriage years ago and come to Perth. When he arrived in Perth he couldn’t get a job and met others who were down and out and were on to cheap alcohol and were living “under that canopy “.He drifted into that style of living got used to it and was comfortable living that way. He could not see himself getting out of it, would occasionally go into a soup kitchen and pay for a meal but relied on the hand outs an established group that fed the itinerants in East Perth and other areas on the morning “run”. He arrived at the hostel in East Perth in a taxi a status boost as the residents watched him get out. There was a request for someone to be taken a packet of cigarettes from the nearest shop in Victoria Park. Next morning about 4.40 Am there was a regular walker passing the Morley rank about 40 years old stiff legged with a stick in one hand who went from Maylands to the bus depot in Noranda. He had a stroke previously and was taken off the buses and given another job at the bus depot. I had never met the man but bade good day and admired his determination to defeat the illness. This morning the rain started and the roads were slippery, it was dangerous and took a lot of extra precaution especially when there was a long time between rain in Perth and people just forgot or were inexperienced and didn’t allow for an extra margin during the wet. 7 First job was a job from the Morley Hotel to the airport room number 1. I managed to rouse the yardman who told me he was left with instructions from the man to wake him, so he banged on the door and was convinced the man was either “ dead or gone”. Next was a job from Stoneville to the airport. I was a few minutes late for the job and explained to the man that the job was called a bit late and that no cars were in the Midland area. He was understanding and always allowed extra time for error from where he lived. He was going to work on the on shore facility for Woodside petroleum the company that started out small and now had the largest gas platform in the world in partnership with other companies. Next was a man who had circulation problems in one of his legs and had to have half his foot removed going from Maylands to Royal Perth Hospital. Some smokers had these problems when they aged, he was an Ex smoker and was determined to do the physiotherapy as prescribed so as not to have more of his limbs removed. Next was a woman who had jewellery valued at $1750 in her possession and was intending to hock it for $500. She had a walking frame and asked me if I’d mind waiting for her whilst she went into the hock shop in Victoria Park. She’d ask for $600 but would be happy with $500. After several minutes she came out and was disgusted with their offer of $200. Drove to the city, there were six different channels operating the city area. Picked up a man from a city hotel going to the airport. He said he was from Adelaide and as he flew into Perth he got a good view of Mundaring weir and it was very low. We spoke of the quality of Perth water to drink and of the lack of catchment here in comparison to other cities. Sixty per cent of Perth’s water was from underground. Next was a man who brought this lovely aroma of freshly ground coffee into the taxi. We talked about the world price of coffee where it was grown and how we were stimulated by the taste. It rained heavily and there were two road accidents on the roads on the way to Victoria Park. The rain caused a busy period on the taxis and the city was moving quickly. Got a job to the airport. The State Opposition Leader was at the airport and there was a by- election in Geraldton shortly. He was dancing around in a hurry. There was the promise of a gas powered power station in the area if they won the next election. Picked up two women going to Melville unhappy with the new Myer store in Perth. They preferred the old Boans store where they knew the staff and felt at home with their shopping. They also criticised the Myer company that said the name of Boans would not change when they took over. Next morning at 5.00 Am took a man from Noranda to Eden hill went home after a night out. A woman went from Bayswater to Maylands .A family of three were going around the world with Qantas. Now was a good time to fly as the recession was getting good value flights and there were not a lot of tourists in the tourist areas. Went to the East Perth Rail terminal and whilst parked there a Westrail bus drove by and tore the right side mirror off whilst parked on the rank. I exchanged details with the driver and one of the Railway police came out got details and put in a report on my behalf. Picked up a man going from Highgate to Graylands who said he used to be manic depressive until a new tablet was introduced that was successful. He said he would run around elated and at other times he would want to commit suicide by jumping from the Narrows bridge. He worked on Christmas Island for a number of years at the phosphate mine. He explained how Singapore controlled the island and after the Second World War the British gave them compensation so that control was handed over to Australia. He said the Malays were quite happy to work for the low wages to get employment and the British Phosphate Commission got their small profit, but once the unions exerted their power it was the death knell of mining. He had done Psychiatric Nursing for three years and was visiting a patient who had lived with him for a number of years but they got each other down by Co- habiting so she now lived in a hostel and he visited her. Got a patient from the Graylands hospital who went down to the lotto shop and returned to the hospital. Then I went to the Graylands rank and parked on the rank there. There was a bit of an argument on the two way a car claimed that another car was not on the rank when he came in for a job. There was a system of punishment where those that took other taxis fares or gave incorrect positions were given time off air as a punishment. There was a radio committee that met every fortnight that a driver could appeal to. Picked up a Thai woman going to Leederville from Graylands who couldn’t speak English too well. She wanted to go via Floreat. I tried to explain that it was a longer to go that way and it 8 would cost her more but she was adamant and wanted to go that way. Whenever I got a job unless it was straightforward I always mentioned the route I would take and if the passenger preferred another way then I went that way. Was a good day today on the taxi, pension day and the pensioners were out in force catching their once a fortnight taxi to or from the shops. Took a couple to the bank in Morley. They got out at the bank and the woman went to the teller machine to withdraw the money. I saw her go to a shop next door so I went to the doorway of the shop and stood there, she came out saw me and was full of apologies, she had forgotten about me. Picked up a young man who commented on the light sentence two youths got for stabbing a taxi driver. He said he’d done time and the youths would get a hard time in prison from the others inmates for such a cowardly attack. He said child molesters and cowards in the system are sought out by the prison population. Some have to spend their whole sentence in isolation. There was a bit of a problem when we were busy today from Charlie the taxi driver who could never understand the instructions from the base. He took up a lot of air time and the jobs mounted up and people had to wait longer for their taxi. Charlie had been in Australia 36 years and only spoke to his children in Italian. He was a nice bloke but the operators got frustrated with him. Charlie had a few attempts to get his taxi license and they must have felt sorry for him and gave it to him probably hoping he would improve. He seemed to be getting worse! I said to him one day “Charlie why don’t you do one of those courses the Government were giving on the English language it would help you a lot mate?” he replied. “What I want them for you derstand me don’t you?” Len also drove taxis, he was an airline pilot and had 16,000 hours in command of jet aircraft. He piloted the Saudi Royal family, flew Caribou aircraft in the Royal Australian Air Force in Vietnam and was employed by a jet charter company in Perth that went into liquidation during the late 1980’s. Len decided to drive taxis until he could get another flying job. He was 55 years old when he lost his job and had a cheque from the company for his wages that was not honoured. He had a young wife and child and felt it would be difficult for him to get another job in the air. Today the private schools were sending their students home for the end of term, so quite a few were leaving Guildford Grammar school by taxi and Swanleigh Hostel a Government hostel for country children who boarded whilst they attended high school at the Governor Stirling High school. Some boarders had problems with the first term but seemed to settle in well in second term, they were well behaved and a pleasure to pick up especially from Swanleigh. Picked up a nurse from Mundaring going to the airport. She was from Derby hospital and came down as an escort from the hospital with a patient and had been on the wait list for two days to get back home again. She still wasn’t certain if she would get on the plane because of the heavy bookings. Next morning I was up at 4.40 AM and got a job at a brothel in Perth taking a prostitute to Dalkeith. As we got to the Rose Gardens in Nedlands she asked me to pull over to the side of the road and park. She got out of the taxi and said she’d be coming back. I was surprised and thought she’d done a runner and knew where she worked and realised I could take out a writ for the return of the fare if she didn’t return. There were noises like a clicking sound but I couldn’t see as it was total darkness. She returned to the taxi as large as life with a bunch of roses and put a pair of secateurs into her handbag, “Take me home driver I’m having visitors today” was all she said. Next was a woman who requested a woman driver to take her from Shenton park to the nearby Charles Gairdner hospital. When I arrived I told her there was no woman drivers in the area but I would take her if she was agreeable. She said I’d be O.K., so I asked her why she wanted a woman driver .She said “I’m was sick of male drivers complaining of the short distance “. Took a woman to the casino. When the casino first opened there were lines to get in, the night clubs were decimated in Northbridge and everyone went en masse. Now the casino had lost some of its attraction. President Bush of America was at odds with President Li Peng of China. He was waving the big stick to the most populous nation on earth. China was an interesting country with such a large population the people were superstitious and to rule such a large population and feed so many it called for a unique system of government. 9 Picked up a woman from Ecuador who had been in Australia for 15 years. She spoke of the high population and system of Government in such a small country. Her husband drove taxis every Saturday. In the last few months the business had dropped by about 50 per cent the economy was in recession and Western Australia had the highest unemployment at 10.3 per cent. Commodity prices were low and this affected Western Australia more than any other state. The economy was volatile there was little manufacturing to fall back on. Next day I drove from Morley to West Perth checking ranks and got a fare from West Perth to the airport. The man was going to Mount Tom Price for the day for an interview for a job. Next the Indian Pacific from the Eastern states was on time at 7 Am. A couple and boy were coming to Perth for some medical treatment for two days. They had lived in the goldfields all their life and nothing would move them from the area. The easy going manner of goldfields people was always instantly recognisable. A man went to the Sarich Orbital engine factory in Osborne Park. He was optimistic for the future of the engine but suggested that the future of the engine was downgraded to licensing as there was not enough backing from the Federal Government and the prospects of full scale manufacture in Western Australia were rather dim. Drove up to Midland, there was work in the area and a man on the rank who was obviously a seasoned drinker and his woman friend looked like she had brain damage maybe from alcohol, said that two other taxis drove past him and wouldn’t pick him up. I tried to explain that maybe the taxis had got a radio job and were driving to the radio job but it was impossible to get through to him and he kept up his onslaught about these other taxis. A Qantas flight from Bali arrived every Monday morning and took a lot of taxis which sometimes made us busy from about 4.0 Am until about 5 0 Am. I didn’t chase airport work but went to suburbs when it was busy. I went to Subiaco at 5.00 AM and Mr Morris waddled up to the rank with supermarket shopping bags and empty drink cans in them. He told me of his only sister in Lesmurdie who he saw at Christmas time. As we pulled into the Perth Station rank Mr Morris thrust the money showing on the meter into my hand. Some drivers resented this little game Mr Morris played to save his ten cents but I was pleased to see him in the taxi and have a talk to him. I knew he was a lonely man but interesting . Drove back to Shenton Park and picked up an Englishman who had been in Australia a few years. He went to Kalgoorlie every week and worked for a mining company. Last week in Kalgoorlie it was 35 degrees and in Perth it was cold and raining. It was school holidays and there were a lot of people in Perth during the day. A lot of children seemed to spend time in the city but there was not a lot of taxi work. Next morning I got a job from Shenton Park to the domestic airport a 5.45 AM booking. It was a pleasant starlit sky this morning, there was a North Easterly breeze and Saturn was high in the ENE sky. Last night Venus was bright dominating the western sky. Picked up the man from Shenton Park I’d picked up previously. he was always interesting to talk to. He’d lived not far from his present house and bought the one he now lived in. He worked for BHP and was going to a new iron ore mine called Yandi. The iron ore from Yandi was 58 per cent iron ore and contained a lot of moisture. To increase the ore level it was necessary to heat the ore and drive the moisture out which increased the ore to about 65 per cent about what the smelters in Japan needed for efficient operation. The Yampi mine will replace the Yampi sound iron ore mine on Koolan island. One of our drivers had chest pains and an ambulance had to be called. I was a long way away and was unable to assist but there were taxis nearby who went to his assistance. As I left the airport we were warned that a race horse was loose from one of the stables in Redcliffe and was running along Great Eastern highway. Picked up a woman who had been working all night for the Rural and Industries bank in the computer room updating the files. When I first drove the taxis there was a choice of four types of car the Leyland P76 ,the Valiant the Holden or the Ford. They were all good cars that would continue going as long as they were serviced and looked after. The Leylands and the Valiants went out of production which was an interesting story in itself and then Holden went small because of the oil crisis and brought out the Commodore which was a radical change and forced a lot of taxi owners away from Holden to Ford. Picked up the De Campos family daughter that ran a small bakery in East Perth .She told me more about the bread industry every time she got into the taxi. The company had their own suppliers of wheat and their own mills to treat the wheat so as they did not rely on other 10 suppliers and maintained a standard to compete with the big bread manufacturers. There was a job at the Government offices in West Perth where a driver told the operator there was no one there. I checked it out as the De Campos woman got out. At the main entrance a man was in a flap pacing up and down outside the building. He got into the taxi spilling a torrent of abuse to me about how inefficient the taxis were in Perth and how he had been waiting so long for me to arrive. I gave no resistance and let him continue until dropping in the city. Got a job at Jo Jo’s restaurant in Crawley to the airport. I was the second car sent the first was told there was no one wanting a taxi. When I arrived I was told the client had been driven to the airport by a staff member. Next morning was up at 4.0 Am there was a postman going to the city from Dianella. He was going in early as he did caricatures and was going into his studio in the city to do some work before going to the Post Office. There was not enough money in the caricatures so he had to work as a postman for an income. Picked up a woman who had worked at a chicken factory for eighteen years. She said the years have gone by very quickly and was 63 years old. She only went a short distance and always used taxis. Next was a man who worked at Finnicane island in the North West of the state, he stayed with friends in Mount Lawley whilst in Perth. Next were two pick ups from North Perth going to the city. The first pick up was unwell and unable to go to work today, so I was told to start the meter and take the second woman into the city. The company paid for the taxi on an account. A woman went back to pick up her car from a night club in Perth as she’d been out drinking last night and left the car to pick up this morning. She smelt strongly of alcohol and by the way she was talking she was still affected by the alcohol. She laughed at me when I asked her if she could still be over the limit. Two people from Kalgoorlie ordered a taxi from Bayswater at 9.10 am to catch the Prospector train back to Kalgoorlie leaving at 9.25 Am from the East Perth Rail terminal. I commented that it was leaving it a bit fine only fifteen minutes but as with Kalgoorlie people they were not in the least flustered and after all they made the train by about four minutes. A man with tattoos all over his body got in and his talent was pulling motor bikes apart and putting them back together again. He talked of the old bikes he had and how he spent as much time as possible getting parts for old bikes, where he got them and how he restored them to as new again. Next was a doctor who travelled regularly from Dianella to Leederville and worked with drug addicts attempting to put them on the right road. He was injured in a push bike accident on Rottnest Island and had brain damage and was unable to return to his practise. He was always nice to talk to, had three children, two studying medicine. He talked of his personal life and told me his wife Sue had recently left him. Next morning I was up at 4.45 Am. A young man went to Dianella from Bedford. He wasn’t happy with getting up so early and I had to wait about fifteen minutes before he got into the taxi. He worked for a national grocery chain and was starting work at 5.30 Am. He was classed as an assistant manager so they don’t have to pay him wages and saved a lot of the overtime. A couple came off the Greyhound bus from Adelaide going to Inglewood about 6.30 AM. They were keen on bowls and the man played as an associate member of the Police Bowling team. He didn’t do too well on this trip, although he won a plate competition. Took a woman to a child minding centre to leave her child whilst she caught the train to the city from Bayswater. It was surprising to find no cars on the Morley rank. A taxi driver was given six hours off the air for failing to pick up within the prescribed time he wasn’t appealing. I’ve been on the taxis for over fifteen years now when I first started I would pick up anywhere at any time. Now with drugs endemic in society and the nights not safe I only work days for less money but peace of mind. Picked up a woman from the East Perh Rail terminal going to a doctor in Leederville. She was born in Kalgoorlie and was distraught. She moved to Kambalda and lost her son on the notorious Kalgoorlie to Kambalda road about a year ago and was down in Perth for treatment. The woman going to the chicken factory was the first fare this morning. She was always Co- operative and always waited outside. There were a few young boys going fishing on their bikes this morning riding in the early morning darkness. 11 A woman went to an Aged Persons’ home to get people there out of bed early and bath them, she was looking forward to her holidays next week. Greyhound and Pioneer coaches amalgamated and the drivers sometimes drove out with both uniforms and drove the both coaches. A man got off the interstate train from Kalgoorlie at 7.00 Am. He was 78 years old and was going to Hollywood Repatriation Hospital. He said he wasn’t too well was having a gall bladder operation, his heart was giving him trouble. He lost his wife a number of years ago and was philosophical about his fate. He was finished with interest in life and indicated he was ready to leave this earth. He had a son who didn’t take a lot of interest in him who lived in Perth. Next a nurse working at the maximum security section of Graylands hospital to Como. She was going home after a week on night shift and was returning next week for day shift. After dropping a woman went locally in South Perth to the doctors. A young man went to a physiotherapist in South Perth. He was injured in an industrial accident and was walking with the aid of callipers. He went daily for physiotherapy. Was cruising down Hay Street in Perth when a Japanese man had his head in the window of another taxi who had the engaged sign on the roof. I pulled up behind him and sure enough the man wanted me to take him to Fremantle to get some Australian made woollen products to take back to Japan with him. Nothing much around Fremantle except a lot of taxis so I managed to pick up a woman in Cottesloe from the Commonwealth bank going locally. I’d picked this woman up on other occasions, it was interesting to see the way people dress in the different suburbs, how they talk and how people seem to be trimmer around Cottesloe. Picked up a man who was a professional shooter. He went to Belmont to fill a gas bottle then up to Midland. He said a lot of the donkeys he shot were sent to Japan and labelled as pet food. He sometimes shot camels and shot about sixty kangaroos a night selecting the biggest even though he could shoot a lot more. He was qualified as a chef and used to get $400 a week for 80 hours work now he selected his hours and took time off when he wanted to. He had chillers at various station properties and did all the processing himself. Next a dentist and his wife were going to Thailand and Spain. There was a convention in Spain which officially was the reason for their trip but unofficially they were having their first holiday together after bringing up their family. The Midland rank used to be close to the shops but the new shopping centre has forced a lot of little shopkeepers either out of business or into the new shops with high rentals and ingoings. The abattoirs once a busy employer closed and the Railway Workshop had put off many employees. A man and a boy wanted to go to the Bandyup Women’s prison .When we got there the man wanted me to wait for him and take him back to Midland. I waited outside whilst he pressed the intercom and gave his name and business. He was then let into a steel gate across no man’s land being watched by camera to another big steel gate where he once again spoke through the intercom. As I waited another man and two women went through the same procedure and then after a few minutes my passenger came back and got into the taxi. He said his daughter was in the remand section of the prison. Next was an alcoholic who went from Midland to Lockridge to pick up some clothes (he was unsure if they would be there), then to a clinic in Mount Lawley where he could dry out. This was his sixth time at the clinic. The Health Department were paying the taxi fare and he was interested to know about how I would get the money. I parked on the Town Hall rank in Perth. A couple of young girls approached the taxi behind They were giggling and hesitant and the driver pointed them in my direction and they got into my taxi. I asked them where they would like to go and they showed me an address in Bassendean. They came from Rockingham about forty kilometres away and one of them was going for an interview as a dentists receptionist. She couldn’t go to the interview on her own so her friend accompanied her. She said she was only a junior and there would not be much time or money left if she had to travel all that way every day but there was no work in the Rockingham area and to satisfy the Commonwealth Employment Service and continue her Social Security payments she had to attend the interview. I congratulated them on their first taxi ride, told them I hoped they got the habit and wished them luck in the job interview. Next morning at 5.00 AM picked up a woman from a well known accountancy company in Perth who was heading by plane to a northern mining town for a few days to look at the books and try and stop receivership for a mining company that had bad management. She said quite a few management were to go and many changes would be made whilst she was 12 there. We were told to keep away from a certain night club because a taxi was having trouble from certain patrons kicking doors and drinking and throwing cans. The majority of people were good but an incident like that would keep that driver away from night clubs for life. Picked up a Yugoslavian man from the Indian Pacific at the East Perth rail terminal at 7.10 AM .He was ordered to come to Perth to pay fines of $4,800 for writing dishonourable cheques. The Court ordered him to come to Perth to pay the fines. He’d been over three times and had a stock truck which he had since lost. He was worried he might lose his job when he moved back with all the time he was losing. Former Premier Brian Bourke now Irish Ambassador and Ambassador to the Holy See was in Perth this morning holding a press conference and defending his actions as Premier when he ran the Treasury. Prosh Day at the university today. It was good to see students out in force in their colourful clothes and to read their Prosh magazine. Took a woman and her daughter to West Perth so the daughter could have an ultra sound as she was having twins and they were hoping they weren’t triplets. Twins ran in the family in the second generation and they came from Bruce Rock in the wheat belt one of the few towns in Western Australia they said where they could still go out and not lock the doors. Anzac day 25 Th April 1991. There were many onlookers at Kings Park War Memorial and the former service people looked forward to the day to see their old friends some departed all getting older. All through the suburbs there were War Memorials coming to life on this day to remember the fallen with wreaths and clean areas neatly mowed in preparation for this one important day. Next morning I picked up a woman going to the casino, she had a cigarette in her hand and pleaded with me to smoke with all her female charm. I told her I’d be pleased to get a smoking taxi if she would like. She said she couldn’t wait. She tried on two occasions on the way to smoke and it was nice to get her out of the taxi! Went to the Victoria Park rank and had a talk to a man who was scouring the rubbish bins for aluminium cans. At 8.00 AM a man wanted to go to a panel beaters in Welshpool to arrange the installation of a bull bar on the front of his truck. He wanted to show the panel beater how to fit the bar. He was involved in an accident in Northam east of Perth a few weeks ago approaching the town about 4.30 Am when a car sped towards him on the wrong side of the road. He went into the gravel section next to the road, the load shifted and the truck went over on its side causing $100000 damage to the truck. A following truck managed to get the first three numbers of the number plate of the offending car. The driver had his wife and child in the truck who were not injured. Saw Tony and Neil at the East Perth Rail Terminal, Neil an Ex Telecom worker a nice man and interesting to talk to. Tony was also interesting to talk to was good on the gossip an Ex farmer who knew many prominent people in Perth and their business. He had to sell the farm as many in the bush were forced to do, he had an operation on one of his knees which was unsuccessful and suffered chronic pain and told us the only way he could sleep at night was to drown himself in alcohol. He considered taking the surgeon to Court and suing but was reticent to take the action because of the powers of the medical profession. John also joined us at the terminal John an Englishman has the Midas touch when it came to the Lotto. He had won many small prizes and won a first division at one time winning many thousands of dollars. Len was at the terminal the ex pilot and Stan the pom who always demanded immediate attention from the canteen and butted in all the time. Picked up a prostitute from the Indian Pacific she had worked in the brothels in Hay Street Kalgoorlie for eight months and didn’t like the fact that the madam wouldn’t allow any of the girls to walk the streets. They were all locked into the brothel day and night,”Like a prisoner and I’m coming to Perth for greener pastures.” she said. Picked up an elderly woman with what appeared to be her grandson travelling to the East Perth Rail terminal. The woman was showing the boy the tall buildings and explaining what the buildings were called and telling the boy how people went every day in the buses to their work. The boy appeared about twelve years and was listening intently to the woman. Picked up a woman with two young girls from Lockridge. She took the girls to a child minding centre in Bassendean and then went to James street in Perth. She had a twenty one year old daughter, thought she’d had her family when just over two years ago a one and a half pound baby popped out in her laundry in East Perth. She was very surprised thinking that she had kidney stones or something like that and there she was on her own with this frail 13 child. Her first thoughts were to wait before ringing the ambulance and let the child die. She decided to ring the ambulance and from the time she rang till the time they were in the King Edward Memorial Hospital was only twelve and a half minutes. She still found it hard to accept having the child to look after on her own. Picked up an embarrassed woman in the city who was dressed in her dressing gown. Her car broke down whilst driving a friend to work. Next a man was going to work as his car had also broken down and he rode horses for the son of Wilson Tuckey a well known Federal Politician. He rode the horses every morning around the perimeter of the airport and also at the Ascot racecourse. He enjoyed working for Tuckey’s son ! I picked up Les O’Donnell at 8.00 AM. Always a pleasure to pick up I would say “good morning Mr O’Donnell “as the base always referred to him. He always said “Les is my name that’s what I was born with not mister.” He was always such a pleasure to pick up, was born in the goldfields and never married but was a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about the goldfields area about the pioneers of the west and the Aboriginal tribes. He went to Royal Perth hospital and went on the dialysis machine. He was getting weaker and swallowed his pride needing a wheel chair to go to and from the ward. He had a brother who used to see him each week who brought a couple of cans which they consumed whilst they had a talk. Next a woman who suffered agoraphobia who wanted me to wait whilst she paid her dentists bill after I picked her up in Inglewood. She had three taxis waiting for her today whilst she did some shopping and quickly went back to her flat. I asked her if she had made any attempts to rid herself of the problem. She said as it was not life threatening it was difficult to get treatment through the system. The only way she could get it done quickly was through the Mount Hospital but that would cost her about two thousand dollars which she didn’t have. She and her neighbours all kept to themselves and the only time she was comfortable was when she was between the four walls of her flat. Was driving through the city and there was a collision between a Vietnamese man and a Malaysian man, the latter pulling out and clearly in the wrong. The Vietnamese man wanted to stop but the Malaysian man waved him on in an authoritarian manner and refused to stop, both going their separate ways with parts hanging from their cars. Picked up an Airport Fireman who had been a Fireman at airports throughout Australia for nineteen years. He’d been to a few light aircraft fires but by far the worst fire he’d been to was the actions of a madman flying the aircraft into the Alice Springs building of Connelan Airlines the airline that flew in the Northern Territory. Roger Connelan son of the founder was killed along with three other people. It would have been a lot worse if all those who were suppose to be in the building were in the building. Fifty people could have been killed but for two DC3’s that were flying north with mechanical problems that had to be attended to. He talked of the wreath the mad pilot had left in his flat to himself in Mount Isa before the crash and the sick messages he was telling the Control Tower in Alice Springs before the disaster It was Friday 6th September 1991. I was up at 4.30 Am and the first job was the woman that worked in the chicken factory in Osborne Park. She didn’t travel far and some drivers didn’t pick her up for such a short fare. One taxi driver didn’t pick up a job for fifteen minutes and I thought the operator was going to give the driver six hours off the air for not picking up within the required time but he was let off. Venus was clearly visible in the sky this morning and an unusually deep red sunrise from the result of the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatoobo in the Philippines a few months ago There were quite a few spectacular sunrises over the last few weeks as a result of this eruption. The American Clarke Air Force base was also closed as a result. Got a job in Mount Lawley to the city an employee of the Princes Hotel in Perth. She said that there were quite a lot of people staying at their hotel now doing the wildflower tours as this was the peak tourist time. Picked up a woman to take to the King Edward Memorial hospital from the City Railway station. I’d taken her in the taxi before young and pretty but was always stressful. Started to rain this morning, ended up on the Morley rank behind four other taxis who were having a talk. Didn’t like to talk too much as work could be lost. There was a territorial attitude to taxis and a pecking order that I managed to see but not take part. One driver was offered six hours off the air for giving a false position, another driver caught him although he wanted to face the Radio Committee and appeal. Two jobs were given to me on the radio that had to be taken away because the operator called the wrong rank. A man got in the taxi and wanted to go to the Bayswater Railway 14 station. He said he came to Australia 45 years ago from Greece. He married a Greek woman and they had three children and one night she left him and took the three children on the plane to Greece. He owned a house a coffee shop and he’d paid $11.50 for some shares at 11.00 Am three years ago by 3.0. PM the shares had plummeted to $1.80 a share. He said his three children were now back living in Perth and he owned nothing. Next a young man who was employed as a doorman at the casino. He had three uniforms that he left in his locker at work which the casino checked and dry cleaned for him. He’d been there about four months and liked the job. Next a young man who wasn’t needed to work for a car company that serviced cars as there weren’t many bookings today. He’d got a lift in and was returning home to take his wife to a funeral in Mandurah for a two year toddler that drowned in a lake. The family were known to his wife more than him but the tragedy happened when the family dog knocked over part of a fence when the seven months pregnant mother was hanging out the washing and the toddler went into the lake. Picked up a patient and an escort from a centre for intellectually handicapped people in East Perth going to the Royal Perth hospital. The patient was going in for medical treatment and there was continual discussion between them. The patient wanted to smoke and the escort was continually whispering it was a non smoking taxi and the patient was asking about the tests that she was about to do. The escort was consistently reassuring her of the mild nature of the tests. Checked ranks and ended up on the Bayswater rank. After a short time got a job to the International airport a Japanese woman employed by a Japanese bank and was given a weekend at the Sheraton hotel in Perth by Compass airlines as an inducement to book people on their airline. The airline had to land and take off from the International terminal as Australian airlines were building a new terminal and there was not enough room for Compass to operate from. The Compass airlines airbuses are a beautiful two tone grey in colour I wondered if it was because the Managing Director’s name was Brian Grey. There were many cars at the International terminal they bet on cards on the bonnet of one of the taxis and a lot of regulars frequent the airport ranks. I joined the back of the queue. A man and two women got in the taxi all elderly The man asked the way to go to Busselton They were hiring a car and were over to look at the wildflowers which were spectacular this year. Took a man to a car hire place in Victoria Park. He told me he was originally from England and got sick of repairing and reconditioning motors so he did a three year course on computers. He started selling computers to farmers writing programmes and helping them with their bookwork. He showed the women how to put recipes and other information for themselves on the computer .He was now well known in Esperance and was buying second hand computers at an auction. It was Monday 9th September 1991. There were no taxis on the Morley rank. It was cool and dark with a thin fog on the Morley rank and the man with the limp exchanged greetings with me on his way to work at the bus depot. There were no 5.0 Am bookings from the Morley rank. The man from the Bus depot came down and started cleaning the bus stop whilst the man in the street sweeper was getting out and pushing the rubbish under the sweeper.. I tried for a couple of jobs but there were closer cars. Another taxi drove up behind me and Keith Postans took over half of Perth on the two way from Don Barnes who had the whole of Perth from midnight. There was also an operator who handled Fremantle 24 hours a day. Keith Postans had been in the taxi industry many years, he got sick of driving and asked Kevin Foley the Traffic Manager if he could do some work at the base room for a change. Kevin gave him a job and Keith had been working in the base room for many years. Kevin was one of natures gentlemen who would do anything for someone in need a man who was responsive to any advantageous move and also a politician in the taxi sense of the word. He spent his whole life on boards working for the improvement of the company and the taxi users as a whole. Well Keith Postans operated half of the city until 8.0 Am when there were six operators in the metropolitan area . Graffiti was a problem in the city and around the bus station and banning spray cans the solution. Got a job from Morley drive this morning a man returning to Karratha after watching Hawthorne defeat the West Coast eagles at Subiaco oval on the weekend. 15 Did a job in Midland then a job from Caversham to Guildford. Driving back towards Perth a SAS soldier went back to the Campbell barracks in Swanbourne He had been in the Army 4 years and loved it. A conversation with these soldiers always ran into certain questions that they said they were unable to answer. The army used to have a soldier on the gate 24 hours a day but since a private security firm took over responsibility for the gate there was a lapse and it was possible to go through without a security check. Drove to the Morley rank and sat third off behind Brian and Silver the former I had a talk to until I got a job from Bayswater to the Inglewood Hotel. A couple were travelling to Mindarie Keys for the day for a reunion with a group who were in Darwin on 19 February 1942 when Darwin was bombed by the Japanese. The man said that when Darwin was evacuated he went to an airfield 28 miles south of Darwin and manned an anti-aircraft gun which he never fired in anger because the bombers were out of range. He said Spitfires and Beaufort bombers were on the runway adjacent to the guns and he explained how the Japanese bombed right along the Western Australian coast to Wyndham and Broome.. Picked up a man on the Inglewood rank going to an estate agent in North Perth to sort out a problem with a plumber who was sent to do some work at his flat .The plumber had left without completing the work but sent him a bill. I waited whilst he sorted it out at the estate agent and took him back home to Inglewood. Went back to the Inglewood rank and picked up a woman and a sibling going home after doing the shopping. Went back to the Morley rank there were eight cars on the rank so I sat on the rank and listened to the melodious John Gibson an Ex Sydney taxi driver who was operating from the base room .John had a bit of a heart problem and was advised off the road. The pigeons were mingling around the taxi rank waiting for Doug to throw some seed to them from the boot of his taxi. Went for a job on position in Lockridge was the closest car. A woman going to visit a former employer who had lost her husband from Parkinson’s disease he’d had for twenty years. She went to Cottesloe where she had previously worked for the couple to help the woman through her grieving. The deceased was originally from Mauritius had a plantation there and when they got independence decided to leave the country in case there was some form of retribution. They had a big family in Australia were very close and the visitor was considered part of the family. Went to the Cottesloe rank and after a wait a woman wanted to go to Wembley. She migrated to Australia in 1923 from Scotland and went to a dusty Melbourne show in that year. She had to restrain herself at the show in the company of her mother and sister. Her distant cousins were running rampant at the show whilst with them. A man from Merredin in the wheat belt went to the Water Authority in Leederville. He was disputing a bill and after considering the circumstances we agreed that his air conditioner that needed water could be the reason. Next was a woman reluctantly going to a dentist from the War Veterans home in Mount Lawley. Two women went to the Royal Perth hospital. I drove down to the Town Hall rank and smelt the aroma from Georges Cafe where we replenish our thirst in summer and our hunger in winter whilst waiting for a fare. Took an elderly woman from the rank to Wembley. Each week she met other War widows at a city hotel where they all got together and did handicraft in the morning, had lunch and played bingo in the afternoon. It was her outing to look forward to each week. Went to the City Railway station and took a woman to Waterloo Crescent East Perth. Next morning about 4.20 Am I got out of bed and went down to the Morley rank. The sky was clear and full of stars there was a briskness in the air. There were no cars on the Morley rank and no people around. The man came to clean the Morley bus station and there was an a gradual increase in activity as the time went by. I Got a job from Mercury place in Morley to the airport. There was a police car driving behind a car on Walter road and I was 100 metres behind them. The police car did a u turn and followed another car going in the opposite direction. I picked up a man going to Port Hedland for the day. There was a lot of traffic at the airport mainly taxis. I drove to the Victoria Park rank as Don Barnes was calling for work in the area. A young man wanted to go to St John of God hospital in Subiaco. He worked as a cleaner of a night and was going to visit his 21 year old girl friend who was diagnosed with Leukemia. He went to Kindergarten, Primary and High school with her and about four years 16 ago she went to her doctor and he detected signs of Leukemia, but blood and other tests didn’t confirm this until several months later. She was in and out of hospital for many months. He was understandably in a dither and when he reached for his money it wasn’t there. I told him to leave it in his letter box and ring Swan taxis and give them a message for me when it was there. He had been called into the hospital and as I drove away I felt an involuntary tear rolling down my cheek. A young woman went from Wembley to the city. She worked for a media watch company employed reading the newspapers and anything pertaining to their client would be cut from the paper and forwarded to the client. Picked up next from Beechboro to Malaga and drove back to Lockridge and then to the Bassendean rank. Picked up a woman from Bassendean going to Maylands railway station. She wanted to be dropped out of sight around the corner as the man she was seeing was of the opinion that she lived nearby in Maylands. Cars were on the Maylands rank so I went to the Bayswater rank. Two women went to St Anne’s hospital in Mount Lawley. One woman commented that it was her first visit to the hospital since the birth of her child 45 years ago. Went to Bayswater and picked up a young man who wasn’t talkative at all even to get his destination in East Perth was difficult. Took a Muslim family to the University of Western Australia obviously their child was going to attend the university and they were checking it out. Took a woman from Victoria Park to Perth who had taught in Primary schools all her life and was interesting to talk to. As we made the way into Perth there were many journalists and photographers at the East Perth Lock up someone well known would obviously be in court this morning. The Media were allowed inside not long ago but the police made them wait in the street now. Nothing in the city so I drove to Maylands past the new electric trains waiting to go into service with a vibration problem that has to be rectified. The Interstate trains was now reduced to two a week so the East Perth terminal is now not the daily attraction it once was. The De-regulated air fares and Compass airlines took a lot of people away from the railway and higher rail fares also contributed. Got a job at the Maylands Markets which didn’t exist. Checked all three shopping centres ,then got a job in Queen street Bayswater that was cancelled. Got a job in Forbes Lane Perth to Subiaco. Went to the West Perth rank opposite Princess Margaret hospital the hospital that saved the life of two of our children one from Epiglottis the other from Meningitis. Took a specimen from the hospital to Charles Gairdner hospital . On the news there was a lot of opposition to the New Zealand shearers working here for lower pay and not being members of the union. The New Zealanders had a reputation for taking less care in their shearing. Next morning at 4.35 Am I got a job from Ballajura to the airport. An Englishman who had been in Australia for six years and had spent most of the time in Mackay Northern Queensland. His parents were staying with him from England. I showed him a property on the way where Kangaroos roam about that his parents maybe interested in seeing. He was in a new house and had a lot of work to do to the house A passenger at the airport left some luggage in the back of a taxi at the airport .The driver found the luggage and when the passenger was told of the cost to return the luggage the passenger said she had no money. The driver took the luggage back for no charge. Next was the SAS soldier I took before. He was speaking of the difficulty of the Carter course to pass the test into the SAS from the regular Army. He was a keen tennis player but non of his mates in the SAS played tennis so he played golf and badminton. He talked about the twenty Land Rovers purpose built in Australia at a cost of $100,000 each. Others were on order and exported to other countries. Drove to Morley and then to Noranda where a job was given to me and then cancelled. I got the same job again. The hot water system had failed and the man had to fix it before he could go to work. Took the man to Kewdale via Tonkin highway. There were Geraldton Waxes and Wattles next to the highway in bloom. Main roads were becoming more attractive than in the past.. Parked on the Kewdale rank and watched a BAE 146 aircraft landing at Perth airport, They had an engine lubrication problem when they first flew here because of the vast distances. The passengers liked flying in them. 17 I wasn’t on the Kewdale rank long when I had to take a termination pay cheque to Yangebup get a signature and return with the signature to the pay office. The woman in Yangebup receiving the cheque told me she had worked for the international company for fourteen years and had her services terminated . Returning to the Kewdale rank four taxis were there so I drove towards Victoria Park. There was opposition to the last budget brought down by John Kerin who replaced Paul Keating as Federal Treasurer. It was holding inflation down at the expense of jobs. There were meetings throughout the country from people voicing their disapproval at the decisions. Took a woman from East Victoria Park to the local shops. Okker the base operator asked how much the return trip to Yangebup was “$56.80” I told him. Picked up two women from Bentley to East Perth. One I knew did escort work She was telling the other woman the best day to advertise and how to word the advertisements . They told us not to hang off certain ranks in the city because the Perth City Council parking people were out booking the taxis illegally parked Next morning at 4.30 Am I went down to the Morley rank and a young man with a swag came up to me and told me he’d arrived from Kalgoorlie at 2.30 Am and was waiting for the National bank automatic teller machine to open so as he could get some money and go to Wanneroo. As he was talking the police van was sweeping through the shops with its spotlight on. He said it was lucky for him they didn’t come through earlier as he was sleeping on a seat and they could have made it hard for him. The police van went through a stop sign and he walked away. The police looked closely at him, went around the corner and returned to talk to him and went. Eventually I got a job from Morley to the airport an elderly couple who paid $290, return to Sydney .Got a job from the airport going to a lunch bar in East Perth. Got a job about 6.00 AM from a night club in Northbridge. Two men were hugging each other and one got in and wanted to go to North Perth. He asked me to speed and was breathing heavy in annoyance at me sticking to the speed limit. Next a geologist going from North Perth to the airport. He was going to the Queensland, Northern Territory border to look for diamonds. He explained how diamonds were formed from a violent volcanic reaction and how they come from deep under the earth’s surface and how they form in a” pipeline”. Next a woman going to a city conference for midwives to encourage homebirths. She didn’t try to hide her dislike for doctors. She originated from Carnamah in the country. As we drove next to Lake Monger a duck and five ducklings crossed the road forcing me to brake quickly. As we went further I saw in the rear vision mirror another car stopping suddenly sending smoke into the air whilst the duck and her family didn’t flinch and continued as if nothing had happened. A woman went to “Silver city” the Education Department headquarters in East Perth .She purchased a cake on the way as she was having morning tea for one of her workmates who was getting married. Picked up a doctor in Bayswater going to Sydney for a conference. He said the Federal government were wasting $150 million on a Federal hospital computer system when if each hospital purchased a $4 million system the savings would immediately be felt on food ,linen ,drugs etc. His forte was computers. Got a dress from a dress shop in West Perth to take to a woman in South Perth. I knocked and the woman came out and answered the door in her underwear. Pulled onto the Mount Lawley rank and after a few minutes a young migrant from Israel got into the taxi and wanted to go to South Perth. He had an Australian girlfriend and said that most Russians coming to Israel were highly trained and qualified and there was a problem with such a large influx of people to the small country but whoever came was accepted. He spoke of the problems existing in Israel between the Arabs and the Jews. There was no compromise in his talking about the Arabs a hate that is a sad reflection in a country gripped by war. We spoke of the Kibbutz’s and how they were now transformed from agriculture to high technology manufacturing. On the news this morning President Bush of America was threatening to hold back billions in aid to Israel in an attempt to see a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict. Picked up a middle aged man in Bassendean with a cross tattooed on his forehead dressed in black going into the city to pick up his motor bike that a policeman had asked him to leave at the hotel he was drinking at last night. The Publican locked his valuable machine away for him. He was a member of a motor cycle group and his brother who used to be in the group 18 was now a Lay Preacher. He wasn’t happy with the change in his brother and let him know. He spoke of initiation ceremonies but declined to give details of what took place. He had a ring on all fingers of his right hand. On Monday it was a cool morning in Perth about five degrees. I took home a policeman from night shift about 5.30 AM from Bayswater to Midland after his car ran out of petrol. He had been on the city beat all night and was saying that since security cameras were installed in the city crime had dropped markedly. A woman who couldn’t start her car in Midland took the taxi from Midland to Forrestfield. Dr John Hewson the Leader of the Opposition has stood by a goods and consumption tax taking him into the next election which will surely lead to his defeat. Perhaps he was a politician who was too honest and this will lead to his demise. Picked up a young woman who was very slow getting into the taxi. She dropped a book as she got in that I got out and picked it up. She was in a car accident ten days ago and refused to take tablets or pain killers. She was a music teacher and was on sickness benefit until her health was restored. A woman went to a city hotel in Perth for a law conference in relation to our Asian neighbours. She was interested in children being taken to Asian countries by a parent without the consent of the other parent. She was presenting a paper at the conference and was looking forward to getting it all over. A young man travelled locally in Bayswater he worked in Laverton and got one week off in seven and was enjoying his week off in the city. Took a New Zealand woman to Forrestfield who lived in Paraburdoo in the North West. She was down in Perth for a fortnight and was looking forward to get back to the north where she loved living. Her boyfriend raced cars and also liked the north. An 80 year old woman went from Guildford to Swanview, she was originally from New Zealand and spent her summers in New Zealand and the winters in Perth. She had done it for four years had just been to the dentist and had a daughter in each country to stay with. Picked up by default a man who had too much to drink. He was in the taxi too quickly for me to get away. He was putting his head out the window abusing old women crossing the road and gave the drive in attendant at the bottle shop a hard time. He tried to pay less than the metered fare and would only pay when I stood my ground and threatened action against him. It was a relief when he alighted the taxi. He gave me a fingers up sign as I pulled away. Picked up a well known Barrister and Solicitor from Subiaco going into the city court. He did Criminal law and played in a popular band in Perth of a night. He had a brother who specialised in family law. Next was a job from Swanview to Perth. There was inconsistency in the lot numbers in the street and the directions were incorrect finding the house. The young woman was mute all the way to Perth. Took a man who used to run escort girls around to different places and wait in a car with a telephone and instructions. Some of the girls took speed to overcome the problems associated with the job .One girl was a nice girl bought a house from her income and after a month in the house on her own took her own life. Henry Kissinger former United States Secretary of State was in Canberra yesterday spoke to Prime Minister Hawke for quite a while. It was rumoured that Kissinger was lobbying for Conrad Black a Canadian newspaper owner to purchase newspapers in Australia as the Fairfax group were in financial trouble. The present laws prevented foreigners from buying into Australian media. I had been going to the Red Cross every twelve weeks donating blood and the changes are enormous since the AIDS virus arrived. The questions were very personal and some of the staff were clearly embarrassed. A man who worked for the West Australian newspaper group for twenty five years told me that in his section the numbers had gone down from twenty five to only four. The newspaper was now in the hands of bankers because of the excesses of the late eighties. He knew a lot about a wildlife sanctuary in Malaga where animals were cared for and then released in the wild. He said the doe kangaroo can be released into the wild and can adapt but bucks were unable to cope. Another problem was the Hydatid cyst that was passed on to the animals via dogs and wild pigs. Looking back I sometimes wonder how we get onto these subjects. There were many rally cars in and around Northbridge today. Tomorrow they were going to Curtin university to drive around a specially marked area, then they were going to the country and driving around some of the bush tracks. On Saturday the West Coast eagles won against Geelong by 14 points. They were the first 19 team to go into the Grand Final from outside Victoria. The Eagles had been playing five years. Next morning at 5.00 AM I picked up Mr Morris from Subiaco going to the city rail Station. As expected he saved his ten cents and we broke convention and spoke about the West Coast Eagles. Next a young man who seemed to be doing an early flit at 5.15 AM from a city motel going to the Mandurah bus. He had been in Perth for seven years was an electrician and was going back to Shepparton Victoria after he saw his friend in Mandurah. He’d been out of work in Perth and was going to work at the SPC cannery. Took a man from the Buttercup bakery in Malaga to Ballajura. As we approached a T junction he told me to go left. I was about to turn he said “No left mate” and he was pointing right. I told him the difference between right and left although it is interesting the people who got mixed up. Took three Frenchmen back to the city from a rally Australia team. They said they try to enter every rally which are generally held once a month and the next rally will be held in Italy. They said there was a huge following in Europe. This morning in Kewdale the trailer portion of a semi parted company with the front causing big problems. I spoke briefly to the man next to the semi who explained why it was almost impossible for the trailer to break loose if they were coupled correctly. Had an interesting conversation with a navigator from the State shipping company. He said the loadings to South East Asia were all full and there was great potential to trade in this region. The loadings in the North West were a disaster and a lucrative run carrying paper from Tasmania was curtailed due to politics. He said if State Ships were left to perform commercially instead of politically it would be a strong profit maker. He said there were forty seven people in administration when four could do the same job. He could get his masters ticket and work between Hong Kong and Vietnam, but he was happy in Australia. It was October 1991 and many prisoners were being transferred to the new Casuarina prison from the old Fremantle prison. Every day there was a convoy of prison vans going to the new prison. The new Prison was considered escape proof. There were people wanting the Fremantle prison to be a museum piece. The Royal show was on this week.. Jeff Mcmullen a journalist was interviewing the former wife of the opposition leader. It seemed in poor taste before the Federal Election. A man hailed me in Beaufort Street Perth going to the City station and then to the Graylands Mental hospital. He said that he had two hundred dollars at the hospital to collect and had been released from court after being charged with forgery and offensive behaviour amongst other things. He was returning to collect his money that they had in trust for him whilst he was in police custody. He’d been a regular patient at the hospital and didn’t enjoy being there. Whilst waiting for him at the hospital a woman came up and started talking. She had a far away look in her eyes. A man came up and joined her and said they were waiting for the shop to open so as they could buy some clothes at the hospital shop. On 3rd October 1991 I was ushered into the Fremantle Prison for the last time on a job to pick up. As the officer did the search I said ”When are you finishing up here?” “The end of the month “he said “I don’t know why they are closing the place. “What will they do with it “ I asked “I don’t know mate but they spent a fortune on fixing it up after the fire and it would cost several million a year in maintenance to keep it livable, you should see Pentridge, this is a palace in comparison, even the worst part of it.” The rear shutter closed after the inspection and he signalled for the warder behind the mirror type glass to open the wire door in front and let me through to pick up.” To the right mate. “he ordered. A prisoner handcuffed to a prison officer got in the back seat and an obese officer got in the front and said“ Here’s your chit mate” in his broad northern English accent. “How’s the new Casuarina?” I asked. He replied “ The guvment and the bloody unions are in bed togevva and we’ve gotta work twelve bloody hours from seven firty till seven firty at this new place three days one week and four days va next week vats wats happenin at Casuarina mate! “They went to the main entrance of the Fremantle hospital. Picked a young man who worked for Russell transport in Midland. He said they have abattoirs at Tammin and Carnarvon. He said when he was old enough he was going to drive the trucks six days and nights like all the drivers do. His father in law was the driver of the truck that had the fatal accident on the corner of Benara and Lord streets Lockridge about twelve months ago. He said he lost his license for three years and was fined three thousand dollars. After that accident he hit a tree in a truck and rolled another truck. He now worked in 20 a hay factory. A woman went locally near the Claremont showground was saying that she allowed people to park in her drive during show and made $350 during show week .She charged from 1 dollar to 5 dollars depending on demand. Picked the SAS soldier and took him back to the Campbell Barracks in Swanbourne. A man from Main roads was heading up North by plane to inspect some bridges. He said that they now treat the old timber bridges with a chemical, replace the rotting timber and pour concrete topping over the bridge with a camber going from eight inches in the centre to five inches on the sides, after treatment the bridges can last another twenty five years. A man going from Maylands to Subiaco told me he maintained schools between Kalgoorlie and the Northern Territory via the Gunbarrel Highway. He said the schools are in top condition the absentee rate was sixty six per cent and the area was dry. He travelled up and down three times a year and the Aboriginal kiddies were behind in the three “R’s” but were streets ahead in computers. All the schools have at least four computers. Took a man from Shenton Park to the city who spoke about the Iron ore industry in Australia. He said that there was a ban on the export of ore until 1963 the reason was the small reserves found in Australia when Iron Knob in South Australia was the main producer of the ore. The price per tonne was about twenty dollars today and the ore in the North West cost about $4.50 to rail and ship. The ore from the distant Koolyanobbing mine north west of Southern Cross cost $15 a tonne to transport to the port of Kwinana and transport cost was why the mine closed. South Africa ,India and China all had large reserves of iron ore. Next a man went to the airport from Peppermint Grove. He had served on the Australian Industry Development Corporation. He said the AIDC was very political and whilst he was on the board one of the members pushed vigorously for a grant for a company he was associated with so he would get generous auditing fees from the company for life!. He said although the aim was for development he was surprised at the factionalism and manoeuvring not in the organisations interest. One man went to Barrack jetty to be picked up by a friend going to the oil refinery to work on a shutdown on part of the refinery. There were quite a few temporary jobs so sections of the refinery can be reconditioned. Drove to Fremantle prison after its closure and spoke to the caretaker. He said that Moondyne Joe a notorious bushranger’s cell was untouched. It was specially constructed to prevent him escaping. There were three tunnels from the prison underground one to South Fremantle one to Fremantle and one to the monument in High Street all tunnelled by prisoners trying to escape. The prison was quarried on the same spot by Prisoners about 135 years ago. Outside is a house once used by the prison doctor and finally a gym for the prison officers. The Gallows had a new rope for each person hanged (about 35) they are still in the prison store. They were having a lot of trouble at the new Casuarina prison one murderer escaped three warders were facing charges over the escape. The Chief had been replaced because of the escape and prisoners had been pushing the doctor off his commuter push bike. The prisoners were ruling the roost. On 3rd February 1992 I was up at 4.50 Am and Don Barnes was on holidays and the other operator was calling the work in a different way. Picked up three drunk females from Lockridge who were in the taxi before I could get away. They wanted to go to Rivervale and call into a teller machine on the way. They had a bottle of rum and in the darkness I was stuck with them. Managed to get them to a teller machine and dropped them at a motel in Rivervale. Yesterday we turned our clocks back because the trial on daylight saving was finished Picked a young man up from Victoria Park going to Fremantle. He only had fourteen dollars on him but I let him off and dropped him where he wanted to go. Next was a Purser with Qantas going to Singapore for the day. He’d been doing it for 21 years and it was his second job. He joined Qantas when he was 19 years old worked the Asian region and was located and based in Perth. After 1st March Qantas would be carrying domestic passengers. He went to a hotel in Perth to pick up a crew bus to the airport. Went to the Mount Lawley rank and picked a young man going to the University of WA. He wasn’t happy attending a maths lecture at 8.0 Am and as public transport was infrequent on public holidays he had to get the taxi. Today was the eight hour day Monday holiday. He was studying science hoping to get an engineering degree ,he was interested in astrology and hoped to eventually work in that field. Drove past ranks and checked the bus stops as public holiday transport was limited. 21 Picked up a couple near the Subiaco hotel going to Nedlands. The girl had on her “T” shirt “Don’t inject AIDS” and they looked as though they had a heavy night . Picked up two young girls with plastic supermarket bags and a strong smell as they entered. I realised that they were glue sniffers and I told them not to sniff in the taxi. They wanted to go to Maylands and it wasn’t long before I looked around and caught the girl behind me with the bag up to her face and the smell wafting through the taxi. I saw a young face with eyes relaxed and a far away look. “Don’t sniff that in the taxi or I’ll put you out” I told her as she pulled the bag from her mouth with a grin of victory. The girl in the front next to me was only very young and had a beauty that was being destroyed by the hardening of her face and a coarseness of her skin. Her legs were damaged by crude tattoos. When we got to Maylands I said “Don’t you realise that you are destroying yourselves and you may do permanent brain damage to yourselves if you continue with your habit.” The girl in the front looked and made no comment, the girl behind me who was a high said “We don’t care man, we know what we’re doin’”. Took a young woman into the Challenge Bank in Perth. She was worried that the Rural and Industries bank would take over and she might lose her job. There was a lot of media talk of this happening. Picked up a young man who had his good pushbike stolen from Fremantle last weekend, then a lady had car trouble, seemed like her starter motor was giving her trouble. A man waved me down outside the Beaufort hotel in Highgate. He had a cask of wine and his mate enticed a woman into the taxi from a nearby park. They went to East Perth. Next a man went to the airport to catch a flight to Karratha. An earlier flight was cancelled because of a cyclone approaching the area. He was reticent to travel but I assured him they wouldn’t be travelling unless it was safe. A young man went from Bayswater to Mirrabooka. He’d been to Shepparton in Victoria and was picking pears for $17 a bucket. If he worked hard he got ten buckets a day. Before going to Shepparton he picked tobacco in Queensland and had been twice around Australia in the last two years picking various fruits. Picked up a regular woman from Lockridge travelling locally. Her son was a fitness fanatic and a keen sportsman. He eat junk food and seldom eat her good meals, needed to build up his muscles, so she tried cooking meals to build him up whilst her husband was overweight and had to eat a slimming diet. They eat around the same time and it was a bit of a dilemma at meal time.. Picked up a girl from a hotel who wondered why she had to wait so long. I didn’t have the heart to tell her of the reputation of the hotel she was ringing from. Next a woman and her mother went to the Bassendean railway station to catch a train into Perth. It was the mothers birthday and they were travelling into Perth to have lunch together. The electric trains were now in operation and were a very convenient way to travel. Some of the stations on the Northern line could have catered for twice as much parking and double the size trains. Back to the Lockridge rank a young man went to a number in West Swan road in the eight thousands. The local council had adopted a numbering system whereby all the homes were numbered in a system of metres from Baker’s bridge in Guildford. Next two men on the Lockridge rank went to Graylands Hospital. They called into the Herdsman Hotel in Wembley on the way and one picked up some illicit drugs. When he went in to get the drugs the man in the car said that he would be released next week into the care of his parents, but his friend couldn’t leave the hospital until somewhere was found for him to stay. They wanted to get out near the hospital so they could walk through the bush and treat themselves. Next a woman who had a severe back pain at a city hotel. She looked after the wardrobe of Diana Ross the entertainer and last night arrived from New York and went to a chiropractor to fix the problem. She concealed her condition and was desperate not let Diana Ross know as she didn’t want to let her down. Picked up a young man from Liverpool England on the Inglewood rank. He said the feelings of people in England was a feeling of despair with unemployment and no future. Drugs were cheap and a big problem for young people especially with wrong ingredients that were killing .I asked him if it was as easy to get drugs in Perth as in Liverpool. He said if you go around clubs in Perth it is just as easy but they are more expensive here and the Universities also have them. He had tried Smack and Acid but no longer bothered with it. He was an apprentice Chef at a Perth hotel had a big family with him and they were all working. A man was down from the North West for a seminar on the referendum to be held on 22 daylight saving. We agreed the referendum had little chance of success as did most since Federation He ran a court on a full time basis started as a clerk in Collie many years ago and progressed through the court system . On 17th march 1992. Took a barman to the Irish hotel in East Perth who was expecting a busy day for St Patrick’s day today. He expected to work fourteen or fifteen hours today starting about 5,0 Am. Next a management consultant spoke about pedestrian directors working on some companies who were dominated by Chairmen and had very little input. Next a man went to the International airport to pick up his wife from Chile from where they had migrated. He asked about housing suburbs and where to avoid in Perth. Picked up a young man who had arranged a meeting with Ron Edwards then deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. He was attempting to stop Telecom closing a vehicle depot in Wembley although they were not under the control of the Government. On 18th March 1992. There was a blackout during the night. First job today I had to get a man out of bed. He came to the door and his dog raced out onto the driveway barking at me. I walked towards the taxi and the dog kept barking. I returned towards the man so as the dog would go inside. The man had to made a grab for the dog which revealed his nakedness. His alarm was disabled during the blackout but I managed to get him to the airport on time. Next a woman was desperate to get to Carlisle technical college by 6.0 Am as her alarm also failed to go off. We made it on time. Next a man went to the airport to catch a plane to Adelaide after seeing his sister in Perth. He was playing tonight at the Adelaide Festival and had been playing the piano since he was five years old. He played professionally for twenty years mainly jazz although he didn’t enjoy playing from ages 11 to 15. His mother insisted and at 15 he discovered jazz and enjoyed it ever since. Three elderly women went to Carinya lodge in Mount Lawley for therapy for the day. The first woman couldn’t find her key so the base rang the lodge and told me to take her as they had a copy at the lodge and she regularly lost her key. The woman who lost the key insisted I leave my name and address so she could thank me. Next was an elderly man who lived out in the country at Three springs for most of his life with two of his three brothers living on a property. His father died when he was very young and the man married for the first time eleven years ago when he was 69 years old to a woman who was now 97 years old. He had an ulcer on his ankle which needed surgery to remove. There was a familiar smell which was brylcream he’d been using all his life. Picked up a woman in Perth irate about a car she paid $12,000 for that continually gave her problems. She lived in Rockingham and had to commute daily as she worked for Telecom on the 013 line. She regretted not getting her father, a mechanic to check it out at the dealers, but now she was getting the RAC to check it over. She needed a reliable car as she had cerebral Palsy. A woman working at a city hotel going to work talked about the behaviour of some well known cricketers now staying at the hotel. A young fit man wanted to go less than a kilometre to work. I didn’t mind taking him but I felt he was wasting money catching taxis for such a small trip. A man who had the job of emptying, cleaning and refilling cooking oil in restaurants and Fish and Chip shops in Perth got the taxi this morning as his van had broken down. He put three empty containers in the boot and intended hiring a van for the day. A BAE 146 aircraft lost height from 28000 feet last night and a pilot on board claimed all four engines stopped, the company strongly denied this and said only two engines failed. It was a near disaster whatever happened. The aircraft landed at Meekatharra airport and the Federal Air safety investigation team were having an inquiry and would check the aircraft before it flies again. Next morning was up at 4.30 Am and the first job was from Inglewood a local job. Next a man was going to Geraldton for the day from the airport. Picked up three Aborigines going from Victoria park to Rivervale to wake a friend and get some money and then return to Victoria Park. They were from the country and one of them was waiting for his wife to get out of hospital so he could get back to the country. “What are you doing today “ I asked as they got out. “As a matter of fact gettin on the piss like we have the last three years “ was the reply. Next was an Aboriginal woman with a baby going from Princes Margaret Hospital to Perth airport. I asked a nurse if the woman needed any assistance and she said “No it’s all written 23 down for her” when we got to the airport I said “Will you be all right it’s all written down for you” “I can’t read nor write me from Fitzroy crossin’ and don’t know what to do” I collected her ticket from the counter and took her for seat allocation and up the stairs showing which departure gate to watch and when to join the line. Next was a man originally from Holland going from Bedford to North Perth. He complained that the taxi took ten minutes to pick him up. Took a woman to Guildford to do the housework for her Grandmother who was over 80 and lived on her own. The woman made the trip every fortnight. Took an engineer who was associated with drill ships and directed the drilling when drilling at sea. He explained the intricacy involved in drilling and said that when there was a cyclone there were up to eight anchors holding the ship, the cyclone lengthened the chain and if it became too intense the anchor chains were cut and the ship fought the cyclone driving into the cyclone. His last cyclone was slow moving and he went out on the deck whilst in the eye. He estimated it to be twenty miles across and they were in it for an hour and a half. The speed recorder read its maximum reading of 230 KPH after the eye past estimated it was 280 KPH .He was really scared and went to the medic to get a “pile of sea sick tablets”. A woman went from Shenton Park to the airport. She was on a charter flight to Mount Newman. The flight usually went the next day but VIP’s were being transported and she managed to get a seat on a plane a day earlier. I was hailed by a woman in Mount Lawley .We went to pick her boyfriend up at a nearby block of flats. Another taxi was also picking the boyfriend up. The boyfriend told me to go away but the other taxi insisted I take both of them. They got out at the methadone clinic in Perth . Took a man from Telecom who was talking about the foreign entry of a competitor in the market. Picked up a man from an auction company that had purchased a block of land from Telecom in Esperance and Telecom were going to lease it back from him. A couple staying at the Flag lodge and went to the airport. They were from Rockhampton in Queensland and were over in Perth to attend a taxi conference. They were representing the area at the conference and there was one taxi company in Rockhampton comprising 64 cars. The plates were worth $182,000 considerably more than Perth plates and the company was run by a Co-operative. There was a crisis in the company not long ago and all the directors were sacked and a new board appointed after talk of splitting up. A Co-operative is a sound way to run any company when the people in the industry are the owners and there can be a watch from all the members of the Co-operative. Next job was two hours later. A woman rang and said she’d been trying to contact the company on the phone and usually got straight through. It only took her eight minutes to get to work in the city and was late today. Next morning at 5.00 Am a man went to the airport from Mount Lawley. He had such a strong smell of alcohol I had to wind my window down for fresh air. Next a corner job in North Perth to Kingsley. A young man who worked at different night clubs around Perth. He stayed at his girlfriends house and was going back home. He did disc jockey work and preferred the old vinyl records which were still made and could be held at commencement unlike the compact discs. As I drove towards the city I was the closest car to a job in Stirling Street. The passenger went to the International airport was employed at the money exchange counter and said his company out bid the previous foreign currency exchange at the airport. Went to pick up the woman who was forgetting her key to take to the Carinya nursing home in Menora. She asked me if I’d mind checking to see if the doors were locked. The back door was wide open which I locked and as I went towards the front door she said “That room is yours whenever you want to move in “pointing to the room near the front door. “What about my wife and four children “ I asked “Well if you ever get kicked out you know where to come” she replied. We went to a second pick up and the woman wasn’t ready. We waited about ten minutes and when the second woman got in the first woman abused her and told her she was waiting in the hot sun. The second woman told her that God loved her even though she was so nasty to her. A woman went to Princes Margaret Hospital as she had a terminally ill child in the hospital and was worried the nurses may give her child the wrong mixture. I told her how they had saved two of our children’s lives and how they were very cautious and caring. She was fixed in her mind and understandably upset with the prospect of losing her child. Picked up a man who was a head cleaner at the Queen Elizabeth Medical centre. He’d 24 worked there for five years and said there were 800 beds at the hospital. The Doctor with the Wildcat basketballers went to the airport. The team were playing over east and he went with them all the time. He looked after them and also had an arthritis clinic in West Perth. He previously worked at the Institute of Sport in Canberra ( “the last place for an institute only a political decision should be on the Gold Coast” he said )and spoke about the coach who once coached the Chicago Bulls who was so intense and so authoritarian, a “fanatic” who wont last long as coach. “Why is the team so successful “ I asked “A coach is given a team and if the spirit is there they will win if it’s not there they wont win a coach can ruin a team for those following, believe me he’s just an arsehole”. As we arrived at the airport there were two team members opening the door and greeting him. A cray fisherman going locally in Maylands said with the full moon the crayfish were hard to get so he had time off during the full moon. The exception was when the waters were muddied and they move into the craypots. A West German backpacker went to Esperance for a fortnight. Unemployment in West Germany was five per cent whilst the Eastern section was fifteen per cent and the transition was a slow painful process. A man who lived near a Rabbi in Menora went to the city. In the Second World War he was a digger with 327 men who held East Timor for twelve months against 6000 Japanese. There was a single path the Japanese had to travel to secure East Timor and snipers were put in position and never as much as got a foothold despite their superior numbers. Ray Martin was at the casino and a woman went to watch the Midday show being made. He was also reading the news as a newsreader had suddenly resigned. She got there early to have a cup of tea and to get a good seat. It was broadcast earlier for the different time zones. A man went to an address in Rivervale. He had no idea of the street but we managed to find it. Four students from John Forrest High School missed the bus for an exhibition in Perth and so they were sent in by taxi. They played rap music on the taxi tape player. The Prospector train from Kalgoorlie had fares so I raced to the terminal and missed by one. Took a man from the Musician’s union into the city. Drove to the Morley rank. A woman went to Perth hospital. She had a 71 year old husband who had bowel cancer. He suffered from ill health for a number of years and had an ulcer and was taking tablets for a heart condition. The doctors asked him to give up cigarettes years ago and he declined. They concealed from him his bowel cancer as he was very stressful. Next morning at 4-45 Am a man went from Inglewood to Innaloo to work. He left his car at a dealers to get a trade in price for his car and to check on finance. He was not only refused the finance but the police went through the car yard checking and the car was given an unroadworthy sticker . A man called a taxi from Shenton Park to the airport. He had made a private booking with a taxi that didn’t turn up. A bit cold this morning. A woman rang going from Embleton to Perth going to work. She used to get a taxi supplied by the law firm that she worked for but this convenience was stopped. She then caught buses unless it was Monday morning. A man went to the airport to catch a plane to Meekatharra where he was in charge of a gold mine. He had just returned from Tenterfield in New South Wales where his sister in law had a stroke at age 47 and died suddenly. He was born in Tenterfield and didn’t leave there until the age of 27 , he was now 60 and lived in Perth since leaving Tenterfield. We spoke of the history of Tenterfield where Henry Parkes gave his famous speech in the Town hall of the bush rangers and where Peter Allen the singer living in America formerly came from. Got a job later from the Bassendean rank, knocked and couldn’t be heard. Went to the rear and saw a woman hanging out her washing. She said the taxi was required tomorrow and not today. Got a local job as compensation for missing out. A man in Guildford purchased a caravan in Kewdale and wanted to make the final payment and return to Guildford. Next a woman who was shopping at the Morley shops, went home to East Perth. She had a heart problem, collapsed in the city on Saturday and was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital. They put monitors on her and gave her some tablets. She spoke of drug addicts abusing and pestering those good people working at the hospital, trying to help them. She questioned whether the drug problem was so entrenched that the rulers and politicians are behind the problem because they don’t seem to want to tackle the problem at its source. 25 Picked up a man going to the airport from Bedford. He was going to do some service on aircraft in the remote north west. He said Skywest had facilities for servicing aircraft in Broome but they didn’t do outside work. A woman with twins went to West Perth. She was short of money and getting things in an opportunity shop. She had a big stroller that we put in the back. She said she fell pregnant with the twins in spite of taking the contraceptive pill. She now took a stronger pill so it wont happen again. She left the young children in the taxi whilst she got a key from a real estate agent. The children were on the verge of crying when she got out and were difficult to pacify. She was with the agent for quite a while and when she came back she said the father of the twins had never seen them and she would be meeting him in court next month. There were two sisters that are regular users of the taxi in Midland. I always moved the front seat back when they get in as they were the largest people I ‘d ever seen. On an earlier car the back of a seat was broken. Got a job from the CSIRO to Perth airport. The man was evaluating pollution from a sewage outlet near Ocean Reef. There was a Marine National Park adjacent and the National Park has to be pollutant free. He was English and worked for the CSIRO in Hobart and was hoping he wouldn’t be stranded in Melbourne as there was talk of a strike from airline staff. He had a son in Melbourne and would stay there if need be. I asked of the contribution Neville Wran made whilst in the management of the CSIRO. He was uncommitted but said that the incumbent had a lot more hands on approach. A man 33 years old got in the taxi and wanted to go to Medina. He was distraught and heavily drugged and upset when I asked for the money. He handed me 37 dollars he said that he’d just got out of Heathcote Psychiatric hospital and was going to visit his 78 year old father who recently had a stroke. His father was an ex military man there were nine children in the family and his father would tell him to obey his wishes from an early age with threats to be put out in the street. He was very attached and reliant on his dad and saw his mother regularly She lived at Margaret River and divorced about thirteen years ago. An 18 year old boy went to Kewdale. He was brain damaged although easy to talk to. He was knocked on his push bike when he was 15 years old by a passing truck on the rear vision mirror and knocked to the road. He’d died twice was revived and got a settlement of $350,000 he’d invested which was used by him and his mother.. It’s Friday now and a man was going to see a match between the West Coast Eagles and the Adelaide Crows. The National football had taken interest away from the local football where people would grow up in an area and were bound by there local team. The man going to the football was going to have a few drinks before going to watch the game. A man went to the airport installing a treatment plant for gas from the Harriot field joining the gas pipe line going from the North West to south of Perth. He was talking of the abundance of gas in the region where WAPET which was mainly a foreign company was looking for markets for the export of its gas. The field was larger than the Woodside field that was already exporting gas in huge volumes to Japan. He had only allowed 25 minutes to catch the plane from Subiaco which I suggested was a tight a schedule to keep. There was radar we were warned on the way so I couldn’t speed. A woman went to a private hospital in Leederville. An empty bottle of wine was on the lawn. I asked jokingly if it was the bottle she was drinking last night. “No its a different brand to the brand I was drinking last night “. she said matter of factly. Three aboriginal women one painfully slow getting in the taxi went locally in Leederville. The rear door didn’t close so reaching over I couldn’t help but notice the fingers of the woman on one hand was pointing backwards instead of forward. “You should get them fixed” I said unable to ignore such a glaring problem.” I fell down 5 flights of stairs and broke me bloody arm” she replied. “Well get the arm and fingers fixed otherwise it will be a life long problem” I replied. “Don’t matter I’ve got pain killers and a good port” she replied. The others said she was a nursing sister and like so many aboriginal people was reluctant to get treatment. When they got out I asked her daughter to make sure she did something about it very quickly. A woman went to the airport from North Perth to lecture women about spiritual well being and physical well that both as she explained go hand in hand. If we can all get them right we can live a lot fuller life she explained. A man from Manjimup had his truck parked at Kewdale was going back home after his trip up to Perth. He said he does at least one trip to Perth a day worked long hours and was talking about all the trucking companies that compete between Perth and Manjimup running timber and fresh produce between the two. 26 The Chamberlains that were convicted of murdering their baby Azeria were compensated $1.3 million and had their conviction squashed, it would be nice to spend a few months with them to talk to them about Azeria there were so many stories and theories, a journalist who worked at Perth’s evening Daily News now defunct was saying that when the name Azeria was on the headline posters the sales for that day would go up twenty per cent. An identikit drawing of a man that stabbed a 52 year old woman taxi driver was released today, she was stabbed last Friday. He picked the taxi up in Dianella and took the taxi to Yokine where he stabbed the driver about the face and body several times. There was no robbery. We in the taxi industry get a lot of publicity if something like that happens. We pick up people in the street who tell us of robberies and things that happen that never get such publicity. Took a man to the airport who was Chief Engineer of a local television station in Perth for many years, he was going to the North West of the state to open a television station for an Aboriginal community. Took a man from West Perth to North Fremantle to pick up his car that had been stolen .Previously he had a Holden Commodore stolen three times. He bought a sporty two seater that was taken from his car port to North Fremantle. The police rang him and told him about the find and when we got there the lock was tampered with and he couldn’t use his key to start it. Ironically he helped to design the new maximum security prison in Casuarina and was on his way to the prison when he got the phone call about his car. In his opinion the prison be run as a profitable venture. This morning four males and two females mugged a man in Northbridge. We were keeping a look out and informing the police of the assailants whereabouts. Allan Bond a British migrant who started as a songwriter in Fremantle and married into a well known Fremantle family who helped win the Americas cup and who lost a lot of small investors money was found guilty of acting illegally receiving a commission. He was sentenced to two and a half years gaol. He was the centre of conversation to all the passengers today all giving their opinions some even in support of the man, one woman who was in Bond’s class said he used to tell the children at school that he’d one day be the biggest and the best. On 1st June 1992. Foundation day today there were always parties on the Sunday evening of a long weekend and sometimes we took stragglers home.. The Federal government decided to amalgamate Qantas and Australian airlines. Next morning a man was starting early from Morley going to Midland brickworks on the day shift. His car had broken down so he rang for the taxi. Next from Brigadoon to the airport. The stars were brilliant from the outer suburb in the morning darkness. The house had no curtains no lawn and no driveway the man said he’d only been in the house two months and was trying to do as much as he could whilst getting his time off. Bill Wordsworth a taxi owner was being cremated today. In all the years in the industry I only spoke to him once, he was a tireless worker for the industry and always attended meetings to improve the industry. The reason I never spoke to him was I wasn’t part of his group and didn’t stop on the ranks and get out and talk. He was a large obese man had a by pass operation a few years ago and was on a waiting list for another operation but it didn’t come in time. Second day of winter today Took a man who originally came from England with his Thai wife and adopted son around the city so he could get some provisions for their new flat as they were moving to Perth after time in the North West. They owned a house in Thailand which he paid $7500 for which had to be in his wife’s name and if he got divorced he would lose his wife and house. The reason they moved to Perth was that the man worked for many years for a company and the company changed ownership and the new owners insisted everyone do a psychological test to see if they were suitable working in the North West. The man failed the test because he put what he thought they’d like for answers instead of honest answers. He moved furniture throughout Thailand and in regions of Thailand he had to bribe officials and got false documentation for $150 to get the stepson into Australia. He worked on Oil fields and lived in Thailand for a time and was revered by the people in the village as all the families tried to get one of their daughters to marry a “wealthy” outsider. There were about 200 people in the village where young looked after the old and outsiders were always offered food and hospitality. It cost a dollar a day to feed the family and for two dollars the food was 27 considered a luxury Took a flight attendant to the airport this morning who talked about the BAE 146 which lost all engines a few weeks ago. She said the captain called the purser up to the cockpit and told the purser to prepare for a crash landing as they were “going in”. The crew remained calm and handled the situation in a professional manner and the aircraft managed to land safely. The reason for the mishap was icing and to prevent a tragedy the aircraft were instructed to fly at a lower altitude. Another time she was on a fokker F28 which landed in Launceston Tasmania when she asked one of her workmates what part of New South Wales Launceston was?. She said she has never been able to live it down on her first and only trip to Tasmania. A young woman boarded in Claremont with bare feet going to Warwick. She said she had drunk too much red wine last night in fact the wine she had consumed had made her instantly drunk and she left the restaurant in a taxi. When she got home her husband wouldn’t answer so she broke a back window and she then discovered that her husband wasn’t in the house. She went to her friend’s house to stay the night and to contact her husband and explain the broken window. A young manager for Coles was travelling early to his store he only worked forty hours now after working sixty hours for a long time. The union and management had thrashed it out and casuals were now taking some of the pressure of the long hours away. Early this morning in Bayswater a stolen car was involved in an accident with a police car, the stolen car ramming the police car. No one was hurt fortunately. Had an interesting chat to a man involved in the coal mining industry going to the airport. He spoke at length about the long line system where it takes a big capital outlay and a machine with two cutting surfaces travelled along a coal seam taking all coal shoring itself up as it went along and when it finished with the extraction of the coal the area collapsed. This saved the expensive timbers used in the old system and cut the work force from about sixty on a shift to about ten. He said the best coal comes from the Bowen Basin in Queensland but in China there were seams 150 metres thick and when China decided to start mining and exporting coal the Australian coal industry may lose a large chunk of coal exports. A young man was looking forward to go to the North West of the state leaving the wet and windy conditions in Perth today. He worked on a team securing the gas pipeline from the “Rankin A” gas platform off Karratha to the seabed as it travelled to the shoreline and entered the trains that treat the gas on shore. They were putting huge “U” bolts onto the pipeline and securing them with a resin to the seabed. He’d been working there for two months and believed he would be up there for another two months, just in time to leave the north before the hot oppressive weather. Woodside the operators of the largest gas platform in the world spared no expense for safety on the platform. It was interesting following the progress of the platform right from the initial engineers travelling north to check the sight as the pipeline reached the shore and the various construction workers that kept taxis busy for many years during construction talking about the different roles they played. Next was another man working in the gold mining industry travelling to the Telfer gold mine, travelling by jet with Questair. Picked up a man going to Casuarina Prison. The Prison had won a couple of European contracts for work on a tender and about 200 prisoners were gainfully employed whilst about 100 prisoners were studying full time. There was now a third person in charge of the complex and some of the teething problems seem to be in the past with the Prison officers settling down to working the twelve hour shifts. There wasn’t much work around the Kwinana area only cars on the ranks so I travelled along the coastline passing the busy shipbuilding area of Henderson on the way. Picked up a woman going locally in Fremantle who was born in Kojonup in the South West of the state and now lived with her husband a Norwegian in Norway. She loved the white Christmases in Norway had two daughters one in Perth and the other in the heat of Derby in the North West. Both were born in Norway and loved living in Western Australia. Took a Mr Murphy from the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle to the International airport. Mr Murphy was travelling with a friend to catch a plane to the Cocos Islands to set up a water supply plant on the islands for the expanding population. Mr Murphy’s ancestors came to Australia the same year as mine from Ireland in 1854 leaving the potato famine and problems of Ireland behind. 13th August 1992. The Travelodge motel gave taxi drivers a free breakfast this morning. We drove to the rear of the motel and were given juice a roll and a drink and a brochure listing the costs of rooms 28 also a deal where we got commission on the people we entice to stay at the motel. All the family went on a tour of the Fremantle Prison today it was an interesting tour to see for the first time how the prison system operated. We were shown how for over 100 years the prisoners lived in cramped and restricted conditions in a very antiquated set of buildings. When they entered for their term they were taken to an area where they were stripped and searched and showered before being issued with prison greens and desert boots made in the prison. They were then taken to “A” division a four storey section where they were given a tiny cell with knife fork and spoon a bucket for a toilet and a bible. This section was made from convict labour about 1840 and the limestone in the building was quarried from the gaol area itself. Steel railings were taken from ships arriving in nearby Fremantle port and a steel wire was put in place to prevent the prisoners from throwing their excreta at prison officers and to prevent them from suicide. We walked through the “B” “C” and “D” divisions where the morale was low in 1989 and everyone knew something was going to happen. There was a riot and the gaol itself was almost burnt to the ground. We saw the Anglican chapel the Catholic chapel with paintings from inmates the confession boxes and the concert hall where 200 prisoners would squeeze in and see a film or see one of the many concerts performed. Several rows of cells had no electricity and some inmates would spend their meagre wages on batteries for their portable televisions or radios. The exercise area was a small area with steel tables and chairs, a basketball court a community television set where prisoners would get together and bet and spend a lot of time together. The armed Prison Officers were themselves in a steel cage watching the prisoners ordering them to different areas at the appropriate times of the day. There was a toilet near a wall where prisoners were in the process of spooning out and flushing away in preparation for a mass escape. Art work of a forger who covered his work in porridge in the cell and many decorated cells gave an interesting insight into Prison life. Next day in the taxi there was a job going to the airport at 4.45 Am and the man was in the shower when I arrived. I waited outside and when he got in the taxi he told me he was going to Karratha for a speedway meet. The sponsors for speedway used to be Winfield cigarettes but they have turned full circle and the “Quit” campaign became sponsors. He claimed that before the Western Australian football joined the Victorian football on the national level there were more people going to Speedway than to football, now the situation was reversed. He was well known in Speedway owned several racing cars and the drivers paid him $30,000 for the use of his cars for 20 starts. He said if a driver won he got a quarter of the prize money. There were few who made any money out of racing although he got a living out of it. Took a man from Shenton Park to the Domestic airport. He was unsure if he would get away to Kalgoorlie because of a refuellers strike last Friday. The flight was already put back to 7.30 Am, he’d rang the airline yesterday and at that time everything was operating ,weather conditions were bad in Kalgoorlie causing delays, which I found out later was the cause of delays. A waiter working in West Perth was the next fare he’d worked as a waiter for three months on a casual basis and worked whenever they needed him. Last week he worked 42 hours, he had a degree in Environmental Science from Queensland University and couldn’t get a job anywhere in the field. He’d served Prime Minister Bob Hawke soup ( he looked a lot older than he looked on television ) and served the West Coast Eagles football team. Next was a man going from Mosman Park to Dianella. He built rammed earth homes around the Margaret River area. There wasn’t much work around Margaret River the weather had turned bad and he was on his way to Exmouth for a holiday. His father lived in Exmouth, was skipper on a prawn trawler and he was going to stay with him. He’d tried the prawn trawlers but continually got sick and liked his shore bed too much. He’d just been to the snow fields in New South Wales for a snowing holiday there and enjoyed a couple of weeks skiing. He explained that snow making machines were all over the snowfields and all they did was pump water under pressure forming snow. The temperature had to be right and the machines would continually produce the snow. He had spent $40,000 getting a commercial pilots licence and had been unsuccessful getting a job. Took a man from Perth to Willeton. He worked for the State Energy Commission and was on holidays and was called in to do some work on the computers. He was the only person that could solve the problem and this was the fifth time he’d been called in since he went on holidays last week. He had a taxi fare to and from Willeton and accumulated an extra five days on holidays. He was going to the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales next week and 29 if any problems arose they would have to fly him back. Took an Aboriginal man to Longmore remand centre. He worked among juveniles and explained that there was a new centre being built at Murdoch to house the young males and to keep the first offenders away from the hardened criminals. We spoke about a youth who had stabbed a classmate at school. A female Prison Officer had been dismissed as she had been intimate with the boy. Took a woman from Mount Lawley to the airport. She was Private Secretary to Laurie Connell for a time, a well known high flier in the late 1980’s. She was over to give evidence at the Royal Commission into Government dealings being held in Perth. The evidence she gave was in camera and two people came to her house and interviewed her .They stayed at a nearby luxury hotel. She said with her return air fare and their fares and accommodation the one hour in the commission would cost at least $6,000. Took a woman and her two children to the International Airport for their trip to Nairobi Kenya via Harare where they would stay tonight. They lived in Kenya for eleven years and although conditions have deteriorated they are happy there and it was safe. Whilst in Melbourne there were four murders and a motor cyclist killed and they were happy to live in Kenya for another few years. There was corruption in Kenya the police were paid low wages and relied on bribes to survive and tribal problems were there. She commented on the distance between the Domestic and International terminals which I agreed was ridiculous. Took a journalist from Bicton to Police Headquarters in East Perth. He was attending a briefing held every two days. Some of the briefings were worthwhile others a waste of time. He worked for a local radio station and worked in Hong Kong on night shift at a radio station that held him in good stead and gave him a good position in television in Perth. Whilst in Hong Kong he was told not to mention the Triads who ran the economy and everything would be O.K. He spoke of a well known Australian journalist who went to Honk Kong to do a story on the Triads. Two men found out about it and came around to his hotel room and told him not to do the story. The reply from the journalist was” I’m an Australian and I’ll do what I want in a democratic way” Next day the men returned with a photo of his wife and children going to school. They said. “Do a story and they will come to harm.” The journalist promptly left Hong Kong on the next plane. (G.N.) Next was an architect going from South Perth to Nedlands, he said that his work had picked up in the commercial division and was working on plans for the new Morley shopping centre. He previously had a months of very little work. Next morning at 4.45 Am I picked up a young man going with his pushbike from Henley Brook to the Bassendean Railway station. He took his bike on the train into the city and rode from the City station to East Perth. Sometimes he rode his bike from Henley Brook to Bassendean if the weather was fine. He said it took him an hour to pedal there. He had a cleaning job and sometimes he did it in reverse from Bassendean Station back to Henley Brook. He was very industrious and did well to get out of bed so early every morning. the cost to him was $16 by taxi. Next a woman going from Swanview to Midland to catch a train to Shenton Park, the electric trains were running and a great success . Took a man from the airport who had spent two weeks at Falls Creek a ski resort near Albury on the New South Wales, Victoria border. He had a friend who had a Snow Chalet and stayed with his friend at the chalet. He wouldn’t have been able to afford to pay for all the accommodation and said it was surprising how much it was costing some people to stay and hire the equipment whilst skiing. There was a good cover of snow and children as young as four were confidently skiing in the twenty or so different ski runs. Took a woman from the Royal Perth Hospital to Victoria park. She had been at the hospital for three hours and eventually saw a specialist regarding her left eye lid that had shut a few months ago from a slight stroke. On the 1st September 1992 the first day of spring it was wet and windy just like yesterday. Picked up the young man with the pushbike going from Henley Brook to Bassendean railway station .He woke up at 3.30 am. and decided to catch a taxi again Next a woman went from Morley to Belmont working for Coles in the meat section. Picked up an irate young man who said he’d been out with the “Oarsome Foursome “ four rowers who won a gold medal at the recent Barcelona Olympics. He was at the Swan Districts Hospital demanding they take a blood sample as he’d been charged with drink driving was just over the limit had a can of beer and a vodka and orange. He asked the police to take a blood sample and they refused, he went to the hospital they also refused but they said they would give him evidence to say that he had called at the hospital at that 30 particular time. The State Premier Carmen Lawrence brought out the State Budget attempting to give the State employment last night. About 1.30 PM I picked up a women at the Town Hall rank who mumbled that she only had ten dollars and asked if I wanted to go with her. I said I’d take her wherever she wanted me to take her. She said “Do you want to go with me” I said “I’ll take you wherever you want to go, where would you like to go?” “Drummond street “ she replied which was enough for her ten dollars which she seemed to have on her. As we moved through the traffic she said “My names Sonia what’s yours?” “Richard “ I replied. “Can you stop at a bottle shop and get a cask ?” “Not if you’ve only got ten dollars “I replied As we drove through Mount Lawley she said “ I’ve got no bra on” “Haven’t you ” I replied. She then lifted her top exposing her breasts. As we continued on she again asked if we could stop for a cask and again I said “If you’ve only got ten dollars we can’t get it.” We got to Drummond street she gave me the ten dollars and I gave her two dollars twenty change. “Can you give me another two dollars Richard?” she asked I eventually got away after coaxing her out of the car. I drove away with a boosted ego in spite of more lines on my face than a street directory. Took a package from a Building Society to a Bank containing computer tapes. Then took a woman who worked in a brothel who often caught taxis and used to tell us that she was the sitter that took the money and did the bookwork but we all knew different and knew she was one of the workers. She was insistent on a certain route to take to the brothel each morning from Maylands to Bayswater. She said she’d worked in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It was very cold this morning and there was no heating in the brothel. Picked up a young man who just returned from holidaying up north and whilst returning he was doing 160 KPH in the 110 KPH zone on the Brand highway, there was a Police car coming towards him with flashing blue lights, he put his foot on the brakes and expected to be pulled up but the police car sped past him at what he estimated to be 200 KPH and kept going ignoring his speeding. He later discovered there was a quantity of drugs found in the area and he later saw another twenty police cars proceeding northwards. On the 4th September I was up at 4 AM and was on the Morley rank at 4.40 Am. A woman went to Bayswater library where she worked as a cleaner. Her husband usually took her but he had a wisdom tooth out and was having a couple of days off. He drove the local rubbish truck and no one else could do his job which frustrated him. He used to start at midnight but the council stopped him as they said there was too much noise, so he had to start at 5 AM and complaints were from people saying that their rubbish was being emptied too late. She spoke proudly of her husbands job saying that his father and grandfather also drove the rubbish trucks. There was a few break ins at the local library lately as they were putting in toilets and she didn’t know what to expect when she got there. A man went from Bedford to East Perth a cleaner at East Perth Football club and worked in the office. He originated from Bruce Rock was a shearer for many years and came to the “Big Smoke” in 1985. He knew people I had met from the Bruce Rock area and a couple of members of the football club I knew. We were warned about police cars chasing a couple of juveniles who escaped from a remand centre two days ago causing havoc around Balcatta breaking into premises ram raiding in stolen cars. Took an optometrist in Fremantle to Perth. He was an American who lived in Singapore and was selling disposable contact lenses. There were about 400,000 Australians wearing contact lenses, 300,000 permanently and 100,000 came in and out of the market every year. In his youth he had a golfing scholarship in America and played off no handicap for many years. He didn’t play as much as he’d like to concentrating on selling for the multi national company. We discussed the rise and fall of the fast food market in America where the survival of the fittest is determined not by the quality of the food but by the quality of the advertising. He asked why Burger King was not operating in Perth I said I thought a small company had the name and would not agree on a price. A man in the mining industry going from the airport to North Perth was saying that the two bright spots in the mining world were Ghana and Vietnam they both had plenty of minerals and they both had stable governments. They were both getting money from the world bank to develop their economies. President George Bush was desperate to become the next President of the United States in November. He is now promising wheat subsidies to American farmers to the dismay of wheat growers in Australia. He was also selling 150 F16 aircraft to Taiwan destroying a good 31 relationship built up with China on both decisions putting domestic votes in front of foreign policy. Next day the Qantas flight due in this morning with 266 passengers was diverted to Meekatharra because of fog. It was first due at 5.40 AM then they couldn’t give an exact time obviously waiting for the fog to lift. Picked up a midnight to dawn disc jockey from 96FM radio station in East Perth. She’d been in radio for 17 years around Perth and was talking about some of the well known people on radio here. A distraught woman went from Ashfield to Balcatta. She’d been married for six years and six months ago her husband left her and their two children aged five and two years old. He wanted to live with and like his single friends and didn’t want to shoulder the responsibility of rearing children. She loved him still and told him to live that way and to come back to her when he was ready. She got a phone call from her brother in law in the bush as her sister was being flown to Perth by the flying doctor and wanted to be with her sister when she arrived in Perth. The brother in law had to look after the farm. She got the children together and went to her estranged husband’s house who was staying with his mother. The mother told her to leave the children in the bedroom with the husband but when she opened the door he was in bed with a seventeen year old. The mother in law was just as shocked as she but this was the straw so the children were left there and the mother in law said she’d help her sort the situation out. She said she’d never bother with him again and that was the end. A man from a Toyota dealership went to a meeting for all dealers at a city hotel. He said you are never secure with them they are ruthless for sales and want always better sales in spite of the recession. The only person doing well in Western Australia was Stan Perron a well known businessman who was the wholesaler and in other states the factories were the wholesalers. On 25th September 1992 early this morning there were a lot of people going to Melbourne to see the West Coast Eagles play Geelong in the Grand Final on Saturday. First job was a young man who had a night out with his mates going from Morley to Tuart Hill. After parking on the Tuart Hill rank a young man walked up and wanted to go to Osborne Park. He travelled in a car pool to Wagerup. He took a sickie yesterday as he had an infection in his ear and was loosing his balance. Since starting a course of anti biotics he was feeling a lot better. Picked up a man who’d flown to Melbourne with Gary Shannon a local morning announcer to do a radio show. When he got there he had a phone call to say his wife who was expecting a baby was having some trouble. He flew back to Perth to be by his wife’s side. He said that per capita his radio station was the most listened to station in Australia. He got very tense when at 10.00 AM on a certain Fridays the executives were informed of the ratings. His job relied on these ratings but he would stay in Perth and do the programme from Perth whilst Gary was in Melbourne. Everyone was talking about the football match between The Eagles and Geelong and the ramifications and thoughts of the Victorians if the West won. Qantas had two jumbo jets taking people to the Grand Final it was said that they would have more going over if they had more crew. I went to the airport during the day to clean the taxi and to pick up. I clean the taxi every day unless it’s raining I never use detergent just a small bucket of water and regularly polish. A man from the airport said how Woolworths had turned around from a loss making company to a profit making company since Paul Symonds had taken over at the helm. He advertised the Australian ownership and brightened all the stores up. They sold more than any other store. He was saying how the stores stock their merchandise how head office send over a diagram showing them all how to arrange the stock and they demand all stores follow this pattern. The multi national companies pressure the stores to put their products in prominent positions and how they make as many products as possible so as they take up a lot of shelf space forcing out the local brands and smaller manufacturers. I explained to him that I was a member of Ausbuy and when I go to a supermarket I will not buy any product unless it’s an Australian product owned and made by Australians. Picked up a woman going to a city hotel with fish and chips she was having for lunch .She worked for an airline and was going back to New Zealand this afternoon. She didn’t want to pay the high prices in the hotel for their food. As we pulled into the hotel an obese highly decorated doorman approached the taxi to open the door. I suggested to her that he might be hungry and would appreciate some of those fish and chips. She was in fits of laughter 32 when she got out. On 28TH September 1992 The West Coast Eagles won the premiership and there was an open day at Subiaco Oval. Everyone was happy about the win and it was the main topic of conversation. There were many jobs called from a warehouse in Balcatta this morning. A youth said there was a disc jockey and soft drinks in the warehouse and all the night clubs announced the whereabouts of the warehouse as a front for drugs which were freely obtainable from the warehouse. This was the second night and more were planned. Next day a man went to the airport travelling to Cockatoo Island formerly controlled by the Bond company. The R and I bank were managing the island until new owners took control. A Western Australian and a South Australian company were both vying for control of the island on a fifty year lease. BHP formerly had the island as an iron ore mine and Bond had spent a lot of money on it and it held up to 80 guests. Next fare was a man who worked for Telecom and was returning to Melbourne. In his opinion the football teams should be reduced by four teams in Melbourne, there should be a team from Tasmania another team from Western Australia and the team from Sydney should come from Australian Capital Territory or Albury Wodonga. Picked up possibly my oldest passenger a lady who was 103 years old. She was born in York Western Australia and her father was a farmer. She had a total of ten brothers and sisters all now deceased. She went to school in York married twice and had two children. A young man went to the museum in Perth. He liked the people of the North West and would love to live there except he had a good job at the zoo and was drawn between the two. He’d worked there for a few years and looked after the birds. He had a love of reptiles since finding a snake in the bush when he was very young. He said a snake only had to be fed once a fortnight could absorb thirty per cent of their body weight whilst the human being needed regular feeding and watering for survival. The weather was unseasonable and he said that it was upsetting the biological clocks of some animals and would kill the weaker ones. Next a Swedish man was going to the International airport. He was over in Australia to visit his girlfriend who was studying social work in Fremantle. She was studying here rather than Sweden because of the hands on experience here and the ease of getting a job in Sweden because of overseas training. We were talking about the man who was found not guilty of murdering the Swedish Prime Minister. He said he’d done basic training in the Swedish military and was suppose to do three weeks training in November but the Government didn’t have the money so he will not have to do it He said the main threat to Sweden was the former Soviet Union because of the access to Sweden by land. The taxes were high but people seem to accept this as they had a lifelong social security system. He said the right wing government in power were finding it difficult to implement their policies after an established socialist system of government. Many people were prepared to enter the European community because alcohol will be cheaper although looking further into the changes most people didn’t bother to look at the full ramifications. Picked up a bikie from the Perth Railway station who had a Triumph 1967 model and was happy with it but would like a Harley Davidson if he could afford it. He said the Coffin Cheaters owned the Harley Davidson dealership in Perth they were first in Bayswater and now they had a new dealership in Walter Road Bedford. They also own Bindoon where an annual music festival was held about November each year and also they owned hotels. First Tuesday in November and Subzero won the Melbourne cup a fairly sombre day probably because of the economic situation. Everyone seemed to be unhappy about the economic situation and that was a cause in itself of a bad economy when everyone talked it down. Picked up a woman in Morley travelling with two young children to the Princes Margaret Hospital for children. During the trip she told me that she was fostering the two little ones as the mother was 19 years old but mentally 13 years old. She didn’t want them until they were ready for school. The eldest one who was three was the result of a rape by her stepfather. When she started looking after the children they were very sick, had terrible rashes and unloved. She’d been fostering for years and the welfare department would not take a child from its mother unless it was the last resort. They were a bit lax but a difficult line to draw. One child came to her when the mother wanted to get high on drugs and she tried to put a stop to it telling the welfare department what was happening but still they allowed the child to return to a recovering mother. Took a woman back to her car she’d left at a block of flats at Mount Lawley after going to the 33 races. Next day picked up a man who when very young was taken to Austwitz as a cadet in the Czechoslovakian army. He showed his tattoo on his arm done by the Germans and spoke of the years months and days of when he was working around the factories in Germany during the war. He was given two slices of bread and watery soup daily and stole whenever he got an opportunity. He said he could never become conspicuous or he would get a lashing and was in German hands for over four years. He was liquidated and killed several Germans with guns and hand grenades. He hadn’t had a cold for many years as the war period taught him survival. He had tea with the juice of two lemons every day. Four girls got in Midland with an odour that was glue. One girl was so high she thought the car door was opening all the time. I demanded they stop sniffing in the taxi. They just couldn’t stop themselves. I demanded the fare which they handed over and I terminated the fare in Lockridge The smell lingered for the rest of the day. A man went to the airport to collect his wife and three children as he was transferring from Brisbane with BHP mining. He’d worked with them for many years and said even now the wages were done manually at some Queensland sites and engineers on some of the Queensland sights were straight from university giving directions to experienced operators. The operators resented some of the new graduates some of their text book mining techniques were flawed and lead to a loss in production. He wasn’t impressed by Perth drivers saying that when he was trying to change lanes the drivers would move up and try to cut him off. Next an English migrant got in and was going to West Perth to try to sell over the phone. He didn’t like the job at all and was running late this morning. Next was a man going to the East Perth Rail terminal catching the “Prospector” to Coolgardie. His father had a gold mine there and was helping his father who also had a property in Swan Hill Victoria and was leasing the Swan Hill property ( because there was no money in the bush) This year was the centenary of Gold mining in Coolgardie and next year Kalgoorlie’s centenary of gold mining. He said many of the old Coolgardie’s stone buildings built during the heydays were suffering from the results of explosions during blasting. It’s 4.20 AM on 10th March 1993 when I take up the diary again. The summer seemed to have finished, there was a feeling of coolness in the air. I drove to the Morley rank and there was already one taxi that was waiting for the one job that was coming off the rank between four and five o’ clock. We were given orally the number of bookings between these times only if we were up listening before 4.0 Am. Don Barnes was the night operator as usual calling the jobs in a professional manner. The police were escorting a taxi back to the Bayswater rank and Don Barnes wanted to talk to the police over the two way. We could only hear the conversation coming from the base to the taxi we couldn’t hear what was being said to the base. A taxi on the Whitfords rank couldn’t contact base so a taxi behind the car was relaying the message via his two way radio. The 5 AM airport bookings were called from about twenty minutes before they were due in the outer suburbs and it was almost non stop calling until the city bookings that were called about five minutes before they were due. If one taxi couldn’t find a passenger at the address then everything stopped whilst Don has to go back and check the docket and if it was a booking to the airport then a telephonist had to phone the passenger and find out if the address is correct or if there is any other wrong information on the docket. The taxi on the Morley got his job and not long after I got a job from Dianella to Osborne Park. A young man worked for a carpet company was very tired and yawning all the way. He wasn’t used to getting up so early and one of the four people that worked for the company was off and he had to go in to work. He was scratching his head all the time and told me he would have a shower when he got to work. Drove past a couple of ranks and found the North Perth rank vacant and parked there. The day shift operator came on and took all the north of the river, Steve was the operator he a bit of a moody person. We were warned of a radar check on Beaufort Street on the corner of Third Avenue. The airport bookings and longer distance jobs were always sent first then local jobs. Got a job from Mount Lawley to the airport. The man a financial adviser was travelling to Karratha for the day to talk to two people retiring after many years with Woodside Petroleum. Woodside were paying for his trip so as he could advise what best to do with their lump sum. 34 Compass Airlines were in receivership, a few reasons were given why they failed some blaming the other airlines. A man went from Mount Lawley to the casino. He was not ready for me. His company was getting a room at the casino and buying the breakfast and giving the employees a talk on insurance and how to sell. Checking ranks I settled for third off the East Victoria Park rank, next to Kim Beazley’s office the Minister in the Government. They will struggle to retain Government next Saturday but the goods and services tax will be what gets them in for another term. Kim seemed to be a hard working popular Minister in politics a likely leader, all who come in contact with him speak highly of him even Bob Hawke the previous Prime Minister came across and campaigned for him. The local radio station was asking Swan Taxis for a traffic report they give us a mention as a pay back. There was a lane closed going into the city on the causeway which was causing a long bank up and it was counter productive driving towards the city. At 8.15 AM the traffic was banked up on all roads. A man and his teenage son went from Bentley to Cannington High school. We spoke of the wild rivers of the north of Western Australia where there was so much water in the wet season that poured back into the ocean. Kununurra was moved to prevent flooding when the Ord River dam was built and the Ord river dam did not attract the masses as envisaged. He claimed the irrigated water irrigating the farms was not flowing into the Bonaparte Gulf like before the dam was built and he claimed in the not too distant future the irrigated area would fill and it would be a body of water. He talked about a company from America that spent millions on Kamballan island inland from Broome to build an irrigation area for cotton but was a failure. He suggested that Fitzroy crossing should also be relocated because of flooding. Next a woman from a nursing home in Carlisle going to the doctors in East Victoria Park There was an accident on the causeway from the lane closure causing long delays going into the city. Went to the Applecross rank and picked up a girl with a stereo under her arm. She asked where the nearest hock shop was located I said “Myaree would probably be the closest”. She only had three dollars ten cents and wanted to see her girlfriend. I told her not to worry I will be happy with the three dollars ten cents which was close to the fare. I went back to the Applecross rank and was second off the rank. Got a job at Heathcote Psychiatric hospital. Went to the main entrance and checked the administration office. There was no one to be found. There was woman at the front staring straight ahead and didn’t recognise me. I told George the Fremantle operator I’d checked and he told me to go back to the rank. Ten minutes later they rang again and I went back and picked up the same woman that was staring. She had another woman with her and they were under some type of medication, they wanted to go to the local bank. The woman in front was very talkative, asked my name, birth date told me about Virgo’s and said my lucky number was eight. Waited at the bank and then took them to the shopping centre. George called me and asked where I took the girl with the stereo in her arm. I told him. He said that she had stolen the stereo from a house and the police were on the phone and after her. The woman in the front got out at the shopping centre and asked me to wait. Whilst she was in the shops the woman in the back said she was at the hospital two days like the woman at the shops and the woman in the shops had two affairs with patients in the two nights she had been at the hospital. Next day I’d slept in to 5.10 AM which was unusual and the first job was to pick up from a chicken factory in North Perth. The fare wasn’t there apparently the car had broken down and he’d managed to start it. Next job was in Mount Hawthorne, there were no lights on so I missed out again. I drove to the East Perth Rail terminal as the Indian Pacific from the eastern states was due at 7.0 Am. Got a job about 6.30 AM from the Aboriginal hostel in Palmerston street. A man going to South Perth transferred from Kalgoorlie with Australia Post. There were cars on most ranks and I ended up finding a vacant rank in Hilton Park. The night operator was relieved by George the day operator. Took a man from a lodging house in South Fremantle to O’Conner. He’d obviously had a heavy night. Next a woman going to a travel agent in Fremantle it was pleasant driving around Fremantle in peak hour it just didn’t exist. Waited an hour on the Fremantle rank and then drove off to 35 Mosman Park where I was first car on the rank. The Federal Election was two days away and most people were unhappy with both sides The goods and services taxes that Dr Hewson from the Liberals espouses seemed to be the nail in the coffin for the Liberals. He was honest enough to say what he would do whereas in politics it’s best to say one thing and do the opposite when in office. Keith was the operator in Perth beaming down to Mosman Park his sister taught our eldest boy English at school. Pension day today. Next day picked up a Maori who had been in Australia three years and worked at a chicken factory for that time. Next fare was a woman who worked at the same factory. Arthur was the operator this morning always a pleasant man to work with. Never got flustered had a chequered life, studied dentistry for three years at University lost his father premature at 54 years and gave study away and looked after the family farm and never returned to dentistry. He now lived in Nedlands where his grandfather had a dairy farm many years ago and was a pioneers in the area only a stones throw from the University. Picked up a couple going to the International airport from Victoria Park. They were going to Bali for a fortnight had to shorten the holiday as they wanted to watch the West Coast Eagles play. They were both semi retired the man being on an invalid pension and both helped their daughter clean display homes twice a week. On the way back from the airport I picked up a man from Sherwood street Maylands going to the local railway station, he told me he was in the bar of the Maylands hotel yesterday when a cleaning lady stormed into the bar and told the manager that a man staying in the motel section had hung himself in his room. Took some Aborigines from the Lockridge campsite to a funeral in South Guildford. They always attend funerals in big numbers the Aborigines, relations and friends attend for anyone they even remotely know, they are always a big gathering. They were saying that their campsite in Lockridge will be upgraded and a group of houses will be built on the site. Picked up an Englishman a little under the weather, he’d been scrutinised by the police in the city because he went to a chemist in Perth pulled up his shorts and exposed his stomach. Whilst tucking in his shirt the shop assistant had ran to the police post a couple of doors away and he went through a lengthy interview, they checked his record and held him for almost two hours and then decided to let him go. I talked him out of going to Hobart to pick up a rifle and do the shop assistant in saying just be careful when tucking in the shirts and suggested that maybe the stomach wasn’t all the shop assistant had seen. He had cooled down by the time he got out. Took a woman from Australian airlines, shortly all the reservations will be handled from over the east as they were combined with Qantas and up to 180 jobs were likely to be lost ,she was in the pay section. Got a job from Telecom in Northbridge a man going to the airport. He lived in Adelaide and was saying that the opinion of most Telecom employees was that they were fearful of the Liberal National party coalition winning tomorrow as they would no doubt sell the company to private enterprise. The polls showed the election neck and neck the small amount of print media favoured the coalition in the election the ABC were accused of pushing the Labor party although they replied with statistics showing otherwise. Took a man from Maylands to the East Perth Rail terminal he couldn’t fit all the luggage into the boot of his car so he ordered the station wagon and we got it all in easily. A woman got in and apologised for only going a short distance to the law courts in Perth. “Don’t you apologise we’re pleased to take you.“ I told her emphatically. I was given a job at the WACA cricket ground the English were playing and a young woman from England accompanying one of the cricketers was going to the tourist bureau to arrange a day for the teams final day in Australia on Rottnest Island. Monday 15th March 1993. The seasons had suddenly changed the continual heat ceased, a cooler morning this morning, The Labor Government under Paul Keating was returned to power, the party seemed surprised at his return. First job this morning was a butcher who worked in a city store a pleasant man always to talk to we discussed the election results. Took a couple from the Wentworth hotel to the airport. They were from Esperance and were pleased to find a place so reasonable so close to the city it cost 50 dollars for the night. The history of the hotel was very interesting also which we touched on, the university were the owners and Mrs Raine the owner was a colourful lady when she had the hotel leaving it to the University. They didn’t mind the walk to the toilet and shower at the end of the hall and 36 were looking forward to a holiday in Tasmania. Next was a woman going to the East Perth Rail terminal, catching the Indian Pacific and eventually going to Cairns. She said to a friend “Why don’t we catch the train across the Nullarbor” her friend said “Why don’t we go all the way to Cairns on the train” which they agreed to do and both looked forward to it. A man went to Midland to conduct a week long course for Telecom. He lived in Nambour Queensland and travelled all over Australia giving courses. He was happy Labor were elected to government saying Telecom would become American if the coalition were elected and “Why should telecom be built up for years losing money in some areas and the government of the day decides to sell for a short term gain, talk to the British and see what happened when they privatised”. Picked up a man who worked for a pawn brokers in Perth who took a car home last night the car was pawned by a person and on the way back to work this morning the car had broken down and he had left it at the garage. “Who will pay for the repairs “ I asked “The bloke that pawned it wont get it back until everything is paid” He said. The pawn brokers have had massive expansion since the casino was built. Next morning was on the road a bit later as I’d seen a performance of Macbeth at Guildford Grammar School last night. Took some people from their homes to a convalescent hospital for their daily therapy. They were play bingo and doing handicraft. Got a woman from Mount Hawthorne to the city. She was very unhappy with the state of the world.” What will happen to the world it’s such a bad place the weather has changed it used to be reliable when I was a kid”. Got a job in West Perth and as I got the job a car raced past me and was arguing with Steve the operator as to who was closest car. Steve asked who was closest when the job was called I said it was me and I got the job. Took a man who worked for an Australian shoe manufacturer from Adelaide. He said that the 200 manufacturers will reduce to 20 since the reduced tariffs. He was pleased to hear me tell him that I will not wear foreign made shoes. Got three Japanese men going to Hamersley golf club to play golf, they couldn’t speak English too well so I showed them the map and pointed to the golf club which they were happy with. “Ya Ya Ya .‘“ They said. A woman went home to Moline house an elderly persons village from Karrinyup shops. She’d had a Morris for 21 years and decided that the little use it got was costing her too much money so she decided to sell it and catch taxis. Took two women to Perth to pick up their birth certificates as they were going in three weeks to a conference in America for indigenous people. A Malaysian man went to the casino. I drifted to the Morley rank where I cleaned the taxi and caught the gossip. Three people went to the Red Cross Blood bank in Perth. The Blood bank paid for the taxi as they must have been short of a certain blood group. Next morning I got to the Morley rank and there was no car on the rank until Joe came up and parked behind me. Joe was a nice man an Italian who owned a taxi and sold out and now drove for an owner in Midland. Joe was dishonest about his position often giving nearer positions so as he got a job in front of someone else but Joe was honest to us all about his dishonesty. He had a son killed in a car accident in the South West of the state and the son drove taxis for a short time. We all picked the boy and his sister up over the years taking them to school watching them grow. We were saddened to hear of his passing and Joe’s hair turned grey overnight. Got a job from Drake Street Morley to the airport. A women with a sixteen month old baby was down in Perth for her brother’s wedding .Her husband a public servant had to fly back to Broome on Monday. It was hot in Broome this summer she was looking forward to the winter. Took her luggage to the check in counter and wished her a pleasant trip. She had three other children aged 5,7 and 9 and this was her first time away from them. The airport rank was generally a one way trip. Some drivers worked the airport daily and there was a bit of a clique there. I liked to get out and get work as much as possible in the suburbs never frequenting the one area as it was very unproductive. Drove to the Maylands rank John drove past an ex Sydney taxi driver who had been in Perth a number of years. He moved over with his wife a Western Australian from a farming property in the wheat belt. It was pitch black on the Maylands rank at 5.30 AM and there was something about early 37 mornings that made it enjoyable. Got a job from Mount Hawthorne to airport. Was fine and 23 degrees Celsius in Launceston today. The man from Mount Hawthorne had an account with us and his wife worked for Ansett airlines and demanded he travel with them. We spoke of the demise of Compass airlines and the history of regulation of airlines in Australia the idea that regulation was good in some things otherwise it’s the law of the jungle. He was staying in the Rocks area of Sydney. There has been a lot of talk in the papers for the opposition leader John Hewson to step down. Liberals have thrown their name in for leadership of the party and some for the deputy leadership. St Patrick’s day today forty two years age today grandfather didn’t come to Sunday lunch, he had died during the night. Picked up a Professor of Mathematics going from Morley to the University of Western Australia. Was always an interesting person to talk to on any subject and an unlikely person to be elected on the Senate of the university because of his non conformance. We spoke about economic rationalism and how the Labor party were more right than the Liberals and why this happened and why there is no socialist policy now because of the power and persuasion of the few. One car was asking if the Irish club was open today of course it was and it was well patronised. Picked up a young man going to Edith Cowan University from Kalgoorlie and asking about different campuses and the best place for accommodation and transport. He was in Perth to do a course on Phycology and was travelling to the different campuses for different subjects. Went to South Perth and returning to the city ended up going to the Perth station There was a bad accident on the corner of Hill and Wellington streets in Perth. On 18th March 1993 I was on the road at 4.20 AM. In Crimea street Morley the automatic sprinklers were putting more water on to the road than on to the grass verge where it was needed. First job was a girl from Bayswater to Scarborough. She had no shoes and had been diving with her boyfriend at midnight at Seal island near Rockingham. She described how the sea came alive during the night and how beautiful it was to observe in torch light. Took an elderly couple to the airport from Mount Hawthorne the man was against all politicians especially Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke. He said all Australians were becoming lazy relying on the handouts he said all budgets should be balanced and there should be no current account deficit even if it changed our way of living. He gave me two very tasty figs to eat when he left the taxi at the airport. There were no cars in Midland. Did a local job tried for a two jobs in Guildford but there were always closer cars. One car was given six hours off the air by Steve because he refused to do an airport job. Midland was very good pension day and generally quiet other times, the railway workshops used to employ many people A smoking taxi was wanted in Midland the car behind me got the job. Took a woman from the rank going to Lockridge. Her 19 year old son was not answering the phone so she was using me to go and wake him up for work. What would the world do without mothers? Drove to the Rail terminal and took an American couple who travelled across Australia They enjoyed the trip saying everything was tops and I told them of what to do and where to go on their stay in Perth. As they got out a German couple got in and went to the airport. Drove to Bayswater and was hailed by a couple going to Morley. Started to rain in Perth always a dangerous time on the roads. Took a fare from Morley to Perth in the rain. Took a man who worked for the Sunday Times newspaper on the computer. The classified section was losing ground and the opposition was taking a lot of business away. The Sunday Times used to be a very profitable newspaper, less so today. A couple on Maylands rank wanted to travel to the city on a government subsidy voucher. Asked for identification and the complete book which they couldn’t produce, I declined their subsidy saying they would have to pay for the full fare. They accepted. Picked up two teenagers glue sniffers, a too common occurrence. They wanted an address in Maylands no one was there so they returned to the city. There were about twenty pigeons hanging around the Morley rank, two of the drivers daily fed the pigeons and waited for their feed. Drove to Midland and picked up a woman going to a specialist in Bassendean. As we passed the Guildford hotel we commented about how it has been upgraded and how the miners used to travel by train from the goldfields and stay in the small rooms that were near 38 the railway station. She said at one time people would return to the hotel to attend the wake from the funeral held at the nearby Guildford cemetery. We agreed to talk about something more pleasant next time we met. Took a man from Dianella to the airport. He was going to Paraburdoo and was wearing a suit. He would probably be the only person dressed like that, he said he was aware of that potential problem, he was going there to look at physiological problems employees face. Next was a man from Bayswater to a private hospital in Mount Lawley. He’d worked at the railway workshops for many years, was born in the Belgian Congo and moved throughout Africa for many years. He had a brother in South Africa and has been in Australia for about sixteen years. He enjoyed growing up in Africa. Took a man from Guildford station to South Guildford. He had lived in Katherine and Darwin for a number of years and was returning to Perth. He wanted to walk to his job in the future, I showed him the best way path to take. This was his first day at the job and was grateful to get a job. Next was a man who worked in a factory making shelves for domestic and factory use. He’d worked at the factory for four years and said that this was the busiest time since working there. The economy grew point seven of a percentage point in the last quarter to absorb the unemployment they need a growth of at least one per cent growth. Picked up a man in Morley going to a branch of the State bank. He worked in human resources and spent as much time as possible with either a group of people from the bank or on a one to one basis. He spoke about the different banks and their different training and how training changes peoples perceptions of companies. Drove towards Fremantle and got a job from Melville to the North Port ferry terminal. Two people with bikes were going to Rottnest island. They weren’t too pleased with the rain although it looked like it could clear. The station wagon was handy for these types of jobs in fact most jobs to the airport the wagon was a help. Taxis had LPG gas tanks and the tanks took a lot of room in the boot of a sedan. Took three young people to a pawn brokers in Maylands with their television. When they got there the pawnbroker said that he couldn’t lend as his partner had pulled out of the business. We went to the pawnbroker in Inglewood who gave them a loan. Picked up the prostitute going from Maylands to Bayswater. Her man was having trouble getting work and was possibly going to the bush to work. He mainly worked at mining construction sites and was a good worker. Next Monday 22nd March 1993 was at the Morley rank at 4.30 AM. Got a job from Bedford to the airport. A man from the Education department going to Karratha and Port Hedland for a few days. Next was a regular customer who worked for Melville council. He lost his drivers licence for two years and put in a transfer to the local Bayswater council and was unsuccessful. He was fined $2000 and tried to get an extraordinary license without success. He applied a second time for the extraordinary license and was waiting. Picked up the prostitute from Maylands to Bayswater. Her man had got a job in the south west of the state. President Yeltsin of Russia seemed to be fighting a losing battle against his own Parliament. The Americans were pouring a lot of money into the country. Took women bowlers to a bowling green in Innaloo. They lived near Sydney airport and were playing in a national competition now taking place in Perth. There was demand on the taxis for a short time this morning a couple of thousand players in the competition put strain on the taxis. Took a man from Innaloo to Perth. He had to leave his car on Sunday morning at a restaurant as he had too much to drink so he was picking it up. Picked up a woman and young sobbing girl to the sexual assault referral centre in Subiaco. Next a woman from the Salvation army going home after doing the early morning soup kitchen in East Perth. They do about seventy meals of a morning and have other morning kitchens for the homeless. She was two years in London with the army on sustenance wages doing the officers course and now retired in Australia helping out. There was a mining safety conference in Perth at the Burswood centre. The man I picked up from the casino was from the Hunter valley in N.S.W attending a conference and spoke about the coal mines in Western Australia around Collie and the way the mines were run in comparison to the N.S.W. mines. Next morning there was a taxi on the Morley rank so I drove to the city and sat on the Parmelia hotel rank. After a short time the porter called me down and I took a woman who 39 worked for BHP to the airport. She went to Karratha to look at an exploration well in the sea off shore. A woman went to the mining conference at Burswood Convention Centre and worked the switchboard. We were sent a message to prepare for work between 8 AM and 9 AM as there were 3500 women bowlers in the competition mostly at hotels in the city. We were asked to comment on traffic flow and give the information to a local radio station. Took a Chinese Malay family going horse riding for the day. The man was saying there was a lot of action from the Malaysian Government against the power of the nine Sultans in Malaysia. Everyone was now equal and the Sultans had enjoyed privilege for too long. He talked of politicians diverting attention from important issues concentrating on less important issues. The Police sent a message to us saying that a person was discharging a gun near Wright and Nicholson streets in Forrestdale . Took a woman with a cat in a basket to a veterinary clinic in Cloverdale. The woman was having a good conversation to the cat was waiting for a reply from the cat. Next an elderly regular woman went locally in Lockridge to get a packet of cigarettes. She always talked to us never stopping, her strong accent was very difficult to understand. A woman went to West Perth in preparation of a hip replacement. She was a bit frustrated, normally an active person but the hip had slowed her down. I wished her luck and told her I’d race her around the block next time we met. Next morning there were three taxis on the Morley rank Joe was one of them. Drove to the Inglewood rank and got a job in Riverbank juvenile detention centre in Caversham to the airport. An aboriginal youth and escort going to Kununurra. They were booked on the “milk run” and were going out early in the hope that they get a seat on the earlier direct flight. They had paintings the youth had done whilst at the detention centre. Took a youth going to Cannington to do a government work programme with the local council. Picked up a young counsellor with the Perth city mission. He’d been trying to sort out a financial dispute a couple were in. The man wanted to pay all the bills and the girl wanted to spend all the money. He was locked in talks with them for many hours and a compromise had been reached where some bills would be paid and they’d have a less lavish night out together. He didn’t get much pay for his job but he enjoyed helping people. He had been on drugs and unhappy but was much happier and healthier now. Picked up a man from a soft drink company travelling to the North West of the State. He’d been to Hungary and Czechoslovakia where the economies were forging ahead. He was travelling to the North West to check on the distribution methods. Went to the East Perth Rail terminal the Indian Pacific was due in at 7 AM. Two people went to the city and one person was going to Melville. They were attending a conference in Perth. There was a man on a hunger strike in Kings Square, Fremantle a dispute he had with the local council. He was next to Saint John’s Church, near a memorial to a wharf labourer when Fremantle was reliant on the ships that called in daily and the wharf labourers were the backbone of the local economy. The memorial read. THIS MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN WAS ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF TOM EDWARDS WORKING CLASS MARTYR WHO SACRIFICED HIS LIFE ON FREMANTLE WHARF ON SUNDAY MAY 4TH 1919 GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN An Englishman went to visit his mum in a nursing home in East Fremantle. She was 91 years old. We spoke about the world situation how the former Soviet union was breaking up and there was fighting in the republics, how the eastern block was going through change and there was intense fighting in the former Yugoslavia, how South Africa disclosed what everyone knew about her nuclear capability. We agreed that the world is overpopulated that disease or war are likely to arrest the fast population growth whilst the nuclear threat has kept the third world war at a distance------so far. Next morning at 4.40 AM I picked up a young man petrified about travelling by plane. He couldn’t hide his fear and told me so. I handed his change to a shaking hand told him the most dangerous part of the trip was now over. Next a man with a flat tyre going to the University of Western Australia to cook for students who stay and live on campus. Breakfast was the normal breakfast but because of the 40 number of Asian students there was a Chinese cook of an evening. A woman went to Secretaries’ day for breakfast at a city hotel. She was Secretary of the year last year and was handing over the crown. A man was staggering along the road hailing obviously drunk so I ignored him. Took a couple to the International airport. A Psychiatric nurse went to Heathcote hospital. We spoke of the patients that were in the taxi a few weeks ago. He knew them both were regular visitors to the hospital. He spoke of the electric treatment that inmates receive and the mystery of why the treatment affects people. There were more drugs today given to people but the human brain was so complex it was sometimes difficult to administer the correct type of treatment. Next was a woman returning to work after an absence of twelve years bringing up the children. She was tentative but had a work ethic and was pleased to be working with the modern typewriters and computer systems. I got a job from a Russian ship berthed at North Quay in Fremantle at berth number 8. I went to the gateman and told him there were crew members with luggage to pick up and asked if I could drive alongside. He said I was to stay out on the road way and walk the seamen to the taxi. I parked where he said and ran to the ship climbed the gangway and found a female crew member who knew about the crew leaving the ship. I followed her into the crew quarters where she took me to the purser who then asked me to bring the taxi alongside because of the amount of luggage. I walked off the ship and saw a Stevedore driving a big container lifter and told him of my dilemma. He stopped the machine got down and said “Stuff the gatekeeper I’ll stop working until you get your crewman aboard mate and take your time”. I went back to the taxi and hurriedly drove alongside the ship and helped them on with the luggage and drove passed the gatekeeper confident with union support. Got a 5 AM Monday morning booking to the domestic airport a man who was up in years who had retired and doing consultancy work. He was going to the Marrandoo iron ore mine in the North West. Unlike a mining downturn this was going ahead. A lot of effort was put into it to satisfy the Aboriginal people and the environmentalists. Next was a man going to Leederville to meet a car that was taking him down to Rockingham for the day working on the new Council Chambers . Next a woman who worked for Woodside Petroleum. She talked of a problem with the legs on the second gas platform being installed off Karratha not securing to the sea bed They were grateful the problem was detected at this stage as it could have been fatal if not detected. Woodside were extremely safety conscious. Next was a job from Dalkeith to the airport. A 6.15 AM booking. The man came out in a towel at 6.10 Am and said he’d be out as soon as he could. Don Barnes was chastising a driver who was arguing with Don’s measuring for a job. Don measured again and stood by his decision to give another driver a job he felt was closer. Don threatened to put the car off the air if he persisted. Next a man going to the airport who was asleep when I arrived for the time booking, he was grateful I got him out of bed. Next a teacher who was taking all his class except two down to the South West for a weeks camp. It cost $150 all inclusive and he’d been to five camps before. He said it gives a better understanding between himself and the class. The two not going were from different ethnic backgrounds. Picked up two boys from Shropshire in England in Australia on exchange and rowing for Hale school whilst two Hale boys were in Shropshire rowing for their school. They were spending a year in Australia. A man got in with no shoes and socks a bit suspicious going to the Gairdner hospital. “ Your not going to give me a big note are you ?“ I asked to see if he had money. He reached inside his top pocket and grabbed a wad of notes and said “Fifty not a problem is it?” Next morning I took John a fellow taxi driver from Bedford to Mount Lawley to pick up his taxi. John usually rode his bike but the rain put him off. A woman went to the airport going to a BHP site to do some research. Next was a man from the Ascot inn to the airport, he worked for a company in Burnie Tasmania that manufactured underground mining equipment. They get local companies to build the bodies and the engine is Caterpillar. They were a successful manufacturer exporting their equipment. Next was a block of flats in Dianella there was no one outside and there was no flat number .I told the operator and he told me to leave the job because of no flat number .I drove away looking in the mirror to see a young man waving frantically. I took him to Mount Lawley. 41 Next was a job to the airport from Mount Lawley the woman wasn’t ready and I waited, she was going to Leonora with her company. Next a man from the Premiers Department saying that since Richard Court became Premier he had concentrated on mining and development whereas the previous Government concentrated more on Education and social issues under Carmen Lawrence. Got a distressed woman going from Morley to Bassendean, she changed her destination to Bayswater. She was going with people to visit someone at Casuarina prison and wanted to smoke in the taxi asking me continually. I told her I would get her a smoking taxi but she wasn’t happy with that. I breathed a sigh of relief when she got out. A couple were going to the airport heading to Broome to do a circuit with the Supreme Court the man said it saved money doing it that way. Next was a man in the building trade going to Ballajura. We both agreed there was a pick up in the economy. Next a young man with liquor on his breath going to do a days work. He was quite good to talk to and the liquor didn’t seem to affect his talking. He got out in North Fremantle. Next job was to pick up locks from a hardware store taking to a block of flats in Belmont. There was a man waiting for me when I arrived. Next was a petrol tanker driver who worked for AMPOL going from Redcliffe to Fremantle, getting the tanker serviced for the day. AMPOL now had over 20 per cent of Western Australia’s fuel market and were aggressive in the market place. There was only one refinery in Western Australia and the fuel was done on a swap basis with BP oil company. He drove all over the state and he suggested that AMPOL will possibly build big storage facilities in the industrial area around Coogee to get continuity of supply that can be shipped from their refinery in Lytton near Brisbane. He had been all over Australia doing courses on how to drive the petrol tankers. There were some people in Attadale requiring a station wagon going to North Mole to catch a ferry to Rottnest island. It was surprising how much fitted into the wagon. On arrival at North Mole the ferry terminal there were some people coming off the ferry requiring a taxi to East Fremantle. They said they wanted a taxi to the airport at 10.30 AM so I waited and took them to the airport. They were a family from Nairobi in Kenya, the man in tourism and going to Sydney to organise a tour. He said that about 10 per cent of Kenya’s population had the AIDS virus but the mortality rate was very low and blood was checked for the virus before a transfusion and all blood donations were checked. He seemed to think that the people were working up a resistance to the virus in Kenya. Took an elderly woman from Perth to Scarborough who came to Perth once a year. (Scarborough was probably half an hours drive from Perth a beach suburb). Once she didn’t get to Perth for four years She had a husband 85 years old tomorrow very sick and she had to be by his side. Next was a woman and a gent in a wheelchair going to Belmont. They had a subsidy voucher from the government that they said was a godsend. A couple who were from Victoria were going to the airport, they had been on a holiday around the world and were on the last leg of their journey. They were retired dairy farmers and were going to the airport to wait seven hours for the flight back. They were proud of the fact that in there suitcase was a cutlery set made to commemorate the crowning of the King of England in the 1930’s. I waited at the airport and picked up a woman from the Blue Mountains who was going to a conference in Fremantle on “Getting aged people to talk and air their views”. She said she was the only non nurse to present a paper at the conference. She and her husband do research and make that research available. April fools’ day 1993 On the Morley rank at 4.30 AM. First job was a man from Bassendean to the airport. A man going camping near the Myall lakes near Newcastle NSW. Next a man from Woodside petroleum going to the “Rankin A” gas platform for the day. He said the company were doing a lot of calculations on why the new Goodwyn platform would not sit on the seabed and why part of the legs securing the platform were bent in spite of tests in South Australia on soil similar to the bed the platform was sitting on showed the platform would sit O.K. and computer calculations showing a successful situation in that particular area. “Rankin A” was secured with a special epoxy after completion as there were a problems with the foundation when it was secured to the sea bed. There were hundreds of people in specialist fields who were put off until the situation was resolved. Next were a couple going from South Guildford to the International airport from a quaint little 42 cottage right under the flight path of the aircraft. They were going to Hong Kong with almost empty suitcases that they intended filling whilst over there. A man went to Midland from South Guildford, he had a son going to private school and hoped it was worth sending him to the school as he virtually worked to send his son to the school. Pulled on to the Midland rank behind two taxis a job was called with a code indicating the people were unreliable payers so non of us went to pick them up. Prime Minister Keating got support from the Liberal Party for his push to make Australia a republic by the turn of the century 100 years after self government Next a man from Herne Hill to Midland a man who was 87 years old who’d worked in the agricultural areas of Western Australia. He had to leave school at 11 years as his dad had Bubonic plague that took his life in his forties. He got a job for “Ten bob” a week plus milk and vegetables, kept his mum and brothers and sister alive in the Watsonia area. He eventually got a virgin block of land that he cleared himself and farmed for many years. A woman went to the bank in Midland from Midvale. I waited for her whilst she withdrew the money for the fare, she then decided to go to the shops. Next a job from a medical centre in Midland. They said another taxi had picked up the fare. Went to another doctors in Midland taking a lady locally an elderly woman who had an operation by a plastic surgeon that cost thirty dollars. At first she was booked into a private hospital and it would have cost her three hundred dollars. I waited behind three cars on the Midland rank. Three men got in, the man in the front seat had so many tattoos on his arm there were no bare patches to be seen. He dropped the two men about 200 metres from a house and told them to wait for him .He said they were not to be seen with him, so he went into a house and returned to the taxi picked up his friends and returned to Midland. Took an Irishman who had been in Australia four years who wasn’t allowed into the Irish club on Saint Patrick’s day because of sheer numbers so he had an early night. Next was a Semi driver who lived in Esperance who carried between 600-800 sheep at a time. He left the truck at the mechanics as he lost the turbo. He took sheep to a feed lot near Midland and had done three trips to Midland this week. He had a sister living in Kewdale and was staying with her whilst the truck was being fixed. Bernie Fraser the Governor of the Reserve bank gave the government a veiled warning that measures they were taking to kick start the economy was likely to start a wages break out and add to inflation. The economy was flat and there were many people out of work. There were many young people at traffic lights cleaning windscreens and police warned them not to do it. The police were moving them on. Next morning a woman went to Sydney from the airport for training, employers have to spend a percentage of funds in training or pay extra tax. Wally Blatchley was operating this morning. Wally was about sixty years old and had been in the taxi industry since a teenager. He had a sense of humour and was good at his job. Got a job at 20 Stanley Street Mount Lawley, no such number. Went to the Rail Terminal and got a job from flats in Maylands. The woman had rang before and not given a flat number. Next a man from Morley who took a long time to let me know where he wanted to go. The lights were on but no one was home. Next job was a lawyer a regular customer who worked in a practise with the Deputy Premier’s son. A dozer driver travelling locally in Morley had been working for Robe river mining in the North West on an extension to the mine .They were adding a railway running to an ore body there. He hoped for a few weeks off but was called into a new job 400 kilometres north of Meekatharra, a new gold mine. An elderly couple travelling locally in Morley picked up their car that had a reconditioned radiator fitted. They were both keen golfers and played as often as possible together in their retirement. Next morning the first fare was a woman with a pushbike from Redcliffe to Welshpool. She carried a bike with her which she only rode in daylight hours. Her husband had a lawn mowing round which he intended selling as he was in the building trade and it was picking up. A jockey was next who was off to do his morning training work at Ascot, he rode a winner on Saturday and was fairly happy with himself. Don Barnes was not operating this morning he has an ulcer that gave him trouble. Perry was 43 the operator this morning. A woman that worked in a Hospice was the next fare. Most people had Alzeimer’s disease. and she got a lot of enjoyment from her job getting three months annual leave, one month for trauma, one month for public holidays and a month for ordinary holidays. She was having holidays in a few weeks. The early shift was the most difficult showering the patients and lifting them. Took Mr Massey who worked for a Stock Broking company to the city. He originally came from Launceston Tasmania and his parents still lived there. Always an interesting man. A young man a welder by trade pleased with the cooler weather went to Bayswater to start work. The police had six radar traps in Great Eastern highway, there was a pre Easter blitz. Got a job in Morley where there was a big boat in the driveway. I was daydreaming looking at the cobwebs and the woman walking to the taxi said “He is a bit sick now and doesn’t get a chance to go out in it.” A car was pulled over by the police in Bassendean. Pulled up on the Midland rank and a car missed out on a job so I had to wait until he got another job. A woman and her parents took her child to a day care centre in West Midland whilst they spent a day together. The parents had seen bungy jumping in Darwin harbour and were certain they wouldn’t do it themselves because of crocodiles. The British Royal family were having problems with a difficult marriage between Prince Charles and Princess Dianne. Picked up a man going from Morley to Fremantle. He worked for the Defence Department and wasn’t pleased travelling from Morley to Fremantle every day. He was getting his car serviced and catching the taxi to work. We were talking about the unemployment problem and he said the best way to stop unemployment was to stop all women from working if they were married. Took a woman to the Methadone clinic in Perth for her treatment. She was worried the clinic may be closed but we made it on time. After she had her medicine she went to West Perth. Saw a car go completely through a red light almost colliding with another car oblivious to the fact that the light was red. Picked up an Aboriginal man from the medical centre in East Perth. As he got in he shoved a lot of coins on the console and asked if he could go to the bank. I took him to the bank and then he withdrew money. He had no shoes on and his left leg was bandaged. He asked me to take him back to a park near the city and said he was taking his girlfriend out tonight. “ Where are you taking her?” I asked “We’re goin to the Sheraton “ he replied. Next morning the first fare was from Leederville to the airport. The man worked for an export enhancement section of the State Government and had just returned from a trip to Germany now on his way for a meeting to be held in Sydney. Next an elderly woman going to a nursing home to catch a bus to Harvey for a day out. Two of our Ex taxi users was seen at the Morley bus station in the early hours of the morning. The elderly man was pushing his sister around in a wheel chair, they used taxis for many years and lived in State Housing. They were evicted from two State houses and owed money to private owners and now seemed homeless. They wrote to politicians Premiers and had their photos on the front of newspapers, but to speak to people who followed them into homes, they left the homes like cesspits. The woman was a dancer in her youth and had an operation that went wrong and was confined to the wheel chair. They spent hot days in summer all day sitting in airconditioned shopping centres. An Italian woman going locally in Morley spoke of the changing roles and attitudes of Italian people today in Australia and how their values and bonds had changed. Took an American who had been to Australia during the war from Morley to Bayswater. When he was here during the war he met a girl and corresponded with her for many years. He lost track of her so he decided to come and look for her. He found the woman had died last year of cancer and he met her children and was bringing his wife back next year to meet them. Three back packers were catching a flight to South East Asia from Maylands and staying a few months before returning back to their home in Canada. A woman went from Bayswater to the Tonkin highway to catch a lift, she pointed out a nearby Health Clinic where she went as a child and was still in the area. Next a woman went from Morley to Midland I had taken her a few days ago. From the Midland rank a man 25 years old was getting his wisdom teeth removed at the Greenmount 44 hospital. He said he was suffering terribly and that he was lucky to be in Private Health insurance. Two boys from Swanleigh hostel going to the airport were returning home to the bush for the school holidays One lived near Geraldton whilst the other was from Carnarvon. The latter lived on a station where there were goats in plague proportion. We spoke about the large Harvesters used today and how difficult it was to change the enormous tyres. A woman who used to live on the flight path of the aircraft in South Guildford said she had less noise now as the aircraft had an altered flight path. When she purchased her house she inspected on a Sunday and not a plane was heard. The first day she moved in she thought the planes were landing on the roof. She said “you take a car for a test drive why not a night in a home before purchase. She got out in Midland. Next a man going from Midland to Maylands with a bad limp who told me he was involved in a motor bike accident with his motor bike when he ran into a car in the bush after a long ride. He was technically in the wrong but the car had a red sticker placed on the windscreen which maybe his saving grace. He had only recently purchased the brand new $23,000 Harley Davidson. Next was an actress from Perth to Point Peron for filming of “Ship to Shore” by Barron films. The film was successful in many countries in Europe and South Africa. She was also in a previous film called “Clowning Around” which was also very successful. On the way back two Japanese business men were at the Cockburn Cement works and returning to Perth, they were surprised that I could pick their nationality. A man going from Perth to Bentley that suffered from agoraphobia was saying that it wasn’t until recently that they had made a correct diagnosis of his condition as before they were treating him for depression. Next morning at 5.00 AM a man finished work in Bayswater on night shift returning home locally. He didn’t like the night shift but was grateful to have a job. There was a Holden taxi that had a lot of trouble with the motor driving around Maylands. The owner had a sign on the back bumper. THIS CAR IS A HEAP OF JUNK He was well known in the taxi industry. Took a man that worked for the Water Authority to the airport going to Karratha for a few days. Most of the water for the communities in the north west he said came from underground and if the population was over 1000 then fluoride was added to the water. Millstream was an important natural spring in the North West backed up by the Harding Dam. Water travelling from the Hamersley ranges was reputed to take 100 years to travel down to the Millstream spring. The water was tested for oxygen, salinity and dust which got in the supply if the Harding dam was low and in the big flows of water in the wet season. He was a lover of water storage and potential and was visibly excited at the prospect of harnessing water from the Fitzroy river. Got a parcel from the Perth Rehabilitation hospital to St John of Gods operating theatre. It was eerie going into the theatre with everyone dressed up in operating gowns with masks and covers over their heads. Two elderly women went to Carinya nursing home at from North Perth and Menora for their daily therapy. Next was a women who complained all the way to the city about everything including the taxis, tried to get me to react to her complaints in an argumentative way. I always kept cool and agreed with her complaints and when she got out she thanked me and was a changed woman facing the world. Had a Christian man who explained the correct Easter days which we are not used to calling. The popular known Easter Saturday is actually Easter eve the following Saturday is Easter Saturday and all the days are referred to as Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday and so on until the Easter Saturday. Next day Easter Monday I got a job at a party in Morley at 4.45 AM. A man came out trying to persuade his drunk friend laying on the grass to come in the taxi. His friend insisted he was capable of driving his car himself. There was rain during the night and a lot of moisture and dampness on his clothes. I took the man home locally to Morley and he requested me to wander back if I could and try and check his friend out. I drove back and the drunken friend decided to travel in the taxi. Easter is generally the turning time for rain in Perth after the long dry spell and this year was no exception. Next from an address in Morley, I knocked on the door and a young woman asked me to wait and after few minutes a young man came out embracing the lady and casually walking 45 to the taxi. At first it seemed he was drunk but he was awoken from a deep sleep. He told me he had four lawns to mow in Maida Vale and didn’t know if he should stay awake and mow as he could legally mow from 7 O’ Clock or go to bed and mow the lawns later. He wanted my advise and I could only leave him with an open ended decision which followed the two alternatives. Next job was a man from Bassendean to the city. This was 6.30 am and he said the first train on public holidays wasn’t until 7.50 am. He was on contract and wanted to get started as early as possible he emphasised there was no extra pay for him on the public holiday not like taxi drivers. After breakfast at the East Perth Rail Terminal after checking ranks there were no cars on the Morley rank and Wally Blatchley drove onto the Morley rank behind me. Had a talk to affable Wally who drove part time and operated part time. It was a long wait on the Morley rank the pigeons were flying about not knowing that Richard and Doug, the two feeders had Easter Monday off, maybe their droppings on the taxi was a message to me. Took an elderly woman to the East Perth Terminal from Morley to catch the Albany bus back home .She saw a Urologist returning after spending Easter with her sister in Perth. The government paid her fare to Perth as there was no suitable facilities in Albany to do the examination required. Both her mother and father died of bowel cancer many years ago. She had an operation that just beat the cancer entering her body but had a few little problems to sort out since the operation. She was on a walking frame so I put her luggage right next to the Westrail bus. Headed back to the Morley rank and there was no car waiting on the rank. The operator commented on how quiet it was today and how he started at 6 AM and there were two cars who had been sitting on the Balga rank since that time. After 45 minutes I got a job from Morley to Yokine a man who had a push bike two pedals a big amplifier and sundries. He didn’t ask for a wagon. Went to the North Perth rank. Chris Hani the Communist leader in South Africa and successor to Nelson Mandela was assassinated in South Africa last weekend creating a tinder box situation. In Los Angeles a jury were deciding the fate of four policeman who were charged with assaulting a black motorist many months ago. Took an elderly English woman from North Perth to Myaree. She was a lovely woman to talk to telling me about her family and how she enjoyed her Easter with them. Dropped her in Myaree and drove through the quiet streets of White Gum Valley and Fremantle listening to the melodious relaxed voice of George having a chat to one of the cars.. There were two male and two female Seventh day Adventists walking the streets of Fremantle door knocking. Took a woman and her young son from Fremantle hospital to Coolbellup after the boy had treatment for a broken leg done on the trampoline yesterday. They delayed treatment for five hours because he had eaten chocolate. She said she intended having a baked dinner yesterday but felt like knocking the top off a bottle of champagne that they were meant to have with the baked dinner. She was so grateful for the people and staff of the Fremantle hospital they were so kind and helpful to her and her son. The work dried up in Fremantle so slowly driving towards Perth I got a job from Nedlands to the casino. Did a bit of driving around the city “fleeing” as it’s known looking for a hail from a passenger, took a man to Northbridge and drove back to the city and sat outside a city motel. Drove away from the motel doing a bit more “fleeing “ until there was a radio job from Flinders square shopping centre to Osborne park. An aggressive man very aloof and it was nice to see him out of the car. I had a fear of what he would do, but I would never let him detect my thoughts. Went to the Tuart Hill rank. Took an elderly couple to a hotel in North Perth for their lunch. They’d worn a path to this hotel he knew which way to go and exactly how much it cost. The country buses were coming into the East Perth Terminal. Took a man from the terminal to the airport. He’d come from Busselton and was talking about a bad accident on the road just south of Rockingham. Next morning Easter Tuesday I was on the Morley rank at 4.40 am there were two cars on the rank and there were two jobs going from the rank. Some people were still on holidays. I got a job from Morley to the airport a man returning to Karratha to work. Next was a man from High Wycombe to the airport. He was talking about Polocrosse which 46 started in Australia in 1938 and since spread world wide. He said there were three horses in each team and they play for 24 minutes. There was no change to horses as in polo. Next job was the regular prostitute going from Maylands to Bayswater. She said she started out in the West as a cook in the North West and got retrenched in the down turn in the economy and was forced into her present occupation. She had to work Easter, no work, no pay. Picked up from the East Perth Rail Terminal a woman going to the airport and flying to Adelaide where she worked for Australian National Rail. She had six weeks to decide if she wanted to work from Adelaide on the National Rail system working to Alice Springs, Perth and Melbourne and return doing bar work waitressing and looking after the sleeping cars. Went to an address in Shenton Park to pick up a young woman going to the city. Her mother came out and spoke to me saying how worried she was for her daughters job prospects as the girl had worked in London and had plenty of work. She tried to talk her into staying in London whilst she had the work for when she came to Australia she had been out of work for a fortnight. The daughter came out got into the taxi and scoffed at her mother’s worrying and said she had plenty of work now she was in Australia and her mother was a bit of a worrier. If only mum knew what she was up to in London then she would have had something really to worry about. Went to the Claremont rank and had a talk to Neil Kitchen about Public Servants getting a day off for Easter Tuesday Picked up a woman from a retirement lodge in Mount Claremont to Hollywood. She’d only been there a short time after moving from Joondanna. She moved closer to one of her friends and found it difficult to get used to. Parked on the Hollywood Hospital rank and took the same woman back to Mount Claremont after an hour. Checked out a few ranks and found a position on the Mosman park rank. Took a man to the airport. He worked for an oil company and was talking about his experiences when working on Cocos Islands. He did three days work and then because there was a weekly flight he had to content himself with swimming diving and enjoying himself for the remainder of the time until the week was up! Poor man. Waited at the airport and took a woman to Victoria Park. Nothing in the city so I went to the Inglewood rank. Greg was the operator he’d matured into a very efficient operator and a nice bloke as well. Did a few jobs around the Morley area and then got a job from Guildford to the airport. There were two flights coming into the airport one in an hour, one half an hour later. It was too long to wait except for the territorials Picked up a man of Irish decent at the East Perth Terminal going to the airport who had been visiting his sister in Geraldton. He was living in the beach suburb of Coogee Sydney. Pronounced Coooogeee in Perth and Coodgee in Sydney. Waited behind about fifty cars at the airport in the hope of getting a fare from one of the two aircraft now due. A woman and her three children got into the taxi going to Peppermint Grove. They had been to Surfers Paradise for the Easter weekend where they had seen film studios, Sea World and the beaches of the Gold Coast. They often went away for long weekends and last September they went to Singapore for the weekend. They had a mansion of a house and the woman was showing a lot of cleavage. 14th April 1993. Was on the Morley rank at 4.30 am when I got a job from Noranda to the Casino. There was a taxi driver amongst the three people who asked if they could smoke. I refused but offered to get a smoking car for him. They declined this and asked more than once for a smoke to which I continuously declined. He had only driven taxis since December and hadn’t cut his teeth on reality yet. Picked up a man going to the airport to Christmas Island then to the Cocos Islands. There had been a dispute on ownership of the Casino on Christmas island which was now settled and the Clunies Ross homestead was in the hands of receivers again on Cocos island. An elderly couple went to the East Perth terminal and were going for a mystery tour for the day. Next a man went to a convalescent home in Subiaco. He was a Public Servant and was putting his side of the argument for an extra days holiday for public servants over Easter. He said he worked nine to nine and a half hours a day and it was a pay back for him. Drifting down to Fremantle I picked up a young man going from North Fremantle to Murdoch 47 University enrolled in a course there. What a beautiful day in Fremantle it was today. Bob was the operator once again very helpful and clear. Took a woman from Fremantle to Belmont. Her car had broken down and she had a job interview and a medical to do. She’d worked on a prawn trawler in the Gulf of Carpentaria for four months and was after some medical papers so she could do a medical for a new job she was starting. Melissa the operator on the truck channel had lost her dog and we were all trying to find her canine friend so far without luck. Australian Airlines were now no longer. The Government were selling off and the airline. One passenger said we should all sue the government for the capital share that each Australian has contributed since its inception and not let the funds go into the government coffers. Next day I was on the Morley rank about 4.50 am. An alarm at the local hardware store went off. The police were there in minutes. Took a cleaner from Beechboro to Maylands his usual lift for the day was sick. Picked up in Maylands a woman going to Dumas house a large Government office in West Perth, the building had a magnificent lookout called the Legacy lookout that looked over the city, they closed it when too many people were committing suicide. The woman was a chef and worked in a restaurant that I didn’t know existed in the basement of the building. Went to the rail terminal and picked up a woman and her three children from Kalgoorlie arriving by the Indian Pacific. I could tell by her openness and the dust on the stroller that she was from Kalgoorlie. They were staying at a house supplied by the hospital whilst her child was treated. Next a woman went from Subiaco to the Princes Margaret Children’s hospital where she worked. She wasn’t pleased with the money the Subiaco Council were spending on slowing traffic with speed bumps and round a bouts. She thought they would change their mind later as they had done before and were creating employment for the sake of it. She’d had a holiday in Hong Kong and talked of the efficient underground rail system in where the stainless steel seats were automatically cleaned by people’s bottoms and they were neglecting the Public Transport in Perth for the benefit of the motor car, as in all of Australia. Another Kalgoorlie woman was in Perth to get her imported car serviced. She hoped and prayed that nothing went wrong in Kalgoorlie as there was no one to fix it. She felt she would either have to sell the car or move closer to a service centre. A man deeply entrenched in a document went from Dalkeith to the city. A lot of children were in the city during these school holidays. A man went from the city to Embleton he worked for BHP and was going to set the reserve prices for four wheel drives and other equipment going for auction today. Perry was the operator today he thought he owned the company but was good at his job. Picked up a man travelling locally in Dianella apologetic for travelling such a short distance “ Don’t worry in the least “ I said “ we’re here to help you doesn’t matter how far you’re going” was my sharp reply. Took two car dealers going to Belmont to picking up a vehicle. I hurried to the Ascot rank I took a woman to Bassendean. She was waiting for her boyfriend to get out of gaol. She always caught taxis and I knew she couldn’t afford it. She said she was conditioned to taxis and couldn’t change. Picked up a man in Rosebury Street Bedford. I could see four people painting a fence opposite and he could see me looking over at them. He said that the man in the house had a stroke and his children and grand children were all pitching in to help. The man I picked up was also unwell and wanted to go to the bank then the Post Office and return home. He was a nice old man and we had a good talk between stops, Got a job from Bayswater. Dogs had frightened me and woken the neighbourhood when I arrived the man was going to Belmont. He worked on the North Dandalup dam a new dam being constructed by the Water Authority. It was in the early stages of removal of rock to form a base for the concrete wall, was difficult to shift some of the rock and they needed more people to work at the dam, some would be coming next week as soon as a pier at the Stirling Naval base was finished. He wasn’t feeling too well this morning as it was pay night last night and he’d had a few drinks after work last night. Next was a man going to the airport to fly to Kalgoorlie. He was going to have a meeting with two others then he was flying to a mine site about 100 kilometres north of Mount Newman. Next I woke up the occupants of a flat in Bayswater for a 7.15 am booking to be told that the 48 man who ordered the taxi had already gone. A woman from Narrogin was going into the city from the suburbs. I told her we had been camping there last Easter and what a nice little town it was. She said that a number of Government offices had been closed but there was some small industries coming into the town which was helping the town a bit. Picked up a 69 year old woman going to the funeral of one of her army friends. There were six in number who had kept in contact since the war and the woman who died had been the first to die. They served in New Guinea together and were all yellow when they left New Guinea and most were sick. She only hoped the woman died peacefully like her husband who had died a few years ago. She told me her daughter had a premonition that her father was going to die she travelled to see him and was holding his hand when he peacefully died. Took a woman to the city she was stone deaf and couldn’t hear my replies so it was a one way conversation.! Took two elderly women to the Rod Evans Senior Citizens centre in East Perth at 9.0 Am. They spent the day there having lunch and then playing bowls in the afternoon. Some of them live for their little outing each week. A woman hailed me in East Perth as her car had broken down. It was just after 9.0 Am and I’m sure she would fail a breathalyser test. I took her to Inglewood so her husband could look at the car for her. Next job was a blind woman going to the city. She was worried about security in her house and was erecting a security fence and gate at the rear of her house .She said a neighbour was robbed in the last month twice and she was also robbed whilst she was asleep. When she called the police she told them that she slept with a walking stick next to her bed and the policeman told her it was lucky she didn’t wake as it would have been likely that she would be the recipient of the walking stick from the robbers if she tried to attack them. The police were about with the radar now they seemed to do it in bursts although the road toll was lower this year than this time last year. A man told me he was fined $150 in Victoria for doing 6 kph over the speed limit. Took a woman and her dog to the vet in Osborne park. We could refuse animals which I never did. This four legged canine was cleaner than some of the two legged variety. The dog was unwell and she wanted me to wait whilst the vet checked the dog. 19th April 1993. It was unusual but I got a job before reaching the Morley rank a man going to the airport, there was light rain and I then drove to the Maylands rank. Noelene was the operator she had a pleasant sense of humour and was complaining about starting at 5 am. Picked up a woman in Maylands who worked at nearby St Anne’s hospital, she was a regular customer and nice all the time. Filled up with fuel I always use Ampol because it’s Australian and we don’t have trouble with contaminated fuel like some brands have done. Got a job with another car at a motel, when we arrived the night manager explained that he had accidentally pressed the taxi call button. Sat on the Ascot rank and picked up a man who worked for Ansett airlines. He said he’d been in Perth playing bowls and wait listed on the Perth ,Adelaide ,Brisbane flight. There were three spare seats on the Perth Adelaide sector and Thirty on the Adelaide Brisbane sector. He was confident of getting to Brisbane if he managed to get to Adelaide. Went to the East Perth rail terminal and picked up a woman going to the airport. Like a previous passenger working for the Railways she had the option of living in Adelaide. She wasn’t too fussed about the thought of living in Adelaide but had another month to decide. Took a man from an acupuncturist in Bedford going to Dianella. He had a foot problem and had it eased whenever it was unbearable at the acupuncturist. Took a woman from a corner job in East Perth to Cloisters square in the city where she worked. Next job was an 84 year old man going from an eye specialist in West Perth to Maylands. He had Glaucoma and had an operation last week and needed to see the doctor again at the end of the week. He was in the building trade all his life first in England then in Australia where he migrated in 1952. He worked for 19 years sub contracting until his leg was injured in a car accident in 1970. During the war he was in the Middle east, South America and South Africa and drove British and Turkish Generals around at varying times. He parked his car near his flat door so as he could run the charger out to it and charge the battery as he seldom used the car. 49 Got a job at a service station on a coordinates that didn’t have a service station so I made an adjustment to two streets south and picked up a young man going to the Morley shops. Took a bus driver from a Service department to North Perth He drove ethnic people to a centre each day for different programmes and was getting the bus serviced. The next vacant rank was the Cottesloe rank and a man went to Booragoon. Next job was a local job in Coolbellup and when home they wanted to extend to Fremantle only trouble was there were six people and I was only licensed for four. Went to the Coolbellup shops and took two men and a boy locally. The man in front was a Collingwood supporter and came from Alice Springs. Went to the Hilton Park rank. Picked up a man going locally in Hilton Park who thought the taxis would be busy when they bring in the new 05 blood alcohol laws in a few weeks. We talked about how hotels and clubs have changed and will no doubt change even more with the new laws. Next morning at 5.00 Am I picked up the man from the North Dandelup dam. The dogs were quiet this time, may be used to me. Next was an intellectually handicapped woman going to Australian airlines at the airport. She lived with intellectually handicapped people in Subiaco and was looking forward to her first trip to Tasmania. When we got to the airport she started to cry as she couldn’t see any of her group. I told her not to worry and managed to locate some people who were travelling with her ,the tears stopped and she was all smiles. Took a regular man who always walked stiff legged and daily travelled from Maylands to the Royal Perth hospital. He was very courteous and never wanted to engage in conversation. He worked at the hospital and lived in a duplex and always walked out of his unit when he saw us pull into the drive. Took three misplaced young men to the airport without shoes or socks obviously not catching a plane and I said to them as much. “No we’re going to see a bird off to Singapore” was the reply from their spokesperson.(Hope their bird had shoes and socks ) They were worried about the cost and complained about the distance to travel to the International airport. Took a woman to Bayswater she had only recently returned to Perth after living in Queensland for four years and was commenting on the change in the last four years in Perth. We talked about the mining boom and the projects earmarked for the west with goldming and the open cuts and projects in the future. Drove to the Morley rank and picked up a man who was travelling to the Asbestos Society in North Perth. His cough was obviously a lung problem the Asbestos Society helped people in these circumstances. I often picked the President of the society up who was always pleasant to talk to and devoted to the people affected. He often told of the conversations with political leaders. Took a woman to the Gairdner hospital in Nedlands. She was doing jury duty and was off until Thursday. She had been on two cases so far and both were found not guilty. Picked up a woman from the Industrial Rehabilitation area of Graylands hospital going back to her institution in Claremont. She was upset her mother died five years ago and her father was being buried tomorrow. She asked if I would mind driving slowly which of course I did she was visibly upset. 21st April 1993 No jobs from the Morley rank this morning. I’d have slept in if I’d known that but when there are a wife and four children to feed it’s a great incentive to get out of bed early. At 5.30 am I took a man and his son both worked at a Post office in the city, the father was in charge and the son delivered. Next was a man from a city hotel going to the airport. He lived in Dee Why, Sydney and since the Harbour tunnel was built it was a lot easier for him to travel to the city. It took about an hour and cost two dollars either by tunnel or across the harbour bridge. There was a toll road next to Parramatta road which people were avoiding, everyone using the old Parramatta Road. He said there was consideration of building a toll road between Sydney and Brisbane which would cost sixty dollars to travel on. It was school holidays so I decided to go home early and spend some time with Marlene and the children. Next morning I was on the Morley rank at 4.30 am. Took a man who originally lived in Hobart and now lived in Sydney. Most of his relatives lived in the Huon Valley south of Hobart. He would like to live in Hobart but his wife who’s English doesn’t get on too well with his mother and there was also a family member who causes a lot of trouble when they visit. 50 The Indian Pacific was on time this morning and I picked up a couple who travelled to a city hotel. I then returned to pick up again and there was a woman with so much luggage she had to hire a second car to take the remainder of her luggage. Next morning I took a woman from Redcliffe to Welshpool she usually rode a pushbike but this morning was running late and wanted a taxi. Took a man from the Drug and Alcohol abuse centre in Mount Lawley going to the airport. He was saying that drugs and alcohol were an endemic problem in society cigarettes were also a costly problem that crept up on society. There was to be a meeting with the new Health Minister in Geraldton today. There was a Public holiday for Anzac Day today the march was yesterday, Sunday in all states except South Australia where the Ex service people were hostile. I was up early again and the first job was from Bayswater to the airport a 5.0 Am booking. The man I picked up was a Master Mariner and we admired Venus in the northern sky Next job was a graphic artist who went from Mount Lawley to Midland. She went to a gay bar last night and two gay men were bashed so she spent the night at the Royal Perth hospital with them. One had a broken jaw. the other had less serious injuries. Next job was a man who worked at a city hotel and finished work in the kitchen at midnight and was returning to start work at 6 30 am Next was a couple who smelt strongly of alcohol going from Bassendean to Bedford, I noticed an overturned car in a vacant block on the way they oblivious to the car, I had to open my window the stench was so strong. When they got out they got into a car and drove away. I drove back to check the car that was on its bonnet it had gone through a cyclone fence and there were no occupants in the car. An elderly couple were travelling locally in Bassendean they were going to meet a bus that was taking them to Busselton for a week. There was a “Rage “ last night in a large shed in Belmont, there was no alcohol for sale only loud music and soft drink and illicit drugs. What was happening long weekends no one knew where the rages where until they went to the night clubs and there was a mass exodus to them. Picked up a man who worked at the Casino, he had a busy day yesterday at the Casino as they gave away a car and several thousand dollars. He worked sometimes ten hours a day and has three days off every second week. 27th April 1993. Up early again this morning there was little work to start with. I eventually took an English woman to the International airport to meet her other half coming from England. He had studied in Australia had got two degrees and had to leave Australia and return on a visa. Waiting at the airport is always a bit of a gamble but it paid off and I got a couple going to Gooseberry hill. They had been to Hong Kong on an incentive holiday with their company and were returning home. They were pleased to see the wide open spaces again. Next job was a regular who travels daily with us probably less than a kilometre from Highgate to Mount Lawley, where she worked for a record company. Cleaned the taxi on the Morley rank ( I never use detergent but use a small bucket and if it’s done every day and polished every couple of months it’s surprising how it keeps looking good ) Took a man from Morley to Bayswater .He’d worked for a company which retrenched him during the slump and now worked on a contract basis which he was very pleased with. One taxi had trouble with a male passenger. We got a coded message from him and when he dropped in East Perth there were three taxis behind him. Found a woman’s watch in the front seat and handed it into the Subiaco Police station. Took a regular man from Dalkeith to Perth. He was a quiet unassuming man very courteous and always preferred keeping to himself. Next was a woman from Northbridge to Claremont. She had to drop off some towels on the way in Nedlands. She said she was starting work later in the day. The war in Bosnia was continuing. My theory was that all countries should employ their defence forces as a necessary requirement trained in stopping conflicts like the one in Bosnia and anything like Hitler’s march into Poland would be nipped in the bud .Of course the United nations should lead all decisions. Picked up a woman who’d rang for a taxi that was sent for her a few minutes ago. She didn’t hear the taxi he couldn’t contact her so I came and she was waiting for me. She was going to a private hospital in Perth as she had a persistent cough and wanted to pick up something on the way at the shops. 51 Next was a woman was returning to a travel bureau where she worked. She had taken her boss home and said “I’m going to get some lamingtons and we’re going to really enjoy ourselves today 28th April 1993. Started after 5.0 Am this morning which was a bit unusual for me ( I never set the alarm clock rely on the body clock ) First job was from Highgate to the airport. Knocked on the door and a man came out in his underclothes and told me he’d be out shortly. It was a cloudless clear morning although a thunder shower was predicted. The man worked on the natural gas platform off Karratha for ten years and worked two weeks on and two off. He was happy with his work. We talked about the young people embroiled in crime and we both agreed that it would be better for them and for society if they were gainfully employed in some form for their dole money Second job this morning was a woman going from Highgate to the city. We got near the city and a policeman told us there was no access. When asked why all he’d say was we were not permitted to travel into the city. The two way radio soon informed us that a person had stolen an armoured personnel carrier and was loose in the city. I dropped the woman who had to walk into her job. I picked up a man in Leederville going to Northbridge. The man in the Armoured Personnel carrier did damage at the City Police station and Wembley police station apparently where he had previously been arrested. He had been overcome by a tear gas canister thrown by police into the cabin. The army changed their security on these carriers. Next job was a neighbour in Morley going to see an eye specialist in the city. We talked of the health system and how there was a waiting list for a by-pass operation whereas if $4000 could be found then the operation was available immediately. The wait was sometimes over a year and sometimes the person died. We didn’t have a quick answer to that problem. Got a woman patient from Graylands Mental hospital, as we drove out the news crews were filming the flattened fence done by the stolen Armoured personnel carrier. I commented to the woman but her own problems were more important to her than the news crews and she didn’t respond or react in any way to the flattened fence. She wanted to talk about herself and her problems and I told her that drugs and counselling was only a band aid approach and she was able to solve her own problems if she put her mind to it. She was grateful I could see of my unqualified words, and I wished her the best for the future. I told her I’d be pleased to see her next time without drugs and a happy person in the world. She didn’t have all the money so someone came out and paid me in full. I dropped her in Scarborough and slowly meandered towards the city “fleeing” and listening to the two way. An Englishman hailed me and said he’d been in Perth four years and hadn’t settled down to the new environment too well. He’d booked a flight back to England to have a look and had cancelled the flight but wasn’t settling in. I told him I thought it was brave of some people to pick up and come to Australia after a lifetime in England and never want to go back, a family also keeps people together and people around you can make a place worthwhile or otherwise. I wished him well and hoped the anguish would diminish. Picked up a woman going to the Morley shops. There were road works on Walter road I wanted to suggest dodging the road works, ”No “ she said. “You go the way I tell you along Walter road” I didn’t want to make a federal case of it so I complied with her demands and was delayed getting to the shops. When we got to the shops I told her I wanted to dodge the road works and she then apologised for her abrasiveness and told me she would listen to the driver next time. I gave a blood donation for the 35th time and had a sandwich for lunch. I normally don’t eat lunch as the sedentary ways of taxi drivers leads to obesity and it is a constant problem with weight and fitness. Took an elderly woman from Inglewood to a private hospital in Perth. She was born in Mount Magnet, lived in Sydney during the war and now lived in Albany. She enjoyed living near the Blue Mountains in Blacktown during the War and enjoyed traversing the mountains by train. She had grown used to the quiet life in Albany and wasn’t too pleased with the amount of traffic in Perth. Went to the Town Hall rank. Picked up a man from Singapore his wife and child going to South Perth then the airport. He had a son studying at college in Perth. He spoke of the higher costs of cars in Singapore and the different education system where English and Mandarin were both compulsory languages when one parent was of Chinese origin. Lee Quan Yu had removed the island of the Triads the population was rising at just one per cent. Many people were leaving to live in 52 Australia New Zealand or Great Britain. A working woman with three children was given generous tax concessions and tax can be paid in tax free monthly instalments retrospectively. Went to the City Railway station which wasn’t moving so I drove off. 29th April 1993 Gave Rhonda our daughter a kiss on the cheek for her sixth birthday, she never stirred. Don Barnes the operator was off this morning which was a funny feeling as he seemed part of the day. Some say it was his ulcers playing up others think he is on holidays There were no jobs going off the Morley this morning so, I drove down to Inglewood and was beaten to a job by John Tilley a closer car who was an ex Sydney taxi driver who at one time told me about Bee Miles who was the bane of Sydney taxi drivers for many years. She would go into a cafe and order a meal then walk out without paying and then get into a taxi and expect a free lift home. She was a very learned woman and could recite any of Shakespeares works verbatim. First job today was a man going to Esperance for the day from the airport. He worked for a chemical company and was going to give a presentation to a client in Esperance and return home to Perth tonight. I picked up a shoeless man in Wembley going locally to pick up his car. There were no cars around Claremont and Cottesloe so I drove down that way and got a job from a house in Claremont to the airport. The dog in the yard almost licked me to death and the reticulation was on but I managed to let the people know I was there. The couple were going to Cairns for ten days for the first time, I picked up four crew from the Indian Pacific at the East Perth rail terminal and took them to their “Airways” city motel. I raced back to the terminal but there were quite a few taxis there so I went to the Mount Lawley rank. I got a job from Woodside Petroleum in East Perth going to the airport. The man was of Malaysian descent and was saying the power of the Sultans was being whittled away by the Prime Minister Dr Mahitar. Went home early today to enjoy Rhonda’s sixth birthday Oh to be six. 30.4 96. First job was a man who fixed woks up at Chinese restaurants.. He had locked himself outside the restaurant in Morley and the police checking on his presence had rang the taxi to pick him up. He said he fixed and made woks for twenty years. How it started was he went to a Sunday session at Chequers hotel twenty years ago and a man in conversation asked him if he could make a table and a wok for his restaurant. He built the table and from there he now repaired the woks in eighty per cent of the Chinese restaurants and he even exported from his Belmont factory to South Africa and other countries. He went back to bed and said he’d return later to finish his work. Next job was a job in Carlisle. No one was there waiting the lights were off and I didn’t want to knock so early. I got priority for the next job in the area, and got a job about a kilometre away. I took a young man who had too much to drink last night back to pick his car up.(The original people rang up and the number was wrong so they sent another car) I took a man to the airport who was going to Brisbane and Cairns. He was talking about ten days he spent in China last year where he was fascinated by the amount of bikes and people in the country. He travelled with a guide and his brother and travelled on planes that had rivets missing and were staying up “By a wing and a prayer”. He was looking forward to a fortnights holiday in Queensland. I drove to the Maylands rank. Picked up an old timer who was 75 years old and had originally come from Pingelly in the wheat belt where he was born. He came from a big family of six brothers and five sisters. He was going by bus to Wagin to see another brother and was going to pick up a brother on the way. He gave the money in advance so the brother we picked up wouldn’t be able to pay and talked of a cancerous prostrate gland that was recently removed which was still giving him trouble. He talked of the farms he grew up on and worked on and he ended up like many people from the country living in the city and retired working at a foundry in Bassendean. Drove around checking ranks and ended up on the Morley rank. A man wanted to go to a chemist to pick up some travel sickness tablets that were recommended to him by a friend. He was going to Darwin by plane and last time he went he was violently sick all the way. A seaman friend recommended these particular tablets to him. Today being Friday is the best day of the week for me. I often wondered why until I 53 discovered I was born on a Friday and the thought of a weekend off is nice to think about all day also. I drove to the airport at 11.00 am there was a flight due at 10.55 am and another due at 12.12 PM. The latter arrived at 12.30 PM and I got a job to Morley. 3rd May 1993. After a lovely weekend at home I got a job from Dianella to a chicken factory in Osborne park. Monday morning was generally a busy start to the week when people catch planes away for the week. Next I drove to the Mount Hawthorne rank tried for two jobs but there were closer cars. Venus was shining like a beacon in the North Eastern sky. Picked up a woman who worked for the Taxation Department, she was travelling to Broome for the week with three other people to do audits with the Department of Social Security. Next fare was a man going to the airport with two computers. He was ending up in Claremont Queensland at a coal mine to assist in improving productivity. He said that some companies don’t try to trim the fat as long as they are making a profit they are satisfied at board level. Went back to the Morley rank and spoke to Kim who told me it went mad on Saturday when the rain came in the afternoon. It was difficult to move around. Picked up an elderly woman who was a dyed in the wool Claremont football team supporter and disappointed that they lost on Saturday. She wasn’t at all pleased with the West Coast Eagles joining the National Football competition and especially a second team from Western Australia joining the national competition. She said that the second team was only so as the competition will be diluted from the west and they wont win every year. Took a man from an earthmoving company to pick up a machine. He said that in the last fortnight five machines have been tampered with by having sand in exhausts or broken windscreens although he said the building industry was picking up. Took a wardrobe lady down to the Mosman tea rooms where they were filming “Ship to Shore” she had to buy a new pair of shoes for an actor who went into the water with a pair of shoes on. The lady said the tea rooms scene is to give the effect that the scene is of an island. On 4Th may 1993 Had a bit of a sleep in this morning and first picked up in Darlington to the airport. There were no cars in the area and it was a long drive from Morley to pick up. There was a long narrow driveway to go down. The man wanted to doze all the way Drove to the Maylands rank a scruffy looking man was checking all the rubbish bins and putting things into his bag in the darkness. Got a job in Coode street Maylands and knocked and eventually a man came out ( I heard noises all the time) and apologised. He said he had just had a shower and would be out shortly. He went to the fruit and vegetable markets in Northbridge. Steve was doing the night shift and at this time of day his sarcasm was beginning to flow. Don Barnes was obviously on holidays. A couple were going from a backpackers hostel in Northbridge to the International airport. They were on their way to China for three months, he was a computer programmer and they intended staying in backpacker’s accommodation for a fortnight in Hong Kong then going into China. Picked up a local at the Carlisle hotel where he stayed and booked a taxi every morning, Meandered back to Morley and picked up from the local service department Took a frail and sick woman to a doctor in South Perth, she was unwell. Took a man from Melbourne staying at a motel in South Perth to Osborne park. He was intending to hire a bicycle for tomorrow so I told him where he could get a bike and some of the lovely rides around the river. Checking the ranks I sat on the Mount Hawthorne rank I got a job from Mount Hawthorne to the city. When the woman got out she said “You taxi drivers are so interesting you should write a book” I replied “I am” and held up the book and showed her. Went to the Mount Lawley rank. The Federal Government minister seemed to have made a mess with cable television applications. Two unknowns had bid for it with only a $500 deposit. A Government Minister can make a big change in direction of a country and if it is wrong then future generations have to pay the price. Picked up a man going to Dalkeith. He was telling me of the spares he carried whilst travelling in the Kimberley region. He had water and food sleeping bag, radiator hoses, fan 54 belts the lot. He said he was recently in Germany and was the second car arriving on the scene of a head on smash on an auto bahn. He got out and helped a man by pulling him out of a car with a broken leg and other injuries. Shortly after military personnel came along the leader could speak English and he barked out orders in German to the troops and in no time the road was back to normal and the car off the road. The local police thanked him for his help and got a statement from him. I went to the City Station rank and after a wait picked up two Irish men who wanted to know of the best sights to see in Perth. Picked up a woman in Wembley going to the International airport. She was happy to have a holiday in Malaysia and this was the first holiday she has been able to have since she was eighteen years old. Her son was sixteen and her daughter eighteen and they could look after themselves. She was looking forward to a fortnight away. She had no trouble with her son but her daughter was living away from home and smoked pot and was a bit of a worry. She brought both children up herself and was hoping there would be a change in the daughter. Her daughter went through a couple of bad years like seeing a man hang himself ,her best friend was shot by her father and another friend was made a paraplegic in a car accident. Normally I drive away from the airport but there looked to be a chance for a job as a plane from Kuala Lumpa was due in an hour and there were only about six cars waiting, the drivers playing cards for money on the bonnet of one of the cars. There were always the regular taxi drivers at the airport they seem to work the ranks every time and today was no exception. I watched the Jumbo 747-400 series taxi to the arrival bay. It looked majestic. Picked up two Japanese men who were travelling to the casino to stay, one seemed to be escorting the other and they spoke in English. One man told the other that he had lived in Australia for ten years and when he first came here the Australian dollar was strong and the Japanese yen weak. Now it was the other way around. The buses were leaving the casino the pensioners for ten dollars had a day out, lunch and a return trip home. 5th May 1993 Was on the Morley rank at 4.25 am and only waited a short time when I got a job to the airport, I was at the house quickly and a man came out and said he would shortly be coming out. He came out fixing his tie and loaded his baggage into the wagon. He worked for Telecom and explained the new phone system where conversations cannot be intercepted like on the old system with the scanners. He was going to Mount Newman to work on the installation of a system in that area. He said that all Australian towns would eventually get the technology. Next fare was a man an Ex farmer who had a tourist business with his son. He was travelling to the North West and was going to help his son at a seminar for about forty overseas people attending which would be going for three days. Next morning I got a man going to an elderly persons home in Maylands where he worked. He asked me to drop him off a little way from the home as there was a very active watchdog on the premises. He was looking forward to his two days off after today. I parked at the East Perth terminal rank, after a wait drove off and parked on the Mount Lawley rank. There had been a lot of debate about the cable television decisions by the Government and why there was no sizeable deposit from the contenders, all sorts of claims were made about the decision of the Government to select the company they chose. Since the new freeway was opened from the north there was less of a problem with traffic coming from the northern suburbs. It was good to see the trains coming every few minutes full of people. They could have doubled the size of the trains and given more parking space at some railway stations for some people drove their cars to the city because they couldn’t get parking at stations or couldn’t fit on to the train. After half an hour on the Mount Lawley rank I took up a woman to the city. She did her tertiary examination last year and scored 300 and was involved in a smash a few months ago. Two other cars were involved in the smash a man ran into the rear of her and she was pushed into the car in front. Everyone got out to exchange details, it was peak hour on the northern freeway and the last car got into his car and drove off. She didn’t get the number plate and was only given $1150 for her car and being a provisional driver was also penalised. Graham was the operator this morning a well known radio personality in Perth although I’d never heard of him. He was a pleasant man and tried to do a good job in his pleasant manner. 55 Picked up a woman from a lawyers office in the city, the lawyer had panicked and wanted her to be there early which she wasn’t very please with. Picked up two young men from the Mount Lawley rank one had been out of work for two weeks and the other had been out of work for two years There was a feeling of rejection by both of them a feeling that radiates from unemployed people that shouldn’t come from anyone as there are always ways and means to give these young people a direction in life. If the haves in society could only compromise and sacrifice something for the have nots we would all progress. Their cores were goodness these two young men and were heading in a direction that was a loss to themselves and to society. 6th may 1993 I was on the Morley rank at 5 Am this morning there were no bookings from this rank. Venus was a magnificent beacon in the North East. There was a full moon lighting the earth with its soft light. First job was a 5.40 am booking to the airport. A station wagon was requested and I fitted that request. The man had a lot of equipment and was going to Mount Newman to make a film for BHP mining for a new mine under construction. He would travel several times during construction filming various stages of construction until completion, going monthly for three years as the mine progressed until completion. He did advertisements for the State bank and documentaries for television. He was considering doing a story on the difference between the top golfers and the bottom players and how they compare in their life styles and ways of living. We agreed a documentary on taxi drivers would go well. Next job was a number in Wright Street Highgate that did not exist, I went to the East Perth Rail terminal. The Indian Pacific arrived at 7 Am. I picked up four crew from the train, they said there were 70 people in sleeping on today’s train and quite a few in sitting carriages. The train held 144 sleepers and 120 in sit ups when full. They will be going back on the 1.30 PM train Next was a man going from Subiaco to Rivervale. He worked for a hire car company which had about sixteen cars and was going well. Made my way to the Morley rank. Took a schoolboy and girl to Mount Lawley high school and nearly collided with a car going through a stop sign on the left. Went a bit further and a policeman was booking a boy for riding without a crash helmet. He had the hand held radar sitting on the ground. Picked up a man with tattoos all over his arms going to Morley. He told me he was getting his car windows tinted, he lost his wife and daughter in a road smash near Collie over a year ago and was looking after his three other children. He was amazed at the way the XC Falcon was damaged with the bonnet and bull bar pristine and the cabin area compressed to about a metre in length. He kept returning to look at the car and was amazed at the twisted metal that had taken the lives of two of his love ones. Picked up three people in Lockridge going to the Bassendean bottle shop and return. They were all very quiet probably looking forward to the changes the two cartons would do. The woman steadily and carefully got out of the car there was a shake like Parkinson’s disease coming from her hands and arms. She coughed incessantly. Got a patient and two employees as escorts from a hostel in Lockridge going to the Perth Hospital. The employees spoke to each other and I spoke to the patient all the way. She was telling me that some other people from the hostel were stealing her keys so now she carried the keys around her neck with her all the time. Three women got in on the Morley rank going to Girrawheen. They seemed to have been out for the day were slurred in speech, when we had travelled a short distance they started insulting me so I pulled over on the side of the road and demanded the approximate fare which they reluctantly handed over. One kept the insults up and then threatened to cut my throat. I immediately stopped the taxi and turned around and looked her in the eye and said ”So you are going to cut my throat are you?” I could tell she was buoyed by the alcohol, the others immediately turned against her and told her to wake up to herself. We finished the trip to Girrawheen and when we got there the other two both apologised for her behaviour and we left best of friends. It was pension day today. On the 7th May 1993 I was on the Morley rank at 4.40 am. Another earth bathed in moonlight from the cloudless sky. Being a Friday there was a lot of rubbish laying around the shops from the late night shopping last night. The street sweeper was doing a careful job going into all the nooks and crannies with his broom and sweeping rubbish to be picked up by the sweeper when he started it. He’d go home feeling satisfaction with his days work. First job this morning was a block of high rise flats in Maylands where I had to press the 56 intercom for the woman to come down. She was going by bus to Sunshine, Victoria to stay with her daughter for a fortnight. She didn’t want to stay too long as she didn’t get on too well with her son in law, and enjoyed living in Perth, came over with her 22 year old son whom she hadn’t seen for two months as they had a disagreement and were not talking. Took a woman to the airport who lived in Port Hedland and worked for the Health Department. She had a vacuum cleaner which her brother got for her but she was concerned about how it was wrapped. Next job was a young man who had a night out and was returning to the RAAF base at Bullsbrook. He was a civilian and employed in the kitchen at the base. He wasn’t too happy having to pay over twenty dollars to return to the base. He made the decision to stay with his girlfriend rather than return with his mates when they left the night club last night. Next was a man who had started a smallgoods business fourteen years ago and was leaving his keys in a chute at a service department in Midland as the people behind the counter were not attending to him and he would ring them at a later time in the day. Took a young man from Morley rank to the Ashfield station. I explained to him that the Bayswater station would have been closer for him when I realised he was just catching a train. We were told on the two way there were fares waiting on the Bayswater rank so I hurried to the rank to see two other taxis in front of me. Picked up a man in a wheelchair a paraplegic going from Bayswater to Bedford. He was getting a new motor serviced that he got in his 1976 Premier a few weeks ago. He was happy with it and intended spending $3000 on the body and interior and said that he would have a better car than a new one where he could drive anywhere and not fear problems that would have to be diagnosed by a computer in a big city. Next was a 91 year old gent going to Carinya nursing home for therapy for the day in Menora. This was his first day and he was very sprightly and a nice man to talk to. He lived with his 50 year old son and his wife was in a nursing home in North Perth after a stroke. He really only looked in his sixties and the staff at Carina were surprised to see such a young looking 90 year old. I regretted when I left him I didn’t ask him his secret of youth. Back to the Morley rank and the pensioners kept us reasonably busy. Picked up two men who were in the London to Sydney car rally. They were pleased to arrive in Australia on a Russian aircraft with the cars ( because they were the cheapest they thought ). It was difficult getting through India with all the traffic and ox carts they were getting their cars serviced and the brakes done for the journey across the continent. The driver was a rallier all his life and was in the previous London Sydney rally many years ago. They had to fly across Iran this time because of the political situation. On the 10th May 1993 I was on the Morley rank at 4.30 am. There were four other taxis on the rank so I jumped in and took a job from Morrison road Midland to Welshpool. I was cautious near the house as there were dogs eyes lighting up as I shined the torch at the house. I crept to the front door and as I knocked the dogs barked in unison. A young man came out got in the taxi and told me which way he wanted to go telling me of a mate he had lent his car to who didn’t pick him up for the second time this week. He was also fixing the head gasket on this mates car and was getting a bit sick of his unreliability. We arrived at Welshpool at the same time as his mate arrived in his car from the opposite direction. Next fare was a man at the Victoria Park rank going to Como picking up a lift from a friend and going to Rockingham where he had work for the next three months. Picked up a man from a hotel in East Perth going to Canning Vale. An interesting young man who played the guitar was an ex teacher and said he’d request me next time he called. Picked up a couple and two children six and four years. The man was a painter by trade and was migrating from Manchester, England. The immigration officials had tried to discourage their migration on several occasions by making difficult deadlines and telling them of the high unemployment etc but they all seemed determined to succeed and I wished them well for their future. Took a woman from Osborne Park to a job in a city hotel. She was running late ( I got her there on time). She had been mostly out of work for two years and was doing a course which she hoped would put her back in work. On 11th May 1993 The morning was less busy than yesterday and I went to the Tuart Hill rank. Picked up a man from West Perth to the airport. He worked on an Iron ore mine in the North West where he worked six weeks on and one off. Next was a man from Mount Lawley going to Joondalup via Duncraig where he picked up a woman and were going to a meeting on youth unemployment. 57 Went to the Morley rank and did some local jobs and a job to Bayswater. Next was a young student and his sister going to Mount Lawley high school. They caught taxis every day. Next was a young man who had a watch which he claimed was worth $2000 and none of the pawn brokers were willing to pawn the watch as they told him they had an abundance of watches. He said his father used to drive taxis but now he had a sand carting business. He normally drove for his father but was having a week off and wanted to pawn his watch so he could go and see his girlfriend. He told me he’d be paying $30 on $100 in interest “That’s 360 per cent interest” I told him. We were told to beware of a male person in Cottesloe with a black and white shopping bag who was armed. On 12th May 1993 I was on the Morley rank at 5.0 Am. Don Barnes was back on track after .his holidays there was a nip in the air and there was a 5.15 am booking from Morley to the airport. A man who worked for an insurance company was travelling to Geraldton for the day. There were several taxis at the airport waiting for the arrival of the North West flight. Former Premier O’Conner was charged with not handing over a bribe to the Liberal Party. Brian Bourke another former Premier was also on charges as a result of the Royal Commission into the affairs of Government in the late 1980’s. Picked up a man who resided in Victoria going to O’Conner. I took him a couple of days ago, he worked for an Organisational and Developmental company that specialised in training companies for smooth transitions whenever changes took place. He said that a company is a reflection of the person in charge the top persons attitude and personality reflects right down the ranks. Went to the White Gum Valley rank and listened to gentleman George handing out the work on the Fremantle channel. Took two women who enjoyed the music on ABC FM the classical station I always listen to. Took a man and his portable telephone from Claremont to North Perth. He tried four calls in vain and the fifth call he got through. He said he’d been to Manhattan and had to cover eight cities in nine days. He was explaining how he would approach a subject and how he would call at certain times of the day so as not to be too abrasive. He was an expert in Public Relations. On 13th May 1993 it was very cool and I was on the Morley rank at 4.40 am. The interstate buses were now mostly coming into the East Perth rail terminal. It was a good idea and it would be sensible if all tours and expresses started from this central location, for no outlay there were all facilities. Picked up a woman who worked for Qantas going to Fiji for five days. She said the company had put off 1800 employees in readiness for the sale of the company. Next fare was a man going to the airport from High Wycombe. He was going to Kalgoorlie for a few days. He was resentful having to get up so early for the flight. Next was a man who originally came from Zimbabwe. He said he’d left many years ago and could only take $17 with him when he left. He lost his home and everything he owned, his daughter lived in Perth and she sponsored him otherwise he would have had to stay there “An economic prisoner like so many others” he said. Picked up the crew of the Indian Pacific going to their city motel, there were 60 people travelling out of 144 berths. Wasn’t worth going back to the terminal with so few on the train so I went down towards Fremantle and ended up on the Mosman Park rank behind another car. Almost two hours on the rank and I picked up a woman who complained about Australia and boosted Saudi Arabia. I was asked by her to turn at a no right turn which I declined in fact it was nice to see the end of her perhaps in Saudi Arabia. I had plenty of time for reading “The Timeless land “ by Eleanor Dark. Eventually I went to the Myaree rank and picked up a local shopping job and then a couple in Myaree going to the airport. They had been to a wedding in Margaret River and the wedding and reception was held at a new guest. Next I picked up a woman who wanted to go to Forrestfield. She asked if I was married and asked me several times if I would like a drink or something to eat. She asked for a street in Forrestfield that didn’t exist. I found the street in the neighbouring suburb and she agreed that was the street she was looking for. “Yes that’s the street where my brother lives” she said, we went down the street and there were no houses there. Eventually we made our way back to the shops and she asked me to wait for her. “I’ll bet yu drive off “ she said “No I certainly wont” was my reply as I looked at the twenty dollars on the meter. She came back after a few minutes and she threw a packet of Minties on the passengers seat “Give them to your wife and kids “she said. “Thanks” I replied I took 58 her back to where we started. On 14th May 1993 I drove down to the Morley rank at 4.40 Am and as I approached the Morley lights the police van went straight through a red light and got out to make a withdrawal from the ATM. It would have cost me $100 if I did it in front of them. Got a job from the street behind where I live a young woman who worked for the Main Roads and was going to Derby for a couple of days. We were talking about the emergency vehicles roaring around our streets last night in the late hours. Next was a job from Highgate to the airport a man going to Adelaide for a few days. Next job was an address in West Perth where a car driven by a young person was doing burn outs in the street and public car park. I couldn’t go in to pick up so I told the base and they rang the police. The car stalled and they couldn’t get it going again so two slightly drunk males got into the taxi and wanted to go to Nedlands and Dalkeith. The operator wanted me to give more details of the burn outs for the police and I had to tell her that it was impossible for me to comment under these circumstances. I asked them if they knew who owned the Valiant doing the burn outs and one said “I was kissing a bird and I don’t know what was going on” Next fare was a man who lived in Kuala Lumpa. He was born in Northampton and grew up on a farm, did his schooling at Claremont and got a degree at university and when he started work as a company consultant, went to Hong Kong and then Malaysia. His wife had a good job whilst in Hong Kong but not so good in Malaysia. He said the five year term of the present King will soon be up and the remaining nine Sultans will elect a new King for a five year period. Next job was a difficult job to pick up, it was in Walcott street Mount Lawley and as it was 8.0 Am and difficult to park on the street I pulled onto the grass verge. I took the man to the city. Got a station wagon job to the airport. A family of four who had savoured the delights of the South West and also in Broome and were heading back to Werribee in Victoria near Geelong. Stayed at the airport and picked up a couple going to Bayswater and then to the Casino perhaps, the perhaps didn’t eventuate and they got out in Bayswater. Behind a long line of cars on the Morley rank. On 17th May 1993 the first job was a job going from Dianella to Doubleview. The woman told me that five of her friends had cancer and two had already died. We agreed that stress and diet were prime factors in causing cancer. Next job was from Doubleview to the airport I was close to the job and knocked on the door softly and put the luggage in the boot. The man was going to Adelaide and he wasn’t too happy to be up today. Next job was a man going to Broken Hill for a week. He worked for a foreign company that sold mining equipment. he said there was very little mining equipment manufacturers in Australia with all the mining that takes place except a manufacturer in Tasmania that takes the best from all the machines and made equipment suitable for local mining. Only trouble was there was a long order list and a long wait for the equipment,. On Wednesday 19th May 1993 Marlene was diagnosed with Pneumonia. I had been doing a bit of work around the house in a poor fashion in comparison to Marlene ( I’m just a clumsy useless housewife ) Came out at 4.40 Am and took a man to the chicken factory in Osborne park. Next a young future executive for a food chain starting in the early hours and long hours would give him a position as an executive with the company Next a job from Stirling to the airport. A young man going to Leinster to check a two way radio operation installed a month or so ago. He had no shoes or socks and his mum was running around getting his clothes ready. He said.“ I slept in I think the alarm clock was turned down by me or something” as he pulled his socks on. “Where would you be without your mum.“ I said. We had an interesting conversation about where he was going and apparently the company can only install two lines because of the Jindalee over the horizon radar system being installed in the area. He liked the taxi and was impressed by the ride and condition of the car. When we got to the airport I helped him in with all his equipment. Steve was laying down the law to a car that didn’t pick up a job previously. The winter rain pattern was starting and the farmers were starting to sew their winter cereals and other crops. Picked up a woman who had worked in maternity for thirty years, starting in Scotland then Canada and then to the King Edward Memorial hospital. She didn’t know how many babies she had a hand in delivering. 59 Got a job from the Service department of a car dealer in Morley. Charlie also got a job so he picked up and I missed out. Went back to the rank and they called again, the man was inside when I was there and didn’t come out the first time. Got a job from the Noranda area to the airport. A couple going to Adelaide for a week. I cleaned the taxi at the airport. A woman went to Helena Valley to pick up her car she had left there. She had a job share and worked at the Argyle mine near Kununurra working one week and had six weeks off. She lived in Darlington in the home of the mistress of a Mr Mills a pioneer biscuit manufacturer in the state. 20th May 1993 started at 5.00 am did two short jobs to the airport. Next was a Japanese tour guide to meet a Qantas flight from Japan. There were 174 people on the flight and three taxis were used. Most people were Japanese tourists on the flight they were met by a Japanese tour guide and stayed in Japanese hotels and the majority of places they visited were Japanese owned whilst the people paid $10000 for the once in a lifetime holiday. Picked up a woman in Morley who discussed a local dentist who was bad at his work and bad on the customers bank balance. We were wondering how long it would be before he would be caught up with. Did a lot of running around with the children although Marlene’s pneumonia was improving. A Taxi Control board inspector got in the taxi at the East Perth rail terminal. He was new on the job and I told him not to be so serious about his job. On 21st May 1993 I went to the Inglewood rank there was a man who had walked out from the Gairdner Hospital that the people from the hospital told us to look out for, he was in a dressing gown so he would be easy to identify. Took a couple and dog from Mount Lawley to the airport. They were from Koorda in the wheat belt and visiting their son in Broome. Their son wanted a male blue heeler to accompany him on his long truck journeys through the North West of the state. The dog was a beautiful animal about eight weeks old. The man said this was the first opportunity in forty years for him to get away and relax away from the farm as he now leased the farm and was looking forward to see his son and the family. Next job was a man who worked for a Darwin company and was travelling back home. He had been in Darwin since 1957 and was in Queensland when Cyclone Tracy struck. It was three months before he could get back home. Picked up a prostitute in Bayswater going home from a night of work. She told me she enjoyed night shift better because her clients were younger and had more money. She tried working day shift but the clients were mostly pensioners and old men so she changed. It was her birthday today and she was going to enjoy herself. The people of Cambodia were voting today, there were many Australian troops in the Country monitoring and watching the elections. John Pilger did a documentary last week indicating the elections would be a disaster because of the Kmer Rouge and the number of land mines throughout the country. Picked up a woman on crutches in Cottesloe who hurt her leg outside her flats and wanted to get it checked out. Her father was a doctor and advised her to get it seen to. She went to the University at Joondalup and needed to drive so she wanted to get it right. Got a new fan belt fitted the RAC fitted the previous belt which was fitted incorrectly so I replaced it and stopped the continual noise. Picked up from West Perth to Claremont a regular elderly woman who had an operation on her back and previously could hardly walk, she now after a daily swim and determination walked without any assistance albeit slowly. Picked up a woman waiting at the Coles parcel pick up at Cottesloe shops, she told me she had been waiting over an hour for the taxi and the woman in the shops had rang back three times for her. It was a test in Public relations for me as the woman had a legitimate complaint although the position of the parcel pick up was a difficult place to get to and new drivers in the industry found it difficult, I explained to her the situation and told her to ring back more often until the taxi arrived. I had been in the area for about an hour and was without work. Picked up a Qantas flight steward going from a city hotel to North Perth. He had a large clay pot with him, he’d got it in Harare and all he paid was some old singlets and clothes as there was a shortage of the like in the country and there was a demand for these. He said he has had a good look around Africa as he got four days off on these flights and generally travelled around. He got jet lag occasionally and did exercises which helped to contain it. Picked up a butcher who has been in the industry for four years and now worked for a 60 national food chain. He normally worked at Belmont with four other butchers but today they sent him to Dianella. On 24th may 1993 I was on the Morley rank at 4.45 AM. Steve was operating this morning he was sensible this morning maybe it was because it was towards the end of his shift. Don Barnes was probably sick. Picked up a man from the Drug and Alcohol Authority going to the airport. He was going to the North West for a few days. There were three kegs in his neighbours backyard which I commented about. He said. “ They didn’t invite us over either, the normal way of keeping neighbours quiet”. Next was a fare from West Perth to Dianella. Two cars were ordered and my fare got out on the Dianella rank. Next was the prostitute going from Maylands to Bayswater. She said she woke up yesterday and was preparing to go to work and realised it was Sunday and didn’t have to work at all, so she went back to bed. Got a job in Maylands to the airport the previous car had a flat battery and I offered to help him but it was the starter motor that was playing up and there was little I could help him with. Next I got a job in Bayswater. There was a light on inside, the front door was wide open and in the morning darkness I was walking towards the front door on a long footpath. As I got half way down the footpath a stark naked woman walked the length of the hallway towards me and into a room at the front of the house on the left. She didn’t know I was there as it was dark outside. I walked away from the house back towards the taxi knowing she certainly wouldn’t want me immediately. I knew she would have heard my footsteps so I decided to walk again towards the front door. I knocked and asked If she wanted a taxi in a rather embarrassed voice. She said “Yes um I mean no I’ve cancelled the taxi.” I gingerly walked back to the taxi, told Don Barnes the operator that the fare was cancelled, he said he was trying to call me as a cancellation had come through. Next I took a man from Maylands to the taxi depot in Bayswater he drove taxis from a taxi pool there and had his young son with him. Took a woman from a home for mentally disabled people in North Perth. She took a urine specimen which we put in the rear of the car which spilt, so I had to go home and disinfect the car. Picked up a man from Graylands mental hospital to Lemnos hospital the hospital for war veterans, he had an escort and the poor old man was very old and weak and had to be lifted out of the taxi into a wheel chair. On 25th May 1993 I picked up a man going to the airport from Dianella. He was going to Karratha for a fortnight working on a well head near the gas platform. Next was a man who worked for Telecom going to Karratha to work on the paging system from the on shore facility to the off shore gas platform. Next was an address in Wembley, a man was awoken by my knocking he was going to Kalgoorlie by bus. He had woken at 3.15 AM and fell back to sleep, and then slept through the alarm. He originally came from Mackay in Queensland but was now working in Kalgoorlie. When we got to the East Perth Terminal the Indian Pacific was still waiting at the platform it was suppose to leave at 1.30 PM yesterday but it was still waiting on the platform. I was told that they were protesting about the closure of the railway workshops in Midland and that there was only one person on strike holding up the train. The passengers were flown to Adelaide in the morning. Picked up an English couple who had been in Australia over forty years. They had been back once to Britain and didn’t like it. One grandson went over and came back telling them the weather was grey the cities were grey and the people were grey and they were confounded by Britain joining the common market “only “ They said “To subsidise the French farmers. On 26th May 1993 the first job was from Redcliffe to Welshpool a woman I’d picked up before. She had a bike with her and it was unsafe to ride at this time of day, her bike was a light weight racer. She worked at a place where they take food around to factories during the day. Don Barnes was operating today he’d had a couple of days off and was back at it today. At 5 AM Steve went onto the radio and gave Don Barnes a rest, Don’s ulcer must have been playing up. Went to the East Victoria Park rank and a man got in the taxi with a can of beer in his hand and wanted to go to Bayswater. I told him from the outset that he couldn’t drink in the taxi which he accepted. He said that he was trying for his driver’s license for the third time after 61 loosing it twice for drink driving. He had to submit blood tests as samples before they would accept him and also had to pass a kidney test. Today the 25th May 1994 it was 8.12 am and I continued my diary after the taxi system went over to the modern system of computers. There was a lot of damage around Perth from the worst storm to hit the city for two decades. I picked up a man from the Perth city station rank who was elderly and wanted to go to the Perth Dental hospital. He had a voucher from the Government that gave him a fifty per cent subsidy because he was unable to catch public transport. He was very nervous and needed to be reassured where he was and I took him into the hospital and showed him the reception. Next fare was an Englishman travelling from the Parkroyal motel to an aluminium fabrication plant in O’Conner. He enjoyed listening to the classical music and asked where he could tune into it on the radio. As we travelled along we could see the damage from the storm last night. The man was saying that the landing of the aircraft was aborted twice whilst coming in because of windshear. There was a successful landing on the third attempt. When the man got out there was a large tree down in the yard of the factory. Next job was a man who travelled locally in Coolbellup. There were no personalities now to listen to on the two way. We viewed the computer screen and plotted into any area. With few exceptions we didn’t have to be sitting on a taxi rank if the computer recognised us first on a rank then it gave us the job. The personalities of the operators had gone there was no more Steve or Don to listen to continually and the broadcast radio had taken over the noise in the taxi. It was difficult and strange at first but in the interests of the public especially, it led to a lot better and more efficient system. Up to twelve areas could be viewed simultaneously as to the number of taxis in the areas and the number of jobs waiting, the falling off of cars on a rank could be viewed and the rising numbers could be seen. It was possible to get a personal message and to look at the arrival times of aircraft. A job was given from the street directory and the coordinates were given so no wasted time was used by the operator in spelling the street and instructions could be scrolled out on the computer screen to make the pick up easier.If a job wasn’t picked up in the prescribed time or if cars were not available to cover outlying work the computer screen gave warnings in the base room. There was less time wasted in punishing drivers for not being physically on a rank and a taxi would not be able to take another taxis fare as the only person to receive a job was the taxi who was sent. Personal messages could be sent and traffic problems and radar traps disclosed. It was a wet day in Fremantle today a little wind and a predicted temperature of 17 Celsius. The Station taxi rank had a Moreton bay fig that encroached onto the rank, either the taxi rank or the tree would have to be shifted in time I hoped the former. There were many seagulls drifting around the rank scavenging and looking for a hand out from people with an odd scrap to throw their way and many people walking to and from the railway station. It was 9.35 Am and checking the computer screen told me there were no jobs off the rank in the last hour and I was first car on the rank. An English woman got in who had four minutes to get to the East Street ferry terminal. Got her there easily. Next was a job in Hilton Park from the Action supermarket going to Hamilton Hill. Went to Hamilton Hill and. waited opposite the shops. Took a couple from Hamilton Hill to the Fremantle Hospital. Took a position on the Gibney rank outside Gibney Dry cleaners in Fremantle and listened to Margaret Throsby interviewing Ruth Cracknell on ABC Radio. Picked up a woman in Alfred Cove who had a daughter living with her and another living in Canberra. She had lived all over Australia as her husband was a captain on the Australian National Line. She hoped to move back to Sydney as she had many friends she has made over there. There were about thirty police combing the grass and area around Glyde Street Mosman Park as there was a murder at a gem shop and they were looking for clues. There appeared to be nothing of value stolen and a description of a suspect was circulated by a passer by who saw someone suspicious. A police van was parked outside the premises and the crime scene was fenced off. Parked at the Kardinya shops. Adelaide today had our blistery weather we had yesterday and if it is any consolation the sun was shining today and it should be a pleasant day for Adelaide tomorrow Took a woman home to Hilton Park. She lost her husband two months ago after a long illness. She missed him even though it was a strain on her towards the end, she still heard him of a night telling her to put the blankets on. She had been married for 42 years, he died 62 intestate, she was trying to get access to $50000 he had in a bank account which he got from the Government for war service. Her children told her to put him in a home years ago as he was a burden on her but she was determined to stick to him. She was now paying the price with her health. The outlying ranks were not moving and I meandered towards the city and joined the cars on the Town Hall rank in Perth. The State Emergency Service director said on radio that yesterday’s passing storm was three times more devastating than Cyclone Alby that crossed in 1978. Of course there were a less people in Perth then. The same group of drivers frequent the Town Hall rank and like cats some feel infrequent users like me are an impost to their property. The passing parade was nice. A woman got in and went to the corner of Brewer and Lord Streets in East Perth. Went to the East Perth Rail terminal. Picked up a railway employee who worked in human resources going to a conference. He said he had drawn the short straw and had to attend the conference at a city hotel. Went back to the Town Hall rank and took a woman to Mounts Bay road and then went to the Parmelia hotel rank and took a South African family to a motel in East Perth. Heard a strange noise coming from the taxi, stopped and checked the car out and couldn’t detect any problem. Went further along and the noise went. There was light drizzle on the roads and I drove around to the Murray street rank as the Town Hall rank was full. Took a young man from the rank to Inglewood. He was interested in electronics and was going to a friends house to help with a problem with one of his computers. He was in seismic work and worked twelve hours on and twelve hours off whilst at work. He was also on call for the times he was off duty. He enjoyed the work and not a lot went wrong but sometimes he had only minutes to fix a problem or the survey could shut down for hours. There was a country bus due at the East Perth Terminal but I got a radio job as I arrived. A woman who was a volunteer for St Vincent De Paul wanted to go home .She did voluntary work two days a week. On 26th May 1994 I was on the Dianella rank about 5 AM. The operator called me personally and asked if I could do an airport job from Ballajura. Of course I accepted I picked up a Chinese man who said he’d booked the taxi last night and it hadn’t turned up. These were teething problems obviously with the computer where there was no record of his call. I managed to get him to the airport on time and advised him to call the company when he returned and they would look into it for him. Next job was a job from a backpackers in Northbridge to Gosnells. There were three males and a girl sitting in the front next to me. The girl was so relaxed she seemed to be floating on a cloud and eventually in their conversation I realised that it was the Tequila given to her that made her so relaxed. They got out at a house in Gosnells and I immediately got a job from Gosnells to the airport. A man who originally came from Latrobe in Victoria was working on the “Rankin A” gas platform managed by Woodside petroleum off Karratha. He was temporarily staying in Gosnells and was in the process of buying a house in Rockingham and selling his house in Victoria. We were talking about the origins of European descendants in Australia and he was saying that the Seventh day Adventist church had a concise history of European names. If an exact date of birth of a relative can be found from the last century then the church can trace the ancestry right back to its roots. Next was a woman who was going to Mount Lawley. She had two cars that she couldn’t use. The newest one had electronic locks that she couldn’t free and was blocking in her older car. She was agitated as she had a language shop in Mount Lawley and needed transport for the day to travel to schools. Next a request for a station wagon from a Chinese student conveying his friends, luggage and a push bike from Guildford Road Maylands to Nedlands. Next fare was a couple from South Australia who were over to attend a golden wedding anniversary. All the wedding party including the bridesmaids were there and the woman had sung at the original wedding but doubted if she would be singing this time. Next a woman going to “Silver city” the Education Department in East Perth. She was a bit worried as she only had four dollars, I told her not to worry. She said there was a section of glass that fell to the ground yesterday from the building, it was lucky there were no people as it was a busy section of the building. On Friday 27th May 1994 I was up at 4.0 Am awoken by our four year old Phillip wanting to go to the toilet. The first job was a truck driver going from Ballajura to Kewdale. His own truck was having 63 the roadranger gearbox repaired. He said he earned between $550 and $650 per day and worked almost fourteen hours a day seven days a week. He was tired yawning all the time and it was obvious that he was not absorbing all I was saying as he was repeating questions to me. The company he worked for had its headquarters in Houston Texas and would be driving a company truck today only working twelve hours and would be earning a lot less money. Next job was a job in East Victoria Park in Creaton Street going to Carlisle. When I arrived the lights weren’t on and I was reluctant to knock on the door. I waited outside and at the booked time the lights came on and a man came out and got in the taxi and ignored my greeting to him and mumbled that he wanted to go to the Oats street railway station. He paid in small change and didn’t reply to my thanks. I drove to the city and ended up at the East Perth Rail terminal as there was a Greyhound bus due. I heard on the news that the bad weather had now reached Tasmania and was causing havoc in Hobart. They were expecting a maximum of 13 degrees Celsius. Picked up an Aboriginal woman and her three siblings travelling to Mirrabooka. They had travelled on the bus from Carnarvon where they had attended the funeral of their grandfather who had died aged 66 years. There was to be an art exhibition at their school and the boy sitting next to me was quite talented in art showing some of his work and when they got out I told the boy to make sure he continued his road in art as he was talented and had a bright future. I drove to the Morley rank admiring the beautiful colour of the clouds bathed in a deep red glow from the rising sun. Picked up a man from Embleton going to the city. There was a sign post pointing down a footpath that said Renas walk. I asked if he knew what that meant and he said that it was a walk that was named after a resident of the area who incessantly lobbied and petitioned the council for a footpath alongside the golf links to the nearby shops. They not only built the path they named it after her. Next was a woman who lived in a block of Government flats in Subiaco and was travelling to a hairdressers house in South Perth. The same hairdresser had been doing her hair for the last 45 years. When the wind came a couple of days ago she said her kitchen window was blown out and she was trying to shift from the flat as she got strong winds in that area of her flat but it was difficult to move as there was a three year waiting list for accommodation. She was a very nervous lady. Next was a couple who were staying at their daughters flat in Maylands. They were from Geraldton and were travelling to the Mount Hospital. They were awe-struck by the one way system of streets in Perth and felt it would be impossible for them to find their way around the city Picked up a woman from the rail terminal, she came down on the Prospector from Merredin She was a regular traveller to Perth and went to a former brothel in Monger street where she purchased fashion clothing for her shop in Merredin, I remember having interesting conversations to her on previous occasions, but she didn’t remember me. Took a woman from the Mount Lawley rank locally, she lived in nice villas constructed by Homeswest which she said she’d have the option of buying in five years and hoped to be able to afford. Went out to the Morley rank and spoke to Colin a taxi owner who was lobbying for a position on the Taxi Control board. Colin was a nice man but I doubt if he’d be elected as there was some intensive lobbying from other candidates. The votes were to be countered next week. I picked up a television journalist with channel 9 who told me that her car had a lot of damage done to it during the storms and winds with a garage door banging against it. Today she had four changes of clothes and her destination was Northam by helicopter to talk about the Avon Descent and then to Cottesloe where she was doing a documentary. I went back to the Dianella rank and in front of me was a former cheater who had an unenviable reputation for giving false positions and taking other taxis fares. Well, this time with the computer I got a job before him a woman going from Dianella to Morley shops. I got a blasting from a young man in a ute for dropping the poor old dear at a walkway. He could have gone around me but chose to blast me instead. If he lived as long as me he’ll mellow and get some compassion I suppose. I went back to the Morley rank and spoke to Kim an owner who said he was leasing his plates as he couldn’t afford a new car and was going back to carpentry. I did a lot of work around the Morley shops the old people were not too happy about the construction of the new shopping centre and the inconvenience it was causing. The general consensus was that if you are blessed with a car then it was easy to get to the shops if you 64 had no car then it was difficult to get around and get to their public transport to and from the shops. From the outset the new Morley shopping centre was built to be car friendly and people with shopping trolleys or bikes or walking ran out of path. I was sent to a fare at the Dianella rank a fare going to the Casino. When I arrived the fare had gone. I drove into the city and picked up a woman by the name of Snowfoot going to Mount Lawley. She told me her husbands ancestors had come to Australia before the first World War and as they were of German decent and the war was looming they had changed their name to Snowfoot to avoid internment. I picked up a man and took him to Nollamara. He was preparing for a party and his wife would be driving out later. He said his wife didn’t drink so she would drive them both home. The reason she didn’t drink was that three years ago she was at a party and she drank three quarters of a bottle of whisky which made her unconscious and very sick and she decided never to drink again. On 30th May 1994 I was out of bed at 4.00 am. It was difficult after a nice weekend at home even though it was wet and windy. The first job this morning was from Herbert street Shenton Park to Bayswater. A man who worked as an accountant for fifteen years and now drove a truck for himself from a quarry in Toodyay to Perth with building blocks. He decided he wanted a change from the accountancy and working for a large company so he invested in the truck. He said the truck he purchased had done 750000 kilometres and it was not due for a major overhaul until a million kilometres. Next I got a job from Tranby on Swan in Maylands going to the airport. The man was surprised to see me four minutes before the job was due. He was catching a plane to Kalgoorlie and from there he was picking up a ute and then driving to a mine site over 400 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. He said he’d be away about two months. Next was a woman from Almondbury road Mount Lawley to the airport. She was going to Adelaide for a couple of days and worked for Telecom. I went home after this and stayed home for the rest of the day as Marlene was unwell. We have only been computerised a couple of weeks and there was a lot more work early in the morning. The computer took the top car in the stack whereas before there was a lot of cheating of positions which I wouldn’t participate in. Those who had the reputations of cheats were the biggest complainers of the new computer system. On Tuesday 31st May 1994 I was on the Morley rank at 4.10 am and was only able to work a short while as Marlene was unwell. Got the first job from an address in Nollamara going to Osborne Park I got there and knocked on the door at three minutes to five, the woman came out and holding her watch up told me she would be out at 5 am the prearranged time. She came from New Zealand three months ago and worked at a chicken factory eight hours a day and cleaned the homes of wealthy people after these hours. She enjoyed working for the wealthy people best and had a young flat mate that took her children to school and looked after the children when she wasn’t there. Next job was a couple going to the airport and going to Broome for a holiday. They said this was their first holiday for two years. There was a conference that just finished in Broome and there were special deals for flights to get the planes up to pick up the people from the conference. Next job was a prostitute going to work in Bayswater. She hoped today wasn’t as quiet for her as it was yesterday. Then I picked up two males who were dressed up as females who had been to a night club in Leederville. It was cool this morning and was beginning to drizzle On Wednesday 1st June 1994 I was up at 4 am. The first job was a man going from Mount Lawley to the airport. He was working six weeks on and then getting one week off. He worked at a gold mine and it was raining as we approached the airport. I drove towards the city and ended up sitting on the West Perth rank. I got a job from Nicholson road Subiaco to the airport. The man worked for a mining company and he was going to Temora in New South Wales to work on a mine site there for his company. He was flying direct to Sydney then to Wagga and then hiring a car to take him to the mine site in Temora. He hadn’t been to Sydney for fourteen years and was looking forward to spend a weekend in Sydney on the way back and have a look at the sights. Next was a man going from Inglewood to Beechboro. He said it cost him $60-$70 a week on taxis getting around but it was a lot more economical than owning a car. He worked in a smaller supermarket and learnt all facets of supermarkets and was experienced in all areas so he did the equivalent of a manager’s job. 65 The winter weather pattern was with us and as it was pension day .We were fairly busy on the taxi the pensioners travel home with their fortnightly groceries in the taxi. Some of the old people went to the casino today. I took a woman to the casino who saw a Chinese man lose at least $6000 on roulette whilst she made a modest $20. Took a man from Maylands to the airport. He was going to an island near Barrow island on an exploration rig and worked three weeks on and three off. On 2nd June 1994 I picked up a man just after 5.0 Am from a service station near the Buttercup Bakery in Malaga. He worked all night at the bakery on the ovens and was going back home to Dianella. Next job was Mr Massey a regular of ours who caught a taxi every morning into the city for many years he worked for a financial institution and originally came from Launceston Tasmania. We had exchanged many cordial conversations about Tasmania and his family and about mine as Marlene originally came from near Launceston. Always a pleasure to have in the taxi. Next was a couple from Kambalda going back to the airport they were passing through Perth on their way back home on their annual holidays. Went to the East Perth rail terminal and waited for the arrival of the Indian Pacific. It arrived on time and there were few people on board. An elderly woman came out and got in the taxi. She had a look of sourness on her face and when asked how she enjoyed the trip she said she had been over and back and the trip over was O.K. and on the return journey it was all right until Adelaide and the food was good except for sweets “We got that Sara Lee rubbish from the packets “ I dropped her in South Perth. I drove back to Mount Lawley for the next job. It was raining a lot and quite cold for Perth. Took a man to the Gairdner hospital, he was a heavy smoker and wanted to buy cigarettes on the way. Next was a girl who worked for Woolworths in Mount Hawthorne. She wasn’t sure what time she would work to today staying until they wanted her no longer. Next was to a young woman in Mount Hawthorne going to the Perth Concert hall. She played the violin and originally came from Adelaide. She went for an interview with the West Australian Symphony orchestra and was successful. Her father paid the fare over and the orchestra would refund the fare if she stayed a certain time. She was playing music with the orchestra by the Finish composer Jean Sibelius and there was a Russian Conductor with the orchestra at the present time. It was interesting talking about the different conductors and their different personalities and idiosyncrasies. She enjoyed very much working with the present conductor. Next was an elderly woman going from Carinya retirement village in Menora to Doubleview. She originally lived on Doubleview but after retiring in Menora found herself making trips back to her old stamping ground visiting doctors and today her old dentist. Next job was the Innaloo shops. The fare had gone. Picked up a man in Mount Hawthorne who had his young son looked after by a nanny. He and his wife paid $600 a fortnight for her to stay with them. He was a pleasant man and I’d taken him before in the taxi, he worked for the Health Department and was off to Canberra until Saturday. Joined a long queue at the airport at 11 Am and at midday took two women from Lilydale Victoria to new apartments at Scarborough beach called Observation Rise, my first trip there. They were over for a surprise party this coming weekend and had taken advantage of the cheap fares being offered by the airlines. Next a woman pensioner was having her day out for the fortnight getting on the train at Stirling railway station and seeing her friends for lunch in the city. Next was an elderly man and his wife who had just done the shopping, the man looked as though he had a stroke but with grim determination he was accompanying his wife with the shopping as he had always done since they were first married. The local shops and work was slowing down and I drove towards the city. There was a long queue on the City Station rank so I turned into a near city rank and picked up a man wanting to go to the Health Department in East Perth. The Town Hall rank was over flowing with cars so I went to the Murray street rank. On Friday 3rd June 1994 I got the first job whilst in the driveway at home .A woman I’d picked up before several times who worked at Bakewell pies that has been baking pies in the Morley area for many years. She wasn’t too happy with the amount of work she was required to do as the overtime was mainly worked in the winter and they wanted her to work 66 last weekend which she declined saying she needed the weekends off to get over the overtime she was working during the weekdays. The tax man was also taking a large share or her overtime which she wasn’t pleased with. Next a man going to the Perth Flight centre to fly to Leinster for between a few days and a few weeks depending on how long it took to do the job required. Next job was from the Perth college boarding house I reluctantly woke the house mistress and asked for the name of the student. The house mistress was a lovely woman to the student who had slept in and was very understanding of her sleep in. The student apologised as she left and the house mistress told her not to worry as she had to get the rowers up anyway. The student was going to Broome to surprise her seven year old sister who was having her birthday tomorrow. Her mother and father were living apart her father had a road house which had been in the family for 20 years and her mother lived in Broome. Next a station wagon was needed in Morley going to the airport. A family were going to Melbourne for a holiday Next was a prostitute returning home after a nights work. She stayed at a backpacker’s hostel in East Perth and had been all over Australia. She had just come down from Newman where she had been staying with her boyfriend. She preferred to do the sitting (ushering customers in and out and collecting the money) than to work as a prostitute. She said after tax a couple of nights ago she earned only forty dollars. Next was a man who I often picked who looks like an actor Ryan O’Neil. I always enjoyed picking him up and we always talked about many and varied subjects. Picked up a woman going from Mount Lawley to East Perth. She was doing a course in training people and was a little worried as she had to give a talk to her peers as part of the course today. I wished her luck and told her not to worry. She was not very concerned about the cool weather as she had a water bed heated to twenty seven degrees. Drove to Bayswater and picked up a man from Jenkins Springs in Bayswater going to Como. He intended driving across Australia via Alice Springs and Ayers rock and on to Longreach to see the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas museum nearby. He got extra leaves in the springs and a better suspension. He had seen a lot of Australia and liked the reliability of the diesel engines, as long as the batteries were efficient he said. Picked up a couple and the woman’s mother going from Como to the Perth Railway station They had a car that broke down in Busselton and had to leave it there to get repaired last weekend. They were going on the train to retrieve it. Two women went into Perth looking for a couple of hours they worked for Mercy hospitals in Albury and Newcastle and were here for a meeting being held at the Mount Lawley hospital. A woman went to the Court Wine Bar to meet a friend. She would have been a pretty sight in her younger days with her flowing red hair and was very tall. She was originally from New Zealand and was meeting her girlfriend at the wine bar at 10.30 am. She was surprised I could tell her accent after nine years in Australia. Three Aboriginal women and a crying baby got in on the Town hall rank. The woman with the crying baby got in next to me and the crying reached a crescendo until there was a sudden stop when the woman removed her breast and pushed it to the baby’s mouth. A woman I took from Mount Lawley to Perth was saying she had a strange taxi driver last week, she even took out her long nail file if she needed it for self protection as she had to go down a lane and was worried by his manner and driving. She thought he may do something to her. I told her to let the company know immediately next time. A woman went from the casino to Leeming. She said she had lost thousands at the casino and never told her husband and saved up until she had enough for her day out. She was buoyed by an occasional win and would like to break the habit. On 6th June 1994 I was in the taxi at 5 am. A young enterprising man originally from Busselton got in the taxi and went to Balga. He was unable to get a job in Busselton so he moved to Perth got a job and got a loan for a house in Clarkson. Next was a woman going from Floreat to the rail terminal. She was catching the bus to Mullewa in the wheat belt to stay with her daughter. Her husband was coming up to play bowls in Geraldton and would travel back with him. She would help her daughter in the house whilst they did the seeding of the cereal crop on their farm. Today was Foundation day. There were a lot of tour buses leaving the city for the long weekend and in Normanby there was a celebration and a re enactment of the allied landing that was the final blow to Hitler in the second World War. Parked on the Town Hall rank there was little work about and I drove out to Maylands in desperation looking for work. I picked up a woman who with her grand daughter was going 67 to see the little girl’s mother. They were catching a bus at the East Perth Rail terminal and the little girl was upset as she had left a fridge magnet on the fridge she had made for her mother. It wasn’t far to return to but the grandmother was adamant that she was not going to return. There was a “rage” in Malaga where I picked up going to Bayswater. The young man I’d rather have driven away from but he was in the car and I was in a no win position and had to take him. He was obviously affected by drugs and had no common sense or conversation in him. He was in a state of limbo not knowing what he was likely to do. I certainly didn’t show any fear that he could detect I just drove as quickly as possible to Bayswater and had the computer ready on the menu to press a button and let the base know of my concerns and they would send assistance. He checked his wallet and I could see some notes and then he changed his destination and he got out in a street in Maylands. As he got out he ignored my thanks and went into a block of flats in a floppy walk. Next were a couple from Gosford in New South Wales from the city to Noranda going to visit a brother and brother in law for the day as they were returning on the midnight flight tonight and wanted to fill in the day. He taught all his life was security conscious and the brother they were visiting was very lackadaisical and was a heavy gambler all his life. Next was a man in a wheel chair travelling to the city to visit his sister that he hadn’t seen for twenty years. He was reticent about using the Government subsidy book, I told him not to worry and use it as he was deserving of it. Parked on the Bennet Street rank and fell asleep. A man came along and woke me up getting into the taxi. He wanted to go to South Perth pick up some tablets for his gout and then to Belmont races where he worked. He was suppose to take tablets daily which would prevent the gout but he forgot and it got on top of him .He could feel it coming on so he got the tablets. He was visibly relieved when he got into the taxi with the tablets and said he’d have a good day now. When he got out to do his work for the bookmaker I said “Take some advise from a mug and don’t forget to take those tablet daily.” “O.K. mate I’ll do my best” We both knowing that it was an impossible task for him. Went to Carlisle and picked up two elderly men going to the races. They talked about how crime had increased and how the perpetrators of crime were being treated with little punishment and the victim being forgotten and the social workers enjoying a feast. Drove to the Town Hall rank and picked up a Japanese man going to the Edith Cowan University at Churchlands. He was difficult to understand even though he tried conversation, and I tried to listen to him, I repeated the University name to him several times making sure we were going to the right place. At the City station a woman and her grandmother got in. The grandmother was very sprightly and the daughter unwell with a very bad leg. The grandmother was obviously nursing the grand daughter and looking after her. They got out in Joondanna and I drove back to the city. Got a job from the Sunday Times a journalist going to see her other half at Channel 9. She asked me if I’d mind waiting for her whilst she went into the studios. When she returned she was a lot more jovial and obviously they’d resolved some difficulty. I parked to the City Station rank and was waiting there when a man walked into the front of the taxi and then into the aerial and plopped on the front seat saying. “Graylan Graylan Graylan” obviously wanting the hospital. I asked for the money and he felt in his pockets and said “I’ll gif it when I git there” “No not for me ” I said and with that he got out and walked across the pedestrian crossing against the traffic lights with cars braking and swerving to avoid him. On 7th June 1994 I was in the taxi about 5 am. I drove down to Mount Lawley and spoke to John Tilley the ex Sydney driver who spent spare time in Moore river where he loved Took a woman from Field street Mount Lawley to the airport. She lived in Bondi, Sydney and was on her way home after working with her husband in Hong Kong and Singapore She gave seminars on “Looking to the future.” and was looking forward to go home and have her own bed and bed lamp. Next a man who had travelled since 10.30 am yesterday in the bus from Exmouth and the time now was 6.30 am. He lived in Manning and described how a tidal wave had hit part of Exmouth about 6.00 am on Friday morning. He could see hundreds of fish on land that were swept in by the tidal wave and one man from a nearby caravan park threw over four hundred fish into the sea that covered a large area. Exmouth wasn’t hit by the wave as the Ningaloo reef protected the town from such a happening. Went to the North Perth rank where a man told me he’d rang for the taxi. Checking with the base I was told to take the man. He said he normally walked to Bedford but was too lazy this 68 morning and when he got to Bedford he would get a lift from a mate to Belmont. It began to rain Next was a job from an ornate house in Mount Lawley a man who smelt a little of alcohol who was going to the city. He was impeccably dressed and went to The Esplanade in Perth. Next was a job in Subiaco a “beware of dogs “ sign was on the front gate so I hurried to the front door knocked and hurried back to the taxi for protection. A woman came out and told me not to worry about the dog signs as the dogs were in the back of the house. She worked at the Princes Margaret hospital and said she was unhappy now that she had to have dogs for protection when it only a few years ago she used to go out and leave the house unlocked. Next job was a prostitute going to stay at her former de facto’s flat as she would be disturbed by the maid at her flat if she slept there. She had moved about lately from Eighth Avenue to the North West and returned to Eighth avenue to live. Next was a job at a block of flats in Mount Lawley. I waited outside until the time ordered and then contacted the base and was about to tell them there was no one there when a couple came out and got into the taxi. The woman apologised for the lateness and we went for a city hotel. She again apologised and I told her not to worry as I got her and that was the main thing. I then paid my taxi license a week late at the Transport Department the clerk didn’t pick up the lateness and took it with no comment. A woman in Cottesloe who had cataracts was a new comer to taxis but was getting used to them. She felt she would be a danger to other road users. Picked up a woman going to the Surf Club cafe in North Fremantle and was hoping for a quieter day after a hectic weekend for the public holiday. Next job was a girl running late for her job in a hurry to catch a train. This was her first day she wanted to be on time and the poor girl had worried about going to sleep and when she eventually got to sleep she had slept through the alarm. Parked on the Fremantle Station rank and was given a radio job in Pakenham Street that was not there when I got there. Went back to the rank and got a seaman going to Berth no 4 at North Quay. Drove slowly to Perth and sat on the Town Hall rank. A man wanted to go to the casino which was a popular destination from this rank. On the way back the Madam of a William street brothel hailed me and went to the Royal Perth hospital. She was always a nice woman and I had picked her husband up before. He always was talkative she was very polite but never liked to engage in conversation. She gave a nice tip as usual. Went to the East Perth Rail Terminal and waited for the late Geraldton bus. I cleaned the taxi whilst waiting. On Wednesday 8th June 1994 The first job was from Highgate to the airport. Next fare was a young man from Traralgon in Victoria, he had only been in Western Australia a week and got a job as soon as he arrived. He worked as a labourer at a concrete moulding plant in Welshpool and there was little work in Victoria. Took a youth who worked at the casino. There were only two cars on the rank so I parked and waited for a fare. After two minutes the door man called to take an American musician from the hotel to the airport. He was a long time loading the big boxes and instruments and I waited for at least ten minutes before we left. His name was Dador and expected me to know him which I didn’t. There were six in the band and they played at the casino and were heading for Victoria to play at venues throughout. Next job I had to wake a grateful man who had over slept in Bayswater going to the airport. After I dropped there was a man hailing me at the airport going to Doubleview. He was returning home to do some work on his house as the plane was delayed. He was renovating his house replacing carpet with tiles and could catch up during the delay. He worked on Barrow Island. Next was a .23 year old woman who worked at a mining town between Perth and Geraldton. She had spent time in Norseman that she hated and time in Leinster that she loved. She made the most of difficult conditions and tried to work against adverse conditions trying to make good these jobs .She had no trouble getting work and had good references and a good reputation for working well. Her boyfriend was in gaol at Casuarina prison and she worked away at these places waiting for him. She said she daren’t sleep with any one in these towns or she’d either have to get married or be called a slut and didn’t want either She went to Perth or Geraldton every couple of weeks to break the monotony the employer paying half which meant it only cost her $25 return a fortnight. A woman went from Highgate to West Perth. She was running late and asked if it would be possible to get to West Perth and collect the mail at Cloisters square by 8.30 am. I said I’d 69 go as fast as possible and we made it with three minutes to spare. A student went to Swanbourne High school to do a Human Biology exam. She studied on the way parts of the eye and seemed confident enough to pass. A woman 77 years old went to the Gairdner hospital to have her plaster changed after she’d broken her arm for the first time in her life. She couldn’t go to her local GP so she was resigned to the fact that she would have to spend a day waiting around the hospital. Took a man to from Highgate to Kiara. He originally came from Victoria and was working on the mines at Tom Price. His job with five others was to clean the shovels of the big earth moving equipment with chemicals to keep them clean for the fitters to work on. He wasn’t too happy with the North West and was looking for another job in mining. A publican went from Maylands to a hotel in Inglewood to open up. He had two pre schoolers with him and brought out two packets of chips for the little boys to eat. He returned home to have a sleep in an effort to get rid of the virus that was afflicting him. Went into the city and talked to another taxi driver about the merits and otherwise of the new computer system. Got a radio job from the Princess motel to the airport. It was slippery and wet going to the airport. There were 27 cars in front of me at 12.23 PM and at 1 PM I got a job going to the City Railway station. The man worked at Karratha and was catching a train to the Warwick train station where he was going to walk about five minutes to his house. There were several taxis on the City Railway station. On Thursday 9th June 1994. At 5.00 AM I parked on the Brisbane Street rank and shortly after two Fire engines with sirens roared through and police pulled up a man who went through a red light and gave the man a breathalyser test. I heard one of the policeman say “The reason you didn’t stop was because of your brakes so I want you to fix them within five days.” At 5.30 I still didn’t have a job so I went to Subiaco and got a job from Derby street to the Perth airport. There was a little girl toddler crying and a young boy named Thomas who told me he was three and almost five. The distraught mother was repairing a fuse wire that had blown in the fuse box. I got all the main luggage into the taxi and put Thomas into the back seat and put the seat belt on him. The dog escaped and the mother was chasing the dog along the street to get it back inside, the toddler was chasing mum down the street and crying and eventually we got everyone into the taxi and got to the airport on time. I took all the heavy pieces of luggage into the check in counter and the mother took the children. Next job was from Subiaco to the International airport, the man was surprised that I was there in five minutes, took the luggage out to the taxi and loaded up. A couple got into the taxi and I suggested a way to go the man said O.K. The woman whispered that it was the long way I suggested to him. I didn’t worry which way to go but I didn’t want to let them know I’d heard her whispering. The man said quite determinedly that it didn’t matter at this time of day so off we went. When we got there she thanked me and was grateful we were there so quickly and I think she knew that I heard what she had said. Picked up a young woman in East Victoria Park going to the casino. She grew up in Launceston Tasmania (where the maximum was 14 degrees today) and worked at the Launceston casino for seven years. She decided to move to Perth and got a job straight away leaving all her family in Launceston. She said the casino in Launceston was as big as the machine area of the Perth casino and she was only employed casual in Launceston and there was not much going for her there. Some have left the Launceston casino to work for the Melbourne casino and when they leave they are not replaced. She felt that people wouldn’t go to Launceston when there was a casino in Melbourne. She commented on the cold weather in Perth and I noticed she was only wearing thin clothes not warm clothes that could block and insulate from the cold weather. Picked up from Oats street railway station going to the airport. A New Zealander who worked in the Argyle diamond mines and was returning to work at Kununurra after his fortnight off. Arriving at the airport at 9.10 Am I picked up a man from the Education Department who had been in Melbourne discussing the installation of education systems via the television set so people from all over the country can get access to a better education system. There were Academics from Universities and schools from all over Australia discussing the system. He said schools would be getting satellite dishes and it would be possible to fax marks and return completed work allowing anyone to get any education they desired as long as they had a television set. Took a woman up from the doctors in Stirling street Perth. She said she was up early this morning about 5.30 am but normally slept in until 11.30 am. She went to bed early and read in bed and sometimes read very late. She was reading a book about a murder in the 70 Bahamas. Picked up from the Town Hall rank a man who worked for a law firm and talked about who we were allowed to refuse in the taxi. I told him of previous occasions where I had refused to pick up and told him the legal position and how the law stood. I drove to the City Station and picked up two women going to the Artificial Limb shop in Leederville. One woman enjoyed the classical music, the other didn’t like it at all. Took two men from an advertising agency went to their office in the city, they had been to a house to view some photographs and were talking of the possibilities of what they could do to change the colour of clothing on people do anything to photographs. They were pretentious the way they were talking about PR phone calls to people, they were impeccably dressed but their conversation about their fellow human beings was out of this world. Went to the City Station rank and picked up an elderly man going to a popular skin specialist in Mount Lawley Dr Dallimore. Took a woman to the Education Department in East Perth and then there was a job in Cowle street West Perth. Knocked on the door and a voice told me to turn the meter on and they would be out. A young couple came out the woman showing cleavage the man dressed almost in rags and they wanted to go to the methadone clinic in William Street. They wanted me to wait for them whilst they took their medicine and take them back to Cowle street. It was none of my business and I couldn’t say anything but these people shouldn’t have been catching taxis they should be buying clothes. They were regular taxi travellers to the clinic and would return and stay at home all the day. Two young men hailed me, they had been drinking in a North Perth hotel with one of their mates for a few hours, they were quite decent a “jolly” pair of drinkers. On 19th June 1994 The first job at 5.30 AM was a woman going from Eden Hill to Perth. She was going on holidays tonight and was working twelve hours all week trying to catch up on her work. She was looking forward to her holidays in Coral bay, was born in Kenya. and had lived all over the world. Next job was a family requesting a station wagon as they were going to Melbourne to live for two years or possibly up to six years. We could only just fit the luggage and people in. Next job was a job to the Alcoa Australia jetty an agent had to be there to supervise the sailing of a load of Nitrate to South Korea. Drove back and couldn’t find a job around Fremantle, ended up at a house in Swanbourne a very nice leafy street and a nice house. A young man came out and told me he rented the house for $200 a week and although the lease didn’t expire until November the house was sold and the new owner wanted to move into the house. He was looking for a similar house to rent around the area, and would Co-operate and move out even though by law he was not required to do so. He enjoyed living there as he could walk down to the Lake Claremont golf course late in the day with an iron and a putter and practise his golf. He was looking for somewhere to live on his own. Next was a pretty young woman with a pretty red coat going from Cottesloe to North Fremantle to pick up some dry cleaning on the way. I commented on the few people who wore coats in Perth and she said that she bought her Australian made coat in Sydney a few years ago and it has been a real boost in the winters in fact she has no trouble at all in winter. She was looking forward to a week in Sydney with her fiancee who was coming from Singapore to spend the week with her. He lived in Singapore and was a shipwright where most of that work was now done. She had acquiesced to a move to Singapore where they would both eventually be together when they married. Parked on the Mosman park rank and took a youth from Mosman park to Dalkeith. Drove along the Highway “fleeing” and ended up on the East Perth Rail terminal rank where I cleaned the car. Had a long wait and then I picked up a prostitute from an escort agency in Edward street going into the city. She was highly critical of her work mates who were too lousy to give her ten dollars each to get one of them a present of an elephant that the workmate had a collection of. She was using a swear word in every sentence and there were no limits to the swear words she was using. Dropped her in William street and went around to the Town Hall rank. Picked up a Mrs Cross who has been catching taxis for as long as I can remember. She was English and worked at the WACA ( The cricket ground) and said her job would probably be a lot busier with the Western Reds joining the National Rugby competition next year. Got a job going from Telecom in Northbridge going to the airport. When I arrived the computer told me there was a modification to the job There was a woman going to the Perth 71 hospital and assuming that was the modification I took her to the hospital. She was saying that she had a family ranging in age from 21 years to 9 years and was fighting a loosing battle against the younger generation’s attitudes to life. She said the younger one wanted to associate with a girl of bad character and when questioned she would talk about the girls wealth, but the mother was trying to say that because a person was wealthy ,and if they are bad then they are not worth associating with. After that quick conversation I had a feeling that I didn’t pick up the right fare at Telecom so I returned and there was a man with a suitcase waiting obviously going to the airport. I asked if he had rang and modified the job, he said that he’d only rang to find out how long I’d be. We had a good talk about the motives of the Government in allowing a foreign telephone carrier when there were areas of Australia where it was isolated and the foreign carrier would not be interested in telephone connections and where the three and a half cent connection fee was a loss making subsidy to the foreign carrier. On 13th June 1993 in the taxi at 5.05 am and the first job was a man dressed in a collar and tie going to Broome and return for the day. Not many people going North or to Kalgoorlie dress in collars and ties some going east dress that way. He went every fortnight and was expecting 35 degrees similar to his last trip. Next was a girl going from Wembley to work at Woolworths at the delicatessen section in Cottesloe. She normally caught a train from Leederville at 5.20 am to get her there at 6 am but slept in this morning and had to get the taxi. Got a job from an address in Jolimont going to Wembley and return, when I got there was no answer on the door, I waited and waited and got permission from the base to go to another job. Got a job from Wembley to East Perth, the woman wasn’t at all happy so we said few words. There were cars on most areas stacked on the computer list so I drove out towards Bassendean and got a job from a flat there going to Mount Lawley. The woman wasn’t ready so I waited whilst she got ready. The woman had been to a conference in Canada on indigenous art work and represented Western Australia at the conference. There was to be an exhibition of Arnhem land art in Stuttgart Germany. Central Australian art was the art with the dots which was world famous and was readily acceptable. She was from the South West of the state and was part aboriginal and was interested in the aboriginal art world and was talking about the different types of art from the different areas. Drove back to the Morley rank and picked up a student going to Chisholm College. Not often we take school children in a taxi to school. Next was a woman who stayed in a house of a friend not far from where I stayed many years ago when the house was a boarding house in 1967 in Joel terrace Mount Lawley. The woman although from Albany knew a lot of the history of the street and was saying that her friend had purchased a neighbours house many years ago and had built a tennis court on the block and told the woman she was free to stay in the house as long as she lived. The tenant had died a short time ago and they weren’t sure if they would knock the house down. We were talking about the earthquake in Meckering in 1967 and I told her that I was in that house when the earthquake struck, an eerie unforgettable experience. She often travelled to Perth for medical treatment. A man with a Hong Kong briefcase and collar and tie got in and went to the family court. He asked if I watched the football yesterday between the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane. I told him I had seen part of it. He went to the match and was disappointed at the way the Eagles were playing and the amount of aircraft buzzing the ground with messages trailing advising to eat here or eat there. The Eagles won by a small margin. Went to the Murray street rank and pressed the emergency button accidentally and was told to face the radio company and explain why as it was the second time in as many days. In the 567 European Parliament the Labour party had made significant gains and the incumbent governments were all losing ground. The Labour party were also making gains in Britain and were likely to gain office in the elections that must be held before 1997. Thatcherism had past and there was a vacuum in the Conservative party in Britain. Picked up an Vietnamese man going to Northbridge. He was difficult to understand and although he was talking a lot and could understand me I found it difficult to understand him. I understood the destination and that was the main thing. Next job was from the City Station rank to East Victoria Park a couple from Victoria. He worked for the Forestry Department in Victoria and was going down the South West of the state for a holiday. He had a son who moved over here in an engineering job and the son was married and had two children that they were seeing for the first time. They were going to 72 pick up a hire car to use whilst over here. Drove to the city on the Perth Hospital rank. Picked up an 85 year old man from the hospital rank who was ably helped by an orderly into the taxi. (The orderlies were always pleasant and helpful to the patients). He said he was driving his motorised wheel chair down to the shops when his foot was caught on a tap and it was cut seriously between the toes. The doctor bandaged it up and told him that it was too difficult to stitch. He told me he was qualified as a Veterinarian and the farmers didn’t have much money to pay his three pounds a visit to look at their animals so he decided to join the Commonwealth Government and go on wages. He travelled all over Australia and was concerned about diseases in animals. He told me about a cattle farmer near Rockhampton who obtained semen from a bull in Scotland and managed to bring the semen into Australia and artificially inseminated a cow and the calves were infected by blue tongue disease. He was critical of the farmer the Veterinarian and Customs for letting this thing happen. He told me of a well known national identity who offered him a bribe to get illegal animals into Australia but he firmly declined. He talked of how animals travelling to Australia like the last Melbourne cup winner (an Irish horse) needed to travel in a sealed container that was now possible with modern technology. Picked up a woman who worked for a well known solicitor that we do a lot of work for and is well known in Perth. She was going to North Perth and I have had the pleasure of having the solicitor’s brother in the taxi his mother and occasionally I would pick him up and have a talk to him. Picked up a young crippled man from the City Railway station going to lotteries house just around the corner in Stirling street. He had a subsidy voucher and wanted a receipt. When we got there he told me not to worry about the receipt for such a short distance. I wrote him out one anyway and told him if he was entitled to assistance then he might as well get it. Went back to the City Railway station and picked up a Chinese Malay man who wanted to go to the Parmelia hotel. He looked at my Identification required to be displayed in the taxi and told me that I was a lot thinner than when the photo was taken. An elderly woman was helped into the taxi on the London Court rank. She was 93 years old and was going to St David’s hostel for the aged in Mount Lawley. She was almost blind and said she will have to stop going into the city as she was getting too old. She was born in Southern Cross and her father had the local general store at the turn of the century. There were two older brothers and six younger sisters. When she was fourteen her mother decided to move to the greenery of Subiaco as the conditions were appalling and difficult for such a large family in the bush. They moved around living in hotels for a while whilst father stayed and worked the shop in the bush. Her mother had a breakdown and that was the end of travelling to see her father at Meekatharra. Her father died at a young age from Pneumonia and the brothers then stepped in and looked after the shop and kept them. One of her brothers was killed when he fell from a lorry in Meekatharra when he was thirty years old. She spoke highly of both her mother and her father, her mother was able to raise the family on what was left. What an interesting old woman. Went back to the City Station rank and got a job on the computer from the Telecom building in Stirling street to Bassendean. The man was going to be a pallbearer at the funeral of a female friend who died aged 38 years from a cancer of the liver. He told me of an attempt to use unorthodox treatment in the hospital but the doctor wouldn’t allow such treatment in his hospital. She had chemotherapy and other treatment but lost a tremendous amount of weight in only two months not being able to eat anything at all. She had a twelve year old daughter going to the same school attached to the church where the funeral was to be held. From Bassendean a young surveyor went to the airport to a goldmine in the desert. He left his car in Bassendean in storage which cost $20 a week rather than leave it at his flat in Scarborough where he stayed with two flat mates. He worked two weeks on and had a week off. I waited at the airport as Qantas was due at 2.40 PM. and as it was 2..25 PM. The aircraft was rescheduled to 3.38 so I decided to drive to Bayswater and then home. On Tuesday 14th June 1994 the first job was a sheet metal worker going to his job in Osborne Park. It was very busy for him at present and he was working eleven hours a day. He had a young son and his wife was having another baby, she told him she refused to stop having children until she had a daughter. Drove to the Subiaco rank and Peter one of the drivers I have known since starting in the industry was telling me his thought on the computer system. He said he’d been out since 3.30 am and had only done two jobs. He headed towards Claremont and soon after he went 73 off the screen in the area indicating he had possibly got a job. A young man who looked after autistic children had mechanical problems with his car in Mount Lawley and was travelling to Tuart Hill. He stayed with the children and there was always two people there who looked after their interests and made sure they eat the right food and had the right lunch etc. Next fare was an engineer who worked for BHP going to Hay Point in Queensland to help with the design of a new coal loading facility to be built. He had worked in the coal industry in America and because of his expertise in coal they wanted him to help with the upgrading of the facility. He had never been to Queensland before and had been employed in Perth in the iron ore industry Went to Bassendean and picked up a couple, the man immaculately dressed and smelt of alcohol but was unaffected in speech or behaviour. Picked up a woman in Dianella going to Cottesloe. She had been to Canberra for work and it well below zero of a morning. She walked to the top of Mount Taylor and looked over Canberra daily. The ice would break under foot as she walked to the top of the mountain. She walked every day even in Perth. She was attending a conference on aged and community care in Cottesloe. Picked up a man who appeared a little seedy going from Cottesloe to Nedlands. He wasn’t too well and seemed to work at the Nedlands hotel. Went back to Claremont and waited quite a while then drove off to the East Perth Rail Terminal. Waited there and then went to the City Rail station and after one and a half hours got a job to Stirling street. Went back to the City Station and took a young man to Osborne Park. He told me as he got out to pick him up in an hour and I told him to ring when he was ready and not to book taxis from cars. Drove to Perth and took a man to Willetton. He was going home as he was involved in an accident and tonight he was going to Sydney for three days. He hadn’t been to Sydney for three months and last time he went through the harbour tunnel which was eerie going under the harbour. He said it is sometimes so busy in Sydney he books into a hotel near the airport and next morning gets up early and tries to beat the peak hour rush. Drove slowly away and got a job in Bentley that wasn’t there. A few minutes later there were a couple of local people going to Rowethorpe old people’s home to visit the man’s brother who was a Rat of Tobruck and was constantly under oxygen and looked forward to their daily visits. The woman told me of all her medical problems on the way. On 15th June 1994 was up at 4.05 am. Had a dream about an undesirable passenger and I probably would have been up earlier but for the dream. First job was from Cambridge street Wembley to the airport. I picked up a man from a company known as Pilbara NDT. which was on the wall of the building. I wanted to know what it stood for. Well he told me it stood for Pilbara Non Destructive Testing and my curiosity was satisfied. Next was a man from Bassendean to the airport. He had worked away for fifteen years and was looking forward to move to Harvey in the South West and spend more time with his wife and young daughter. He had worked to pay off his mortgage and would get a forty hour a week job around the Harvey area. He was a champion spear fisherman and had many trophies decorating his house from his catches. The rest of the day was preparing the taxi for the annual transport inspection. On 16th June 1994 I was on the Dianella rank at 4.30 am. It was a cloudless cool morning and the first job was a young girl about sixteen from the corner of Wattle and Royal streets in Yokine going to Marrangaroo. She said she’d been out all night and was returning home. I drove to the Tuart Hill rank and picked up an ABC cameraman was going to the television studios in Terrace road Perth and he was travelling down with film crew to Point Peron to help with the filming of “Ship to Shore” the successful television series. He said he won’t be home tonight until 9.30 PM and tomorrow was an early start and a late finish. He said some of the young actors were over worked and not able to learn their lines. They were working six days a week and it was taking it’s toll in the filming. It was about 5 degrees Celsius this morning and the story was set in mid summer. Took a young man from Maylands to Middle Swan. When we got near the destination he said he had left his money in a cigarette packet at home. I got his full name for identification if I needed to take out a writ in the court and took his pay book. Most of these people were not genuine with few exceptions it was a costly time consuming exercise to get the money back. He told me to pick him up tomorrow for payment. Next was a woman went from North Perth to the city. She normally drove her car but it was 74 too cold this morning and she would go by taxi. She normally paid six dollars a day to park and picked mail up on the way the taxi cost about the same. Next was a woman going to King Edward hospital to have her fourth child, all the others were by natural birth and this was to be induced. She previously had two girls and a boy and was hoping for a boy this time. Her present children range in age from six and a half years down to two and a quarter years. I took her bag into the hospital and wished her luck. I drove to Claremont. Took a woman to Nedlands from a cafe in Claremont where she was having a contemplative cup of coffee and was too lazy to walk back home after a walk down to the cafe. I asked her if she took off 1000 calories on the walk and put on 1250 calories with the cake at the cafe? Next was a young man that I’d picked up a couple of days ago, he was in a lot better frame of mind today and wasn’t seedy like on the previous occasion, he was even very talkative today and as I thought did work at the Nedlands Hotel. He said Wednesday night was when all the students drank at the hotel. A woman went from the Perth Railway station to East Perth, she had slept in and was trying to make up for the lost time. A man went home from a Souvlaki bar in Northbridge he’d worked there for eight years and had enough and was looking for some other work to do as he worked long hours for low pay. The arrival of over 5000 American Marines in the port of Fremantle made it busy. The Marines were not as well paid as sailors who were sometimes out at sea for as long as three months and got three months pay in a short stay of under a week. It wasn’t long before a group of marines got in the taxi and told me they had been to Mombassa in Africa and before that to Somalia and the conditions in those countries was appalling. They were discussing amongst themselves how Perth reminded them of California and it was nice to have someone speaking their language. They also noticed the freedom of movement and the lack of sirens screaming through the streets. On Friday 17th June 1994 I started at 4.30 AM and took a man at 5.00 AM to the chicken factory in Osborne park. He normally started work at 9.30 AM but with the onset of winter and the need for more chickens he had to make an earlier start. His car was playing up so he had to catch the taxi. I went back to pick Bob up at Maylands to take to Middle Swan (he didn’t have the money yesterday) and he told me to take him to work today and he’d pay me at lunch time. I told him I wouldn’t take him anywhere and said if the money is not there at the base room by next week then I’ll take out a writ in the local court. He offered a worthless necklace for security and I said to him. “You told me the money was in the cigarette packet yesterday and I told you I was coming around to collect the money today what happened to it?” “It must have been my flat mate that took it “ I said “I think you are trying to pull a swiftie Bob “I’m keeping your pay book until you pay me. I drove out to the St John of God rank in Subiaco and waited whilst the people were going to work at the hospital. It was warmer this morning as there was a cloud cover indicating the possibility of rain. Got a job from Innaloo to the airport. A woman who worked for a French perfume company and sold more perfume in Australia than anyone else and was being flown to Paris for a week to see the factory as a prize for her effort. She had worked hard since leaving school and was a little critical of employers today who were looking for pieces of paper as qualifications before they would employ people. A man had all the qualifications and only lasted a week. She told me frankly that if she applied for her job now she would be refused because of her lack of qualifications. I wished her a happy holiday in Paris. On 20th June 1994 I drove to the Shenton park rank and picked up at 5.15 Am a woman from Princes Margaret Children’s hospital with a retarded child to Ballajura. The child was having trouble breathing, she took the child by ambulance to the hospital and they wanted to keep her there but she felt that they wouldn’t give her the same care and attention that she would give her on a one to one basis at home. The hospital paid for the taxi home. Next was a black sailor going from Mirrabooka to return to the ship in Fremantle. He asked me how much it would cost, I said about thirty dollars which he seemed quite happy with. He slept most of the way and I dropped him next to the wharf. Drove to Applecross and was watching the cars on the Como area fall quickly so I plotted into Como and drove there. Picked up a woman from Bruce street going to Perth. She commented on how nice it was to get in a taxi and not listen to the chatter on the two way radio as before the computerisation. She said she found it very easy and quick to get a taxi now once you got through to the base room and ordered. I told her that sometimes for twenty minutes it is impossible to get through and then for six hours you can get straight 75 through. She got out at Central park the tallest building in Perth. Next was a job from a block of flats in Highgate, there was no flat number, so I waited for a while and took the man to the Claisebrook railway station in East Perth. He said it was thirty cents cheaper yesterday ( which it couldn’t be for such a short distance ) he was very agro and was trying for an argument so as he got out I handed him thirty cents and showed him he couldn’t ruffle my feathers. Did two trips from Mount Lawley to the city young well dressed women going to work at their offices. Picked up a woman in Dalkeith going to Claremont shopping. She moved into her house with her husband in Dalkeith in 1940 and they bought the house and land for a thousand pounds. They bought the block of land next door and built a house for her mother. She recently lost her husband and was reluctantly moving to a duplex in Dalkeith. Next was a woman who had a flat battery and was taking her daughter to school in Cottesloe and returning to North Fremantle. We couldn’t start the cars from leads like we used to be able to do I meandered down to Perth and picked up a man from the Perth Railway station going to the Mount Medical centre. He had a deficiency in his bone marrow and had to regularly have blood transfusions. He felt weak all the time and was frustrated at not being able to do very much. I went back to the City Railway station and was greeted by a young man saying “I’ve got to be in Murray street now.” I said jump in and off we go.” we worked out what section of Murray street and I had him there in five minutes. Next was a young man going a short distance to social security in Northbridge. He could have walked such a short distance for someone so young but it was none of my business. Four American Marines asked how much it would be to the zoo. I told them about ten dollars and it turned out to be eight dollars. There was a noise coming from the power steering and a switch had to be replaced costing sixty dollars. The old cars without power steering were a lot less to maintain. Drove to the City Railway rank and picked up a young man going to a hotel in Nedlands to celebrate the end of his first exam. He studied Chartered Accountancy. He spent a lot of early mornings and days studying and felt he would fall over the line and pass. He did the exams in the Embassy ballroom in Carlisle. Went back to the City Rail station and got a radio job from the Aboriginal legal service in Northbridge. When I got there the woman told me I was the third taxi sent for the same person. Blame the computer. Picked up a man who worked at a night club. He was going home to sleep after working from 6.00 PM last night at the club and it was three o ‘clock in the afternoon. On 21st June 1994 a Tuesday I took a man from Noranda to the airport. He was going to a gold mine in Telfer. He had been working at the richest gold mine in Australia in Boddington and was going to Telfer to help commission a fourth leaching plant at the Telfer mine site. He had plenty of books and computer equipment with him. Next fare was a prostitute who was asleep and had to be woken for a 5.30 am booking going to Bayswater. There was little likelihood of getting a sexual disease from her as the men must wear condoms but there was every likelihood of getting a throat infection from her as she coughed all the way. Picked up a man from Tranby on Swan a group of flats built in Maylands by Alan Bond a former entrepreneur. The man usually walked to the railway station but this morning because of the rain he was catching the taxi. Went back to the Maylands rank and then drove down to Bassendean. A Dutch man who usually rode his bike to work across the railway line to the industrial area said he didn’t want to ride today as it was too wet and the motorists were too dangerous as their windscreens fogged up and they may not see him. Drove towards the city and ended up in North Perth and got a job from Inglewood to Mirrabooka. A young girl got in and was going to her work in a cake shop. She loved her job and was employee of the year last year and got a goblet for her prize. A young man who worked for Telecom for six months was next in the taxi. He had worked in the bush with them and said he would work from sunrise to sunset at times depending on the boss and the work that had to be done. He had mainly worked around Port Hedland. A young Irish man went from Tuart hill to the Perth Modern school in Subiaco. His car had broken down and had to go for an examination in Biology. He went to school all day and after school he worked in a panel beaters shop in Leederville. He was on exchange from Ireland and liked the lack of pressure on students in Australia in comparison to Ireland where 76 the pressure was enormous. Picked up a man from City beach to Perth. He got in the back and was working on something all the way. A van went through a red light and almost collided with me on the way. A woman got in at the Perth Railway station and as we drove away she ducked her head under the dash. I didn’t say anything and she told me she was avoiding a Chinese boy who was bought her clothes and a mobile phone. I said “You are not trying too hard if you let him buy you the mobile phone and those nice clothes!” She replied. “yes, he’s an idiot ,something is wrong with him I want to get rid of him!”. Dropped her in Newcastle Street and drove to the Town Hall rank. Took a woman to opposite Parliament house who complained of the people committing crimes and getting little punishment for it. She said the victim is made feel guilty by not taking adequate precautions. Went back to the Railway station and took a man to a building contractor in West Perth. Parked on the West Perth rank and picked up an Irish woman going to the Perth hospital. She was here for twelve months and was here previously and had to leave because of immigration regulations. She worked as a secretary and after twelve months would have to leave the country again. She had seen a lot of Australia and worked at the hospital. Waited on the hospital rank and took a couple to the Town Hall, they were looking for a shoe store and I pointed them in the right direction. On Wednesday 22nd June 1994 picked up a man going to the airport from the Industrial Affairs Commission going to Karratha and was to travel to the Goodwyn “A” gas platform off shore in an effort to solve an industrial dispute that has been raging for the last fortnight. The workers were offered five per cent pay increase however they were to sign up for the length of the construction. They were ordered by the Commission to go back to work or he said “Feathers will fly” as the Government and the Commission were both behind the company in this dispute. He was not involved with the problem directly but he spoke at length about it. A couple went from the Oriel Cafe in Subiaco about 5.45 Am an all night venue for late night people to Maylands. A man in Maylands wanted to go to North Perth. He complained about taxis in Australia and told me of an experience with a taxi driver from the time he got in until the time he got out. He told me he had a taxi twenty years old, filthy and an Arab driver who abused him because there was a misunderstanding about the pick up time. He said he was going to see a lawyer and sue Swan Taxis. I listened to him all the way and when I tried to put my thoughts into the conversation he would talk louder and drown me out I tried to wished him luck although that was drowned out too. Picked up a fare to the International airport. There were several engineering problems with the Tonkin highway that were accident risks that had me thinking every time I passed. There was a south bound exit from the highway going on to Guildford road that goes from 100 KPH down to 40 KPH in no distance at all. If they built an extra lane on the bridge over the road they would have avoided the problem. Several other faults existed on the Freeway system that modern engineers and computers should have detected. Next job was from three different houses picking up elderly people going to Carinya aged persons home for their therapy. A man was abusing another driver at the Crimea Street Walter road lights for not going through an orange light at a right turn and the abuser almost collided with the abused. Bit petty I thought. Took a woman from North Perth to Scarborough. She told me the way she wanted to go. A woman in Doubleview went to the bank and wanted me to wait for her whilst she drew out some money, her car wasn’t going. Next a woman who visited a Psychiatrist in Leederville. She was going back to Mount Claremont. She originally came from Albany, her husband had a stroke and she couldn’t come to terms with her problem. She used to play golf and tennis with him and now he was helpless in a hospital bed. She had three daughters living in Perth and she played snooker as a diversion last night and enjoyed it. I told her to keep it up. Picked up a lawyer from the Children’s court saying there wasn’t much happening today only the usual routine stuff. Picked up some of the old people from Carinya aged people’s home returning after their day of therapy. There was an old woman who kept us all in stitches talking about her day of therapy. You only need one to liven up every one around them. They all knew each other and lived at an aged persons’ village in Bayswater. A while since I’d heard such dirty jokes. Next a student went to the casino. He was a very cautious and said that the casino made between four and five cents in the dollar profit after expenses. He worked for wages at a 77 hotel when he wasn’t studying (or gambling). It was sunny and fine when he was picked up at the City Railway station and cold and raining when he got out at the casino. Went to the Royal Perth hospital rank and picked up an actor and writer going to a block of flats in Mount street. He was in Perth acting at His Majesties theatre for a play put on by a couple of local entrepreneurs. I hoped it went well for them. He wrote a play called Caravan which was a success. I asked him if he liked acting or writing and he replied “I like writing when I’m acting and I like acting when I’m writing” The play was to go for a month and elsewhere if successful. Went back to the City Railway station and picked up an elderly woman going to a doctor in Dianella. She told me she had polio when she was three years old, had electric treatment and her father massaged the leg every day until the day she got married. There was no known treatment in those days and the disease was widespread. She now was in her old age having post polio problems which she said was very painful. She normally wore a splint but it didn’t fit her too well. On 23rd June 1994 I was on the North Perth rank at 5 Am First were three males in the grounds of the Leederville hotel car park. They were worse for wear and adamant that they would all start work at 8 o ‘clock after being out all night. They were all decent young men. Next were two elderly women, one was from Sydney and they were off to Broome for a short holiday. Then I picked up a man from the Goodwyn “A” gas platform that was on strike. He said the workers had returned to work and refused to sign and take the five per cent increase. He said there would be more trouble in the future he was staff returning for two weeks after his two weeks off. I then picked up from the Education Department in East Perth to the airport a woman going to Geraldton for the day. Went to the East Perth Rail terminal and found the Indian Pacific was arriving forty minutes late at 7.40 AM. Got a job from the Salvation Army hostel in Northbridge before the train arrived, John was the man to pick up and he was going to pick up a friend he’d met in the hotel who was taking him to Cue to do some prospecting. He asked me how long it would take, I suggested about twenty minutes and as we got down the road he realised he had left his boots behind. We returned to pick them up. He had no spare clothes only his boots and he said he’d spend a fortnight looking for gold and keeping off the grog. He had eight brothers, his father sold pumps and his mother was a pathologist. He lived at the Salvation Army hostel, paid $100 a week with all food supplied and was looking forward to the break. When he got there he had no money and went into the house to get the money from the man he was going to Cue with. I wished him luck and hoped he found a nugget. Next fare was a woman going to Nedlands. She was from Harvey, where she spent $400 on a new head gasket and her car was still overheating. She said she would be better off getting taxis around Perth as she was overwhelmed by the traffic in Perth and besides her car was getting seen to by a garage in Perth. Went to the Subiaco rank and got a job from Subiaco to South Perth at 11.30 AM. A man came out wrapped in a towel and told me to wait as someone was coming out. A young woman came out and when she got in the taxi remarked. “Don’t drink red wine late at night” She said she had a late night and was only just going home extended herself because she hadn’t been out for quite a while. A woman hailed me in East Perth wanting to go to Bentley. She said that she was caught on her third offence for driving without a license and under the influence and was grateful she wasn’t going to Bandeyup women’s prison. She was fined $1400 and said she will return to Bandeyup if caught again. She didn’t like her time in Bandeyup because she was isolated from her children. Picked up a couple of wild looking young men at the Bentley shopping plaza. I hid my float before they got into the taxi. They turned out to be all right (I shouldn’t have judged the book by its cover) Took a man from Bentley to the city. We talked about how radio announcers tried to put their stamps on radio programmes and how a lot of them look to raise the stress factor in people and that’s how they get their ratings. ABC FM had little talk and classical music that tends to be relaxing and sedative, he said he wasn’t too happy with changes in the format as there would be more talk and less music and he was wanting music only. We had an interesting conversation about the variety of programmes on ABC radio and how there was so much to learn from radio and television that a lot of people never explored. 78 On 24th June 1994 a Friday I achieved very little for the first two hours only local jobs and very few of them. Took a woman from Nollamara to Warwick who’d spent the whole night before Mother’s day at a florist shop in Warwick and was surprised at the amount of cars going up and down Beach Road right through the night. Next was a service station that wasn’t at the Co ordinates in Stirling. Eventually I found the service station and picked up the fare going to the local railway station. Next job was a job at Stirling railway station that wasn’t there when I got there. I took an elderly couple from the East Perth rail terminal to the city station. The man said. “This bloody government has messed up the terminal I used to be able to have breakfast when I arrived now I can’t have anything. I want to find out certain information and there is no one to answer till later in the day it used to be a lively active terminal and now it’s like a ghost town.” We spoke of the history of the terminal. Next job was a woman going to West Perth. She dropped her daughter on the way at a private school. She told me she couldn’t work out the weather pattern in Perth, so I explained to her about the Mediterranean climate where the summer highs dominate with dry weather and the winter lows and rain dominate. A lot of elderly people were prophets of doom with the weather I noticed as the years progressed. Picked up a woman from a women’s health care house in Aberdeen Street going to Mount Lawley. She said that she lived in Maylands and her parents come down every Friday night from Stratton and stay with her the weekend. Her father was getting on found the 19 kilometre drive a bit much to do as a round trip in the one day so they stayed weekends and returned home on Sunday nights. Drove to the Perth railway station and spoke to John a taxi driver who has always got something pleasant to say or he doesn’t say anything. A woman went to Carlisle technical college to do an examination in computing. It was 9.50 Am and the exam was at 10.00 AM she was only doing two subjects as an aid to her secretarial work. Picked up a twenty two year old man going to a tattooist in Perth. He told me when he got his first tattoo he got a rose and his girlfriends name on the tattoo, now that he was going with another girl she wanted the former girls name removed. He was going to see what could be done. He described getting a tattoo as like a cat scratching and he always wanted a tattoo so when he was 18 his mother told him to go and get one. Picked up a woman going from the ABC in Perth to the law school at the University of WA. She was fascinated by the birds stretching their wings and catching as much sun as possible as we drove alongside the river. Picked up a man who ran the Ashfield Tavern for seven years going from Nedlands to the city. I told him of traffic delays in St Georges terrace but he told me to go that way as he seemed to enjoy the conversation. He said he felt sorry for us having to pick up the drunks who were evicted from hotels. He said it was the hardest seven years of his life and today the hotel game was in dire straits. He ran an import business. Took a woman from the City Rail station to North Perth, then I got a job from the city to the airport. An interesting man who had been to a two day conference on disasters. He worked on a gold mine in Kalgoorlie and explained the need for training and practise for the preparation of a disaster if it ever occurred. He also spoke of the well known inefficient coal mines that were operating only because of political pressures and kept towns employed ,politicians in power and kept the price of coal up. He was buoyed by the conference and hoped to convince the employers of what he learnt. On 27th June 1994 a Monday I was up at 4.15 Am. The first job was a man who was ready dressed and waiting who worked for Woolworths and was going to start work for the day. He finished at 2.30 PM and liked working those hours. The next fare in North Perth I waited at a block of flats with no flat number and had to leave as they didn’t come out. Got a fare from North Perth to the airport. A man going to Karratha until next Monday. He worked in Aboriginal planning. A woman next went from Bassendean to the International airport. She was going to Sydney for the day with her work. The Qantas Johannesburg flight was due and I waited. An expatriate South African was returning to Nedlands where he now lived. He’d been to South Africa to see his relations and had also been to Malawi. He said one in three people in parts of Africa were infected by the AIDS virus and there seemed to be a sort of peace in South Africa and acceptance of the election results giving President Mandela leadership in the country. There was abject poverty 79 in the country with no social security system or benefits and a generation of blacks had no direction and only knew robbery and violence as a way of surviving. He was optimistic about the future more than people were predicting before the elections and he wondered what would happen when President Mandela died as he thought he was a very sick man. Picked up a woman to the Charles Gairdner hospital in Nedlands. She was elderly and told me she worked for Trevor Kitchen’s father at Rottnest Island who started the Rottnest ferries. She wondered how there weren’t lives lost in the sea going to Rottnest as the old Zephyr and other old boats were so much smaller and more dangerous than the modern vessels that ply between the mainland and the island. She said Mr Kitchen was a nice man and the boats were small flat bottomed and the waves would be much higher than the boat and she said it was twelve and six return in those days. (One dollar twenty five cents ) She got out at the hospital and I drove to Claremont. Picked up a man going from Mount Claremont to Subiaco. He got in talking on a mobile phone and got out still talking. His conversation was about a deal he was making in Western Australia the system was installed in other states and they had problems adapting the system to local conditions. The people installing in the West were frustrated and having a lot of trouble so the man was going over to Wollongong today to check how the system was installed there. Picked up from a service centre in Leederville a woman had a Holden Commodore that had only done 3000 kilometres and had to be taken to pieces because of a valve noise. Dropped her at Victoria park and did work around the Cloverdale area. One man was going to a mine site at Mount Keith and had to do his medical before he was accepted. He was originally from South Australia. Meandered into Perth. Picked up a woman who wanted to pick up an airline ticket in the city and stop at another place so she could get something. I was stopping at no standing areas and was looking out for the grey ghosts (the parking inspectors) and managed to not get a ticket. I must say that the Grey Ghosts were always fair and understanding and those that were booked for standing where they shouldn’t generally deserved the booking. Drove to the City Railway station. Took a woman to the casino. Went to the toilet at the casino whilst waiting on the rank and then took two gents to Welshpool. They worked for a timber company. Next was a fare from the Hyatt Hotel in East Perth. A woman that had a hyper active son attending a seminar on what drugs to administer to counteract the hypoactivity. I asked her if she thought that they may have been pushing the sale of the drugs, she said there was little doubt. I told her I was hyperactive and needed to do things all the time to counteract it, have interests that kept busy and get up early of a morning so as I could be tired of an evening so it was possible to get to sleep. My father and two of my brothers were the same. On 28th June 1994 the neighbours dog escaped from their backyard and entered our backyard and swallowed some snail pellets that were in our garden. The dog was taken to the vet but died later there were sad faces in our house for a long time and the dog never forgotten. I was on the road at 4.15 AM. I went down to the Morley rank and saw the new bus station that was in use. The new shopping centre was almost finished and they were going to move the taxis away from the buses and also in an unsheltered area. If they asked the people involved how to design these shopping centres where to put certain facilities they would be a lot more practical and user friendly. The designers make a building look good but neglect common sense. I really don’t know if the architecture of any big city has much going for it. Gone are the days of using the sun and nature for heating and cooling, today the buildings of cities have to hold as many people as possible and heating and cooling is done by switch. They are straight up and down and vary internationally very little. First job today was a fellow driver to Midland. He was disappointed with the new system of computerisation .(He was a well known likeable cheat on the old system). Took a man to the airport who worked on the Rankin “A” gas platform. off Karratha. He said he had his fortnight off and his eleven year old son was there to say good bye to him. The man told me the son was always up early in the morning and never slept in. Next job was a number in Harold street East Perth that did not exist. Got a job from a backpacker’s in Brisbane Street going to the East Perth Rail Terminal. She was from Canada and wasn’t looking forward to the long bus trip across Australia to Sydney. Went to Bayswater and waited. Today was the winter solstice. Got a man going to Kewdale he worked for a company that stabilises soil and the base of roads before the bitumen is in place so the roads will not get washed away during the wet 80 season with heavy rain. He mainly worked in the high rainfall areas of the state in the tropical north and the wet south west. His work helped prevent washaways in the wet it was a system whereby the existing road was used with a mixture of wet concrete sprayed on to the surface and it formed a solid foundation for the bitumen top and the old road was not stock piled but used. He was working in Perth today but he mainly worked away. He had a lovely old practical timber cottage. Went to East Victoria Park and after a wait got a woman from East Victoria park to Perth hospital. The woman had caught taxis for as long as I could remember, always nice to talk to had worked on P & O liners and was always interesting, talking about the different ships crews captains and experiences. She talked today of her experiences where she caught an opposition taxi that had a driver that didn’t know the whereabouts of the causeway the main arterial road leading East from the city. Took a man from East Perth to Belmont. He didn’t know the names of the streets he was going to but he knew where he wanted to go. We sorted out where he wanted to go after a bit of confusion. Drove to the Bayswater rank and got a fare from a car service centre in Bayswater going to Maylands .The man was a local doctor and worked around the Maylands area. Went to the East Perth Rail terminal and picked up a Papuan who had a lot of difficulty speaking the language. I managed to get Nollamara from him and then I imagined he wanted the hostel in Carcoola street which turned out to be where he wanted to go. When he got out a woman asked him if he had missed the bus, he mumbled something almost ignoring her and he walked into the hostel obviously familiar with the surrounds. I slowly went to the city and got a job from Lane Street an Italian going to Newcastle Street. As we took off there was a fat woman in the rear vision mirror raising her arms and running after us. I asked the man if he had a woman coming with us, he replied that she may be They went to see a Psychiatrist in Newcastle street. Picked up a woman who went into the city looking for the Bible Society in Perth. She had left her glasses at home and would have to check the phone book. I told her where the Bible Society was and took her there. Took an elderly man from the city to St David’s aged home in Mount Lawley. He was a nice old man very polite but very deaf and difficult to understand. I had to shout to him for him to understand me. Picked up two women who purchased a ticket from Westrail and were going to Bunbury. They claimed they were told the wrong place from Westrail to catch the bus to Bunbury. I thought there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line as they certainly would know where their buses would go from the ticket sales? Well we just managed to get them to the bus before it departed. Got a job from the backpacker’s in Bulwer street a New Zealander who worked on oil rigs in the North West and was making a booking to get a flat in South Perth. Got a job from the Lone Star hotel in Northbridge and when I got there a man staggered towards the taxi a girl brushed him aside and told him he was too drunk to get the taxi .She jumped in the front seat slammed the door and told me to take her to a pathologist not far away. She was originally from Karratha had been overseas for a while and wanted to live in Port Macquarie in New South Wales. Picked up an Irishman who said the person pouring the Guiness made or destroyed the drink. “You should be able to write your name in the froth as a test and that is a Guiness.” He said I was making him thirsty and he’d probably go and have a drink after our conversation. Took a girl from a settlement agency to West Perth. She said that she had done five settlements today and that lately she had been fairly busy. The interest rates could rise which may slow things down in the future. Got a job at the Queens Tavern that wasn’t there Hotels and Taverns were always high risk and unreliable pick ups so I got a job as compensation at an address in Stirling Street Perth and had to go down the hallway to make myself heard. Next was the Brisbane hotel where Margaret had ordered a taxi. A man in the front bar slightly drunk said he knew Margaret and he went inside telling me to go to the rear parking area. I went around there and there was Margaret with an elderly gent on crutches. The man wanted to smoke in spite of all the non smoking stickers, I offered to get another taxi for him whilst he debated the merits or otherwise of the smoking requirements in the taxis. Eventually he agreed and decided to do me a favour and extinguish his cigarette. They went to a block of flats in Menora. On Wednesday 29th June 1994 the first job was a man going to a Pork Boning factory in 81 Osborne park. The man said he worked twelve hours yesterday and he hoped he didn’t have to work so long today. Next was a woman going to the Charles Gairdner hospital in Nedlands. She was asking me about the different flag falls and costs associated with the taxis and I told her about when a driver can turn a meter on and what the regulations were. Picked up two young men in Subiaco going to South Perth. They had obviously been drinking but they were decent young men to talk to. When the first one got out the other told me they were both Ex Guildford Grammar boys and the one that got out was a Marine Biologist and unable to get work. They were both driving taxis on night shift and decided to take the night off and have a night out. They had both driven for twelve months and they enjoyed the experience but wouldn’t like to permanently drive taxis. He was shortly leaving for overseas. Took a man to the airport going to work at the gas treatment plant where the gas coming from the Goodwyn and Rankin “A” platforms was treated. He said they were building an extension to the treatment plant and there would be another 250 people employed at the site. Between 6.00 AM and 7.30 Am I didn’t do one job. Got a job at 7.35 Am from North Perth to the city. I’d picked up at this address before and the man was shaving for the duration. Next fare was a New Zealander who had been in Western Australia about four years. He was a qualified Chef and worked at a gold mine as a cleaner. He wanted to change jobs to another goldmine as he was continually having personality clashes with his boss. His job also involved driving a bus and catching feral cats and killing them. He put out sardines for bait. When the cats were trapped he would put them in a plastic bag and gas them. He didn’t have a shooters license so he was unable to shoot them. Picked up an Chinese student going to the Matriculation college in Tuart hill. The next fare was an Thai woman to the casino. Went to the Town Hall rank and picked up two Malaysian men going to Penrhos College. They spoke Malay all the way to each other. Drove to Como and picked up an elderly woman going from a retirement village to the Karawara shopping centre. Went to the Town Hall rank and picked up a woman with a very broad Australian accent going to West Perth. We were talking about ABC FM Classical. She’d listen to it and if it was too high brow she would turn it off. I told her I listened to all the music, some was a bit hard to understand, but in time you can get to like and understand all the types of music and operas. I said the best way to appreciate classical was to watch a ballet and the best way to understand an Opera was to watch one and listen to the music. My knowledge was limited in music as I’d never studied it I often wondered why I enjoyed classical music so much. Picked up a gent who worked on a type of computer over in the Eastern States that was not compatible with a system in Perth that a company had to adopt. He was over here in an attempt to resolve the problem and try and “marry” the computers to each other. It has been a cold winter this year and the coldest temperature ever recorded in Australia was recorded at Charlotte’s pass a record of minus 23 degrees Celsius. The previous record was recorded in the same place in 1945. Took a woman from the Ahern’s store in Perth to South Perth. She worked part time for Aherns and was about making the company more efficient on a part time basis. She couldn’t understand why people didn’t support the company more and we had a discussion on the power of the strong who can effectively out advertise and get the markets from advertising and clever public relations. Picked up a woman 80 years old who said she had worked all her life and worked at the Arcadia hotel for many years doing the beds. She’s been in Australia 41 years and lived in the first house built in Bourke Street Yokine since new. She was collapsing lately and the doctor told her to stop worrying so much, easier said than done, I suggested after 80 years of it. We had a system programmed in our computer where we plotted into an area the number of bookings or prospects in the next 32 minutes would show as a number on the screen Picked up a man from Hobart who recently was living in Darwin. He was used to the smoking taxis of Darwin as he lit a cigarette when he got in. The habit of smoking was fast dying as the health problems associated were coming to light, however prescription and illegal drugs were probably just as bad and a rising problem. Dropped him in the city where he could light up again. Picked up a couple from Coburg in Victoria. They were staying in a motel in Highgate and travelled First class across the continent on the Indian Pacific. They were a bit bored by the journey but were determined to return on the train to say they had done the journey both 82 ways by train. They’d flown across eight times and he was a boilermaker by trade and worked in Mount Isa in the mines and in the mines of the North West of Western Australia. On Thursday 30th June 1994 I was up at 4.30 Am and went down to the Morley rank which was closed off because of the new shopping centre. There were no signs of where the new rank was to be so there would be confusion for taxis and patrons today. The old rank was there over twenty years and now was to be moved. First job was a man from Embleton going to the airport going up north to be present at the hand over of the new Marrandoo Iron ore mine in the North West to Hamersley iron. He worked in spare parts and said the spare parts system centred in Sydney and the IBM mainframe controlled all the spares required. The project cost $300 million and the life was conservatively estimated at fifteen years, the next stage was to run the railway line through the National Park to the other side. There was to be some loading of ore between now and September when the plant would be officially opened. They had to mix the ore to the right proportions for the Japanese smelters (too much or too little percentage of ore does damage to the smelters ) and the correct proportion had to be sent on the trains for export from the port. Took a man to the International airport who imported and exported precious stones he said he didn’t make much out of it and only did it to keep senility at bay. He was going to Singapore and Thailand. Next was a man going to the airport going to work on the Goodwin “A” gas platform for his fortnight on. He lived in Forrestfield and explained that the strikers were not getting $6000 a month as the media insinuated when in fact his take home pay was $2900 a month which is about $650 a week. The original platform was built in Korea and the construction was of inferior quality. It was $30 million dollars cheaper but they had already spent between $200 million to $300 million in fixing the original faults. He said the bedrooms smelt and when a toilet was flushed the contents would come out at a neighbouring toilet. They were suppose to Commission the plant in November but he said it was at least six months away from completion and perhaps they would never commission it. His morale was low. Next a woman who regularly took her daughter to school and then went to West Perth. The daughter was unwell and stayed at home today. We were talking about children about how when they were around eight years old they thought the world of their parents but when they became teenagers they thought as individuals and their thoughts about their parents changed, then when they become adults they then came back to the fold. Spoke to Rick Eddy the Traffic Manager he showed a graph of the increase in radio work of over fifty per cent. The jobs went from 50000 a week to over 75000. Some drivers were not happy with the computer system because it was more difficult to discriminate and leave the shoppers waiting since computerisation. If a car didn’t take a job in an area then it flashed on the screen and another car took the job. Got a radio job to pick up at Coles Morley. There was such a mess it was impossible with all the building work to get in and pick up. There was a problem looming on Friday and Saturday nights as there were problems creeping into the system whereby people affected by alcohol or drugs was affecting the number of drivers that would work those nights, the majority of passengers were good law abiding citizens but there was an element who were becoming significant that would cause trouble which saw a real problem looming for the genuine taxi users. The problem of where the Morley rank was to be located was not a pressing problem as with computerisation it was not essential for a taxi to sit physically on a taxi rank before a job would be given. So for a few days the problem of picking up people was in limbo as taxis picked up anywhere around the Morley shops. Picked up a woman from Northbridge going locally. She went from the Tenant’s advise bureau to the Office of Fair Trading (formerly Consumer Affairs.). The funding was stopped from the State Government and the Commonwealth took over funding. There were four people employed and they were always working long and hard in their jobs. They now only had one office in the state. On 1st July 1994 at 4,20 AM the first job was a man as old as me (48 years old) who was going to Darwin to play hockey for the “Raiders”. He always did sport and he’d just returned from Darwin four days ago when he was there on business for eighteen days. He said there was a lot of tension in his house because of his frequent trips away and was in a dilemma on how to solve the tension problem. An elderly couple went from a retirement village to the airport, going to Cairns via Brisbane for a holiday. They were looking forward to it. Next was a woman going into the city who originally came from the country and all her four 83 brothers and sisters went to boarding school in Perth and were originally brought up in the country. She was concerned why her parents didn’t contact her or the other children in the family and how they both kept to themselves. The parents were getting on now and they were looking for a retirement village in Perth to live as her mother had Alzeimer’s disease in its early stage and after a few years in Mandurah they would be moving to Perth and she hoped there would be a better communication and relationship. Got a corner job in Highgate that was obviously picked up by another car before I arrived. Next was a job from North Perth to the airport, a crippled man going to Melbourne. He needed assistance to the check in counter at the airport travelling to Ballarat. Next fare was an elderly man going to Perth hospital for dialysis treatment. He had to go three times a week and didn’t like it, he was too old for a transplant and would have to go for the rest of his life A prostitute was going to work at an office in East Perth she said she started work at 7.30 Am did escort work and went to city hotels or houses. There was a lull in the work and I picked up a woman going early to start work in a night club. She had to go around the rear entrance as the night club was locked. I got to an address in North Perth and a young woman was astounded at how quickly I had arrived after her phoning. She came out with her shoes and socks and finished her dressing in the taxi. Picked up a young man going from Highgate to Morley. When he heard the classical music he told me of his interest in the music but was unable to admit his interest to any of his mates. When we got to Morley he insisted I wait for him to bring out a copy of popular classics that he had recorded that I kept for playing when ever I needed a pick up. Picked up an Aboriginal youth from the City Station who had difficulty explaining where he was going. I could detect Scarborough Beach road Doubleview so we headed that way. He had difficulty in speaking and had a twitch of his arm, leg and head but he was thoroughly enjoying listening to his walkman blasting music into his ears and flooding the taxi with the sounds of country music. .Picked up a man from the Water Authority in Leederville he worked for the Authority in Albany and was in Perth for the day. He explained the system of water supply in the south west where Albany was on underground water and some of the towns of the South West had small catchments to service the towns. The Wellington dam was saline and unsuitable for human consumption so the Harris dam in the south west was built to dilute the salinity and make it more in keeping with world standards. On 4th July 1994 the first job about 4.40 Am this morning was a woman going locally, she was intoxicated and difficult to convince that the taxi was a non smoking taxi. She tried to use her female charm to have her cigarette, but I offered to get another taxi for her but she said she’d extinguish the cigarette and travel with me. Before computers she’d have had difficulty going such a short distance but the computer will flash a job up on the screen and it’s the quick and the dead, so whoever takes the job first gets it. Went to the West Perth rank opposite Princes Margaret hospital. Got a job from Subiaco to the airport. No lights were on which was a bad sign, but as I pulled up there was a light came on and a man come out saying he was going to Karratha working on a new iron ore mine in the area. When we got to the airport he said he had a$100 note or eighty cents less than the fare, I took the latter and as I put the money of small coins into the change holder and drove away and counted the money it was three dollars short. Picked up three Chinese students going to the International airport. When I attempted to start the taxi after dropping them the battery was flat, so I had to call a mechanic and get the car started and drive around not stopping the motor for over an hour until I ended up buying and fitting a battery myself. The modern batteries with computers and electrical components on the cars only give about five months of use and they have to be replaced. Drove to East Victoria park and picked a man up from a housing commission house going to his fishing tackle shop in Victoria park. Next to where he lived was a block of vacant land that the housing commission owned and said he was offered a new flat in the complex if he would vacate his house and allow the commission to build a new block of units on both blocks, he was happy where he was and didn’t want to shift. I found a set of keys left in the taxi, probably from the Chinese students. They had left all copies of the suitcase keys on the one key ring and they would have been well and truly out of the country by now. I handed the keys into a police station. Went to the Como rank and took a woman from flats in Mary street to West Perth. I went to the mechanic and made sure I connected the battery in correctly. Drove to the Morley rank and sat on one of the ranks at the Morley shops, there was still confusion from the taxis and 84 the public as to where the rank was situated. Shops that allow plenty of room for taxis to drop and pick up encourage a lot of shoppers to shop at those shops, some shopping centres do not allow large parking areas for taxis and a lot of work and shoppers is lost to other shopping centres. A woman rang at the shopping centre at Morley on the other side and told me she was totally confused at the taxi rank in Morley since the old rank had shifted. She was a regular taxi user and we were both waiting for a permanent rank. Picked up a man going to a hostel for retarded people in Inglewood from Maylands. He said he had a Valiant sedan and someone ran into it, so he traded it in on a new car and was sorry to get such a frail flimsy car that was full of computers and technology that was difficult to fix. When he was handed the keys of his new car the salesman said” See you in three years mate” He replied” What do you mean, my Valiant was over twenty years old I can’t pay $16000 for a new car in three years” The salesman replied “Well I hate to tell you but cars and computers are made to wear out and be replaced these days” The Indian Pacific was standing on the railway line less than a kilometre from the terminal and wasn’t moving. I picked up a man from Mount Lawley who said he was trying to get a train but couldn’t because the trains weren’t coming through. I told him of the Indian Pacific and he said that this was the reason for his delay. He was late for an appointment in the city. We got a message on the computer that 7000 American service personnel would be arriving at Fremantle port tomorrow. Picked up from the Murray Street rank going to the casino. The man was a cautious gambler and he said if he lost ten dollars that would be about it. He had a 1977 Fairlane that gave him no trouble and always started for him, he caught the taxi as he had over the limit in alcohol and never drove when over the limit. Picked up a regular woman that had trouble with one of her locks at her house. She had got the lock from an old fashioned locksmith in Queen street Perth and the key didn’t fit, so she rang him up and a man travelled to her house and fixed the lock, no charge. Perhaps that was why he was in business for so many years. Went to the Murray street rank and there was a man after a five seater taxi . We used to be all five seaters when I started in the industry, now there are ten different types of taxis that can be supplied sedans, wagons, non smokers, animal carriers etc. Took a couple to Scarborough on holidays from the Eastern States and staying in Scarborough for the duration. On 5th July 1994 this was to be my last morning as I was having a fortnight off. It was Tuesday and the fortnight was the longest break in eighteen years on the taxi. I was up at 4.10 Am and waiting on the Morley rank at 4.40 Am. It was a clear starlit morning this morning the weather forecasters had been predicting rain and the rain cloud would come over and then they would not drop any rain, there was no evidence of a rainy day this morning but all days were starting like this and in the afternoon the clouds would arrive. There was to be a job from Morley according to the computer within thirty two minutes but I went for a job in an adjacent area, missed that job by a quicker car and then missed out on the Morley job. Picked up a 5.15 Am job from Bassendean to the airport. The man came from Newtown, a suburb of Sydney he was suppose to be here for a fortnight but was called back home early. Picked up a woman from the East Perth rail terminal, she had been travelling sixteen hours from Exmouth by bus. She said it was nice at first, but as she got closer to Perth and more people got on it was more cramped and her bottom got sorer. She travelled to Como. Got a job from a backpacker’s hostel in Northbridge. Went up the staircase to the hostel and couldn’t find anyone. There was a coffee shop at the bottom of the building and a man told me he’d seen a backpacker get into a taxi shortly before I arrived. Went to the Maylands rank and got a job from Mount Lawley to the city. The house was an old colonial design with tall ceilings a verandah and a natural design for weather that didn’t require air conditioning but was directed so that it would get the winter sun heating the rooms as it was lower and the summer sun shining higher and throwing shadows onto the windows because of the wide verandah keeping it cooler, the natural design in housing. Took a woman from Maylands to Victoria park. Picked up a young woman in Victoria park going to a seminar on freedom of information in Fremantle. Where she lived the garden was full of palm trees, her father grew and nurtured and sold since he’d retired as a plasterer. There was a sign outside selling the trees. Her husband was a teller in a bank and was thinking of going back to plastering to pay off the mortgage on a house they were building in Manning. Went to the Esplanade hotel in Fremantle and after a wait got a radio job from the hotel The 85 porter loaded the luggage and after waiting ten minutes the people decided they didn’t want a taxi. Went towards Perth and picked up a local job in Claremont requesting a wagon. The wagon was bulging with luggage for the short journey. Drove to the City Railway station. Picked up an 81 year old from Boyup Brook ( I never ask a persons age they always volunteer it if they are proud of it) He was a wiry gent who had been in the French Foreign legion, the Czechoslovakian army the British army and had moved to Boyup Brook in 1954 and had been farming ever since. He grew oats and bred Murray grey cattle giving him enough to live on and educate his son and daughter. He still lived on the farm and was reluctant to move into the town. His son in law ran the farm and his son lived in Perth. The old Flax Mill that was very busy during the war was now owned by the local council and groups still had meetings and seminars there, the previous weekend a group of artists were there. Picked up a man going from Inglewood to Perth airport. He had been to a funeral in Corrigin as an 84 year old uncle had died. The uncle had a urinary infection that turned to Perenitis and died within thirty six hours. He had been a farmer all his life and the uncle had six brothers. The man was returning home to Geraldton where he had lived all his life. After dropping him at the airport I drove towards the city, it was surprisingly quiet with so many Americans in town, this often happened when there were a lot of low paid marines. Went to the Town Hall rank and picked up after a long wait a woman from a settlement agency going to Northbridge. On 22nd July 1994 it was difficult to mentally fit into work after a holiday away. We had a holiday in New South Wales where we stayed at Emu Plains and travelled to the Blue Mountains and walked around the walk trails admiring the natural beauty of the mountains and the valleys where we walked down next to the Three Sisters a pathway that the last time I had walked was with my father and brother Geoffrey in 1948. I lost Geoffrey in a tragic accident not long after. First job was an Army Officer going to the airport and travelling to Singleton in New South Wales for an annual meeting. He was travelling on Ansett airlines who had the contract for many years. He said the number of permanent soldiers had dropped to about 24000 and the reserves were about the same. The new system where recruits didn’t sign up for any period of time seemed to work well, although if a person joined as a private there was little likelihood of promotion. Second job was a painter and decorator going from Dianella to Balga. He told me they had decorated the walls of a Government building in Perth (The May Holman centre) with wall paper imported from America and the cost was $17.50 a metre whilst superior quality local paper was available for $12.50 per metre. Slowly drove towards Perth and got a job from Walcott street Mount Lawley to Welshpool. The man wasn’t too sure of the streets he was to go to he kept mentioning streets that were parallel and didn’t join. After some descriptions of buildings in the area and landmarks we managed to determine where he wanted to go. Next was a regular woman from East Victoria park to Perth We were comparing Perth to Sydney and how Sydney had grown and how the public transport is so much more efficient in Sydney. Took a woman from Claremont to Willetton. She had been over in Sydney for three days and had arranged with her mother tours for American ships that were calling into the port. Her mother and herself travelled around Australia and arranged bookings for the Americans whilst in port. On 25th July 1994 a Monday the first fare about 5.0 Am was a regular man who had a butcher shop at the Myer shop in Perth. I had been picking him up for many years and he always rang from a street corner. He had been working there for years and we were talking about how much easier it was to be pleasant to the public than to be opposite. Even though we feel unwell or out of sorts it paid to be pleasant because pleasant attitudes always rebounded as a feeling of well being in yourself. After dropping in the city I drove to the Claremont rank. The first train to Fremantle stopped at the Claremont station there were only two people on it, the second train to Fremantle had a few more and the third train had even more people. I had waited long enough in Claremont and drove to Subiaco. I sat on the Subiaco rank until 6.45 AM and then drove to Mount Lawley and managed to get a job after two and a quarter hours from Mount Lawley to the city. I picked up a taxi driver in Inglewood who was going to Malaga to pick up his taxi, he said 86 he had slept in. I told him not to worry as he had missed very little and the sleep in should have done him better than being on the road. As he got out I got a job from Noranda to Perth, a woman went to Mount street. Picked up a man going to Bull creek. He was very short sighted although showing me how short sighted he was by telling me of the difficulty he was having in recognising car brands and roof signs on vehicles we were following on the freeway. Got a job from Booragoon shops to Perth a man who claimed he had been waiting for twenty minutes. The wait always seemed longer and sometimes I check the time people ring and the time they are picked up and there is always an exaggerated amount of time. Dropped a happy man in West Perth who sent a few verbal punches that I took and by the time he got out we were on good terms. Picked up an elderly woman going to the Rod Evans aged persons centre in East Perth She seemed to have had a stroke by the way she spoke but it was obvious she was looking forward to her day out with her friends. She spoke as if she lived for this day each week. Picked up an elderly man who lived in the war veterans home in Menora going into the city for his weekly day out with his mates. He caught taxis both ways and got a Government subsidy on his return trip of fifty per cent. He had a daughter in New Zealand and although he could live there and get financial help from the government he said” They all hate the Aussies in New Zealand and that’s why I couldn’t live there.” Picked up a man from Wickham in the North West. He had a Range Rover that was giving him a lot of trouble that he’d had since new, he had an old Holden that ran well for him and pressure from his wife made him trade it in which he now regretted. On 26th July 1994. Picked up first of all an Ex patriot New Zealander who was going to work on a tender barge that was used alongside the gas platform going to and from Karratha. When there was no work to do they just slept on the barge. He found it was best to join in with table tennis or cards or anything to keep the boredom down. He said there were cranes and lot of noise coming from the gas platform and some nights it was difficult to sleep. On 27th July 1994 The first job at 5.0 Am was from Mount Lawley to the airport. The man was a regular taxi user and worked with Aboriginal affairs who normally went later to the city but today was going to Kununurra for a few days. Next job was a man from Parry street East Perth to the airport. He was travelling to Cairns via Melbourne, he worked with elderly people and three times a year he got away to various parts of Australia. He was a regular visitor to Strahan in Tasmania where he enjoyed walking around those beautiful mountains. He did a lot of walking wherever he went and went north in winter and south in summer. Next job was a woman from Mount Lawley to St John of God’s hospital in Subiaco. Ironically she had slept in, I was there ten minutes before the booking time and she was going to have her baby induced. She had a fortnight of sleepless nights and this morning she had slept in I wished her the best for her second child. Took a prostitute to a brothel in Highgate she was well spoken, young and well groomed. Took a woman from the North West from Jolimont to Perth. She stayed with her Grandmother whilst in Perth and had lived in the North West all her life but was looking for a job in Perth as she had enough of the North West and was looking forward to live in the city. Next a young man who had done basic training in the Air Force went to a brothel to pick his mate up. He wanted a quote to Scarborough. He said the advertisements in the media indicated an easy road into the forces when in fact they are very selective as to who they took in. They were on leave after their basic training before they were to be posted for a period of time at a base. I left him at the brothel. Picked up a man returning to a boarding house in Perth who had been treated for a very bad virus that was affecting everyone in the boarding house. When we pulled up outside there was an ambulance loading someone into the rear, there was a sheet covering the person which wasn’t a good sign. Drove back into the city and saw the Air Force man coming out of the brothel on his own and hailing a taxi, which headed in the direction of Scarborough Went to the City Rail station and picked up a woman who was doing a course on transistors at a new college in Mount Lawley. She asked me when I thought transistors were invented, I guessed about the end of the last war, between 1945- 1950 which she didn’t contradict. We talked about the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Centre built in East Perth that was funded by the Commonwealth government and was run by the State Government, the latter having to find the funds for on going costs which were very high in a new college and there seemed a difficulty with the campus finding its own identity. She spoke about a devoted 87 Professor at the University of Western Australia who helped and encouraged students to follow their interests in electronics for their own satisfaction Picked up a regular young woman who worked for a record company who used to catch the taxi the short distance to work early in the morning, but today she was going about lunchtime as the company had decided to stop overtime payment and she was going later to use some of her overtime On Thursday 28th July 1994, the first job was a man from Fifth Avenue Mount Lawley to the airport. He was of the opinion that Australia should cut the Social Security budget and double Education spending. We had a healthy discussion on our thoughts on Education and Social Security. We talked about society changes over the years and how we were once a God fearing nation that believed in a common enemy either imaginary or real where there was a common reason to work together, but now we were the acceptors of all people were trying to be nice to all and instead of being a cohesive group we were fighting amongst ourselves. Dropped him at the airport after an interesting conversation and drove to Nedlands where there were ten jobs in the last hour that averaged one every six minutes and I was number one on the rank. The six minutes law of averages went to thirty minutes and I still didn’t have a job. A man came by checking the rubbish bins for soft drink cans in the darkness. After forty five minutes I drove off and went to Mount Lawley meeting the Indian Pacific, arriving at 7 Am Picked up a couple from the Indian Pacific who said they had a lovely trip across but someone had broken into the till in the Matilda bar during the evening and stolen the takings. Drove back to Mount Lawley and picked up a woman going to West Perth, then I picked up a man with an American accent that had been to the casino last night and had too much to drink and was returning to collect his car. He looked unwell and would be lucky to pass a breathalyser Drove to the Bayswater rank and got a job from Bayswater to the city. I knocked and on the door and then returned to the taxi being chased by a dog, which stirred the woman and made her come out. The woman said she had subdivided her land and sold part of it for $45000 and soon after the agent had sold it for $69000. The rates were still coming to her and she was going to a solicitor to complain about how the Real Estate agent had dealt with her. I went to the Town Hall rank. Picked up a woman who was pleasant to talk to and I realised it was Yvette Mooney a news reader in Perth. I didn’t recognise her at first as she looked different on television. She was talking about how she was forced to play the piano when she was very young and how she resented it which turned her away from the piano. Her parents were looking at her best interests by encouraging her to music. She spoke of the politics involved in the television world and how she enjoyed her job as a newsreader. She was a lovely person to talk to and I thought she deserved a prominent place in television being such a nice and humble person. On 29th July 1994 the first job was from Noranda to Hampton Park school, a woman that worked there as a cleaner. She worked a shift of twelve hours with a break of four hours and worked with twelve other people. Next fare was a man who sold veterinary supplies to horse trainers and piggeries who left his car at his work at Ascot yesterday and was returning to pick it up. The reason he left it there was that he had gone to the Northam races yesterday and was over the alcohol limit when he returned and didn’t want to take the risk of driving. He was a keen trotting man and would like to see the trots move to Belmont Park races, which wouldn’t interfere with the race meetings and the Gloucester Park trotting grounds in East Perth be sold for their valuable location. Next about 7.30 Am a boy about ten years old going from Belmont to Maylands catching the taxi to his old school as his mother had moved and after a school camp he would move into the school near his new house. Picked up Snowy from the bottle shop in East Perth. Snowy caught a lot of taxis he had been catching them for a few months, he went around East Perth and absolutely wasted his money on taxis. He got a pay out for some insurance and mustn’t have long to go as he went from shop to shop and running up hefty bills always dressed in rags, but Snowy always had the money. So far at least. Today he went around East Perth looking for his wife. He found her behind an abandoned building having a doze nursing a bottle of wine. He aroused her and she got up and threw a milk crate at Snowy and it hit the taxi. I told Snowy I couldn’t put up with that behaviour so would have to leave him. He got three of his friends to get into the taxi which had me in a difficult position. Two more got in and I told him I was unable to 88 carry five as I was licensed for four only. After what seemed a long time I dropped Snowy and three of his friends minus his wife at Hyde Park where he was content to sit in the park and have a drink. On 1st August 1994 the first job was from Bayswater to the airport. A couple who came to Western Australia over thirty years ago and cleared for cropping near Jerramungup. They stayed there for a number of years and then moved to Northam where they now reside. The man was encouraged by bank managers to clear more and more of his land for cropping even though he heavily resisted clear felling and wanted to leave patches of hundreds of acres of natural bushland in parts on his property but was ordered almost to get rid of everything and have bare paddocks. We discussed how a flight across Australia revealed quite clearly the amount of reduction in bush land right across the continent. He said even in Queensland today they are not learning the lessons of the past and something drastic has to happen before anything is done. He was going to the Gold Coast for a few days and to Tamworth in New South Wales where his wife’s family come from. He said it was only $399 return. Took a woman locally from the War Veterans’ homes in Menora. The woman was surprised at the promptness. I told her the computer is the reason for such efficiency. Next was a woman from Dalwallinu in the wheat belt. She was staying with her sister in Perth and she had always lived in the bush, the weather was not right this year for the crops, they desperately needed rain within the next few days after seeding. She had three children who hadn’t reached double figures yet and took them seven miles to a neighbour for companionship. We talked about how country children seemed to excel in life in many fields and how there wasn’t the pressures of the larger cities. Took a woman from the Eden Hill rank to Bassendean and returned to the Eden Hill rank. There was little movement or work so I drove to Northbridge and picked up a woman going to Victoria Park. Drove into the city and parked on the Town Hall rank. Took a woman from the Town hall rank to Nedlands Golf club to attend a fund raising luncheon for Christ Church Grammar school. She didn’t play golf but attended other people’s functions whilst they attended hers when she needed them to. She had a very badly injured wrist which seemed like she had broken it. I opened the door for her, she was so disabled. Took a man from East Perth to the airport. He worked on Barrow Island on an oil production platform having two weeks off and now returning for his two weeks on. He had to be at the airport in ten minutes so I did a “U” turn and raced out there as quickly as possible and arrived in twelve minutes. There were six aircraft due in the next half hour so I parked on the back of the rank and when my turn came picked up a New Zealander going to Comer street Como. He had worked fifteen weeks straight on the Marandoo iron ore mine and resigned after so long in the bush. He didn’t like the North West and was pleased to be back in the cooler climate. Next was a farmer from Mullewa who’d parked his car at Meltham station and was going to catch taxis or trains around whilst in the city and was going to an auction to get a ute for the farm. He had done some dry seeding of his crop this year but there was a desperate need for rain. We picked up farmers at this time of year who had worked long hours putting in their crops and came to Perth preparing and hoping for a good crop before Christmas. He had sheep which were holding up the farm as the wheat prices were low at present. Picked up a woman going locally in Mount Lawley, there was a buzzing noise that was baffling until the woman got out, she had a hearing aid turned on too loud. There was a confrontation between a motor cyclist and a young man in a car in Charles Street West Perth, verbally abusing each other and they were both all over the road swerving and just missing one another. They pulled up at lights and the motor cyclist punched the car driver through the open window and then the car went up on the footpath and went against the traffic lights down a street to the left and the motor cyclist went straight ahead. On 2nd August 1994 the first job was from Northbridge to Mullaloo. An English man who had been in Perth about thirteen years and had been out for the night. He had fallen asleep at his friends house about 1 Am and had woken again at 5.30 Am, it was now 5.45 Am and he had to be back in Morley to start work at 7 AM. Drove towards the city and ended up on the Leederville rank. Drove to the East Perth Rail terminal and picked up an English girl who was on a working holiday in Australia. She had been to Monkey Mia to see the dolphins and was now going to look for work in Perth for a couple of months. She had no money at all on her and we managed to find an all night teller (How did we all manage before them?) She was out of her 89 mind with tiredness and we had to stop again and get her address in Wembley where she had to go. Next was a woman from the eastern states (she didn’t specify) and was over with her husband who was on business and was looking at the sights whilst he was working. I told her of the best places to see whilst in Perth. She was going to Margaret River for the day today. Went to the Mount Lawley rank and spoke to John who said he had a sister in Katoomba who was in a bush walking club who regularly went on walks in the Blue Mountains area. He was a bit of an “arm chair” walker but even he had managed to savour the delights of the mountain air and the sounds of the bush birds and animals on his last visit. Next was a man from Fourth Avenue Maylands going to Bayswater. He wasn’t ready when I arrived and told me he’d told them at the base that he wanted the taxi in fifteen minutes. He offered me a cup of coffee, which I thankfully declined and I told him to take his time and I’d wait for him. When he got in he said that he had slept in and missed the train and I dropped him in Bayswater in plenty of time for his 8.15 Am start. Picked up a woman from the Mount Lawley Technical college. We were talking about the new college in East Perth. She was saying that the staff at the Campus were mostly redeployed, some having no working knowledge of these institutions and the campus had to find its identity. Next was Mr Thomson who was now living in a retirement village in Menora, he used to own the Morley newsagent which he sold for $85000 and since then it had passed hands for a million dollars. It was a question mark as to how it would go with the new shopping centre and the buses moved. He sold out thirteen years ago and was an old time pleasant business man. He looked as though he had a stroke by the way he was handicapped on the one side and by his faltering speech and his walking action. Got a job from Spencer Avenue Yokine to Perth. A man who had a coffee shop and who used to live in a house with a man who had let him down. He went a Real Estate agent on the way paid his half and from that moment decided to never live with another person again. When we got to his shop the man had trouble getting into the shop because there had been a break in the night before. Went to the City Railway station. A prostitute went to work in Parry Street. Drove to the rank in Murray street. A man wanted to go to East Victoria park. He said the most popular words spoken to taxi drivers if nothing is said to the passenger. “Busy today mate?” we spoke of the computers and I was asking him how he liked them and if he caught a lot of taxis and what difference the computer made to him. The general consensus was approval. There was rain forecast for Perth and the sky was filling with banks of rain cloud. Dropped the man in Victoria park and then picked up a man with a carton of beer tucked under his arm going to St James. The driveway was too steep to drive down as the rear would scrape so I stopped out on the road. Drove into Perth and waited on the Murray street rank and took a man going to the Briar Patch Tavern in Victoria Park. He didn’t look too well and told me he had a bad attack of the flu and needed a “charge “ to make him feel well. Next a man formerly from Italy and his wife who had lived in the North West. The man had a good job and they were going back after a six week break in Perth. They were taking a bottle of Glenfiddich whisky back to a man that minded their house for them whilst they were in Perth. He never drank the “Top “ shelf only drank beer and never smoked in his life. Took a man from the city to Willetton. He was talking about a film he watched called “Speed “ where an Ex policeman had a finger blown off didn’t get enough recognition and went around blowing buses and other things up trying for ransoms which he never got, and got caught in the end. He was reluctant to tell me the ending but I assured him I wouldn’t be watching that particular film. Went to the Murray street rank waited and then drove to the Perth hospital rank. Cars were leaving as I arrived at the rank. I took an English nurse to Wembley. On 3rd August 1994 I got a job from Morley to Midland about 4.30 Am. The man was under the influence and was behaving in a threatening manner. I used a code to inform the base of my concerns. Don Barnes was the operator and a message was sent out to all cars which told them to keep a look out for me. I gave them my position in a subtle way and turned into Middle Swan Road heading towards Midland. He continued using threatening behaviour and I still spoke to Don Barnes the operator who was monitoring my movements and unbeknown to my passenger taxis were being informed of my progress. We turned into Great Northern highway and headed in a southerly direction the passenger was raving on telling me in a jumbled sort of way that we were too much trouble on the road and he was going to rob me 90 and make a run for it. He told me he was a better fighter than me and that he had spent a lot of time in the ring. It was pitch black and he told me to stop the taxi in Great Northern Highway Middle Swan. I stopped the taxi and wound down the driver’s window. He told me to hand over my money or he would “Do me in!” At that time Bill Jolly put his head into the window of my taxi on the driver’s side and said “Hand over the fare mate , there are three of us and we’ll do you to a pulp if you don’t hand the money over in five seconds”. There were three other taxi drivers standing at the passenger door. One pulled open the door and stood over him. He gingerly put his hand into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet and handed over the money. I gave him the change and he stepped out of the taxi jumped onto the footpath scaled a nearby brick wall and went onto the darkness. I thanked Bill a remarkable man who would come out of the woodwork to help anyone. He used to sell cigarettes at a kiosk at the City Railway station and was a man of substance. I put in a report to the base thanked Don Barnes and the drivers who came to my assistance and realised that was my closest encounter. Next I picked up a man who worked for Telecom going to the airport. He went to Sydney every month as part of his job. Took a woman in Yokine to an elderly persons home in Joondanna to help with the breakfasts and to help shower or bath the patients. She had been doing it for a number of years and her back was giving her trouble. Took a disabled young man going from the Salvation Army in Northbridge to the Airways motel in Perth to visit a friend. He was from Karratha and visiting his friend for a few days. A man hailed me in the city, he was originally from New Zealand, (Taxi drivers can always pick their accents even though he’d been in Australia seventeen years). He was going to Bethesda hospital in Claremont to have a check up as he injured himself and had to see if any nerve damage was done. He started driving trains in New Zealand and got a job driving trains in the North West seventeen years ago. He was waiting for a pay out and had rejected two offers via the union. The crew on the trains were to be cut from two to one and there were to be cars driving up and down the track to assist if there was a problem or if a coupling broke and the driver needed assistance. He had five children scattered all over and divorced his first wife and went to the Philippines where he met his second wife. He received $86000 last year in wages and when he got his pay out was going to buy a house cash in Rockingham and live there. He first intended living in Geraldton but decided against it. Drove to Mosman park and picked up a woman going to the city. A woman then went from a home for alcoholics in East Perth to a seminar at the WACA for the day. The seminar was an exercise in futility as far as she was concerned, an exercise to spend money for training by her employer or the company would be taxed extra. She took a good book to read for the day. I paid my bill at Swan Taxis and picked up two women going to the casino. One of the women said she had back problems for many years and had been to a physiotherapist who had put her back right. She had been to GPS at first and they would tell her she was imagining the pain. Now she had got it right and it sometimes lasted a few months before it had to be put in place again. Next was an Indonesian man who couldn’t speak very good English but wanted to go to the casino. Took a man locally on crutches from the Town Hall rank. Raced to the East Perth terminal to pick up a radio job there, but was beaten by another car. After a long wait at the terminal I got a job at the Malt factory in Stuart Street, a man going to Maddington. The man was an engineer and explained that there were two companies in Australia that sold the treated Barley to breweries within Australia. He had recently been to Queensland to take part in an engineering project there. The company was in association with the opposition both in partnership building a plant in China. He was given notice that he would have to go to China to work on this project for at least three years and possibly as long as six years. On 4th August 1994 the first job this morning was to take a man to the airport who had been over to see a friend who he had known for many years as a fellow truck driver. His mate had both legs amputated from lack of circulation and got a pay out which purchased him a home in the suburb of Thornlie. This was the second time he had been over to see his mate and he still was a long distance truck driver with Lin Fox in the east. Picked up a woman who’d slept in and was employed at Parliament house. She worked for a politician and didn’t care any more if she was late, she was enrolled in a course on Phycology which she would soon be studying full time and was leaving the politician as soon as her course started. She had a new boyfriend and slept a little too long and didn’t care 91 who knew. Picked up a man from the Indian Pacific who was a train buff and who loved the “Tucker” on the train and was over from Milsons Point near the Sydney Harbour bridge. He was spending four days here and then going back to Sydney. I advised him of where to look and how to travel economically on day tickets. Hurried back to the East Perth Rail terminal and managed to pick up a woman staying in the backpacker’s accommodation in Francis Street. She originally came from England but now lived in Devonport Tasmania and had booked on a tour from Perth to the North West and had to fill in time until the seventeenth so she wanted to look at some of the sights here. I advised her of what to do and see. (Every traveller had different ideas of what they want to see in a city depending on age time and interests, so it was always difficult to generalise and give a precise general list of places to see). She came over Bass Strait on the new ferry which she said looked like a sheep carrier and felt like one as all the seats faced inside and there were no window views from where she was seated. Picked up an elderly woman who did volunteer work in an opportunity shop in Mount Lawley. She was a lovely old dear who had travelled many years by taxi doing her bit for charity. Picked up an 83 year old going to a school friend’s house she had kept in touch with all those years who lived at Floreat. They were former students of Mount Hawthorne Primary school and was a bit sad as she was starting to lose her memory and finding it difficult to remember things. I helped her in with her lunch rolls and flowers she had brought with her to give her old friend who was anxiously waiting at the door ready to open and greet her. Took a man to the exclusive Weld Club in Perth the club for Judges and Professional people. He’d been there on “kindergarten” day when people were allowed to go as a visitor. The reason he was allowed in was that his father was a well known Judge in Perth he was a Journalist and not quite acceptable to the club as a full member, was in his forties and was classed in the kindergarten age group. The rules were quite rigid, no business was permitted to be discussed on the premises, the top floor had accommodation and no women were allowed to walk the stairs to the top floor, they had to travel by lift. Coats were to be worn at all times except in the billiard room and when a member wanted to go to the toilet whilst in the billiard room, they were to put on their coat whilst walking to and from the toilet. Membership was handed down from father to son and membership was $2000 a year. The food and service was superb. On August 5th 1994 I picked up a man who sold farm machinery in the wheat belt. He was pleased to say that the whole area had received considerable rain and Wongan Hills where he sold his machinery was still getting its share. The only place not to get significant rain was in the marginal wheat growing areas east of Esperance. On 2nd October 1995 A little over a year since last writing there were modest changes made to the computer system to try and get the maximum benefit to the public and to the drivers. There were a couple of hitches where the whole system failed and it was a big problem for a period of time whenever something like that happened. It was 8.15 am and I was waiting on a prospect in the Inglewood area. There had been rain in Perth and in the agricultural areas bringing reasonable optimism to the farmers and bringing a lot of them to the Royal show in Perth. Wool prices had fallen and wheat was now rising in contrast to this time last year. There were many sheep being taken to the Midland markets in fact so many the price of sheep had fallen considerably. I was given an 8.30 am booking an Englishman who worked up north was going into Perth to do a first aid course paid for by his company as “Training” is the flavour of the month with companies at present. We were talking about the name “Royal” referring to the Royal show and we were wondering how these organisations got the name in the first place (We both assumed by permission from the Governor), and when the country became a Republic if the word “Royal” would go out of vogue. There was a lot of encouragement from Prime Minister Keating to establish a republic in Australia, sometimes it was a diversion from his domestic failings, although he held a genuine belief in a Republic for Australia. Next job was a man from Bradford Street Menora, he had rung twice as the first taxi was impatient and had gone before he was able to get out of his house. He was full of praise for the taxis since computerisation this was the first time he’d been let down since computers started. He worked for the West Australian newspaper and we were talking about pride in one’s job and a work ethic that is a lot less visible in society today. Next was man who was going to Selby Lodge for the day to do therapy and to keep his mind active and to give relief to his wife. A woman who lived near the Claremont showgrounds went locally. She was saying that 92 some of her neighbours charged five dollars or what ever they could get for people to park on their lawn. She didn’t mind who parked on her lawn and didn’t charge for the parking. Picked up an Englishman going back to England to see his father who was 55 years old ,who had motor Neuron disease and had been near atomic tests and was in the Army for many years. His father wasn’t expected to live very long and although he had managed to migrate to Australia and had seen his father only a few months ago he didn’t expect to be returning. His baggage was the heaviest I’d ever picked up, I suggested to him that the airline would possibly not handle such a heavy bag and he may have to take it to the freight section where they have the fork lifts after we both struggled together to lift the bags in the rear. There was a good run in the Midland area for a couple of hours as it was pension day and the general economy was picking up after a time in the doldrums. One young man had to purchase a battery for his car he wasn’t very pleased with the car as he’d been spending everything he had on it to keep it running he was unemployed and he had a wife and family to look after. A car dealer went from Midland to the Government auctions in Welshpool to pick up a wide bodied Magna that he bought for $18000 that he would drive around himself and if any one wanted to give him $21000 then he would sell it. He’d been around the Midland area for fourteen years mostly in the used car business starting in sedans but now in four wheel drives as there was no guarantee to worry about and it was difficult to get sedans for the right price as the buying competition was too fierce. When he got out there were plenty of taxis in Welshpool so I took a local job in Forrestfield a woman who was in the Army with her husband Next day October 3rd 1995 at 5.30 am the first job was a job from Shenton Park to the airport. The man worked for a company associated with Woodside petroleum and was going to Karratha where Woodside were to make an announcement in the next day or two as to either up date the existing plant or to add a costly train to the plant and treat more gas coming from both the Rankin A and Goodwin A gas production platforms. He called into a multi storey building in the city and went to his office and then we went to East Perth and picked up one of his colleagues where they continued to the airport talking about the various engineering options available for the project. They also commented about how nice and fresh it was up and about in the early hours of the morning. As we drove down Brearley Avenue into the airport I checked the computer it was possible to see where any taxis were plotted in any area of the metropolitan area in an instant. Plotted into North Perth from the airport, there were two jobs available within the next half hour and I was second car in the area. Picked up a man going to the airport to fly out to Yalgoo a minesite. He was not interested in conversation. Plotted into the Midland area and got a woman going to Swan Districts hospital for the day to do tests. She wasn’t happy at the thought of a day in the hospital but those people do a wonderful job. Followed the road towards Perth and picked up at the East Perth rail terminal. Former Premier of Queensland Belke Petersen and wife Flo were on the train this morning. They had a welcoming committee. I picked up a man and his wife who were from Sydney and were hiring a car for nine days and were asking where to go for there holiday here. They enjoyed the trip although they had a disturbed sleep. Went back to the terminal and picked up a man who had been working on the railway line near Hughes on the Nullarbor. He was saying that most of the work on the railway line was put out to tender and very few people now lived on the railway line. He said Australian National now only ran the Indian Pacific ( Now only twice a week) and ran the tea and sugar train each week across the Nullarbor and the return of the “Tea and sugar” the “Bomber”. Another company “National freight” ran the freight trains that go across Australia and since the introduction of the truck trains the popularity of moving cargo across had increased especially with these revolutionary systems where the trucks virtually drive up, disconnect the prime mover and are loaded in a matter of minutes ready for departure. Picked up a bricklayer going to Scarborough, working on a new house there. He’d had problems with his battery and it was 8.30 am and was suppose to start at 7 am. He didn’t seem to care. There were cars around Scarborough so I headed towards City Beach and they called for a station wagon from Fremantle to the airport. Got the job a middle aged couple who were staying at a new Bed and Breakfast residence in High Street. They said it was reasonable to stay there although the place wasn’t fitted with ensuites as yet and there 93 was a bit of a walk to go to the toilet and shower. We spoke about Perth and why the Europeans selected Perth as the capital why it was in its present location, why there was so much parkland around the city and how the Aboriginal population had changed because of the Europeans. Dropped at the airport and picked up an Aboriginal shearer who was busting to get back to the shearing shed. His wife had a stroke and he had been looking after her. She was well enough with a little help to fend for herself. We talked about the “Gun” shearer who got the number one stand, the shearer they all looked up to. The gun shearer in his team was 55 years old and sheared up to 250 sheep a day, had a special brace to support his back. The second fastest was next and so on down the line. He sheared in an eight man team and sheared between 130-150 sheep a day. He said the team sometimes split in two and sheared as two teams of four and last year they got some Kiwis to shear with them, but it didn’t work too well as the Kiwis cut a lot of the sheep and some had to be slaughtered as their Achilles tendon was severed. Next morning Wednesday October 4th 1995 the first job was a prospect coming up in the Subiaco area. I was on the Subiaco rank before 5 am a clear morning as I was a witnessing the man who was emptying the rubbish bins, to an occasional car and the movement of a jogger and a walker. Mr Morris didn’t catch taxis any more as the recession had taken his job. I was witnessing everything happening in Rokeby road Subiaco. The first job was from Federal street Subiaco to the airport. The man I had picked up previously was a Psychiatrist who every fortnight went to Kalgoorlie for the day to do a clinic in his rooms in that city. His main rooms were in West Perth and was proud of new rooms under construction there. I asked him about them and he told me to divert into the street in West Perth where he showed me an addition that was done to accommodate offices in the new top storey which had been added. There were three partners in the building and there was a meticulous effort made to keep the historic design and look of the era including thousands of dollars of lead lighting to preserve the original character and look of the building. There was a lawn with a fountain out the front instead of parking for two cars that was originally envisaged and an ornate staircase was built leading to the rooms at the top of the building. It was a credit to all concerned, the compromise was to put fibro in sections of the top floor instead of timber, Subiaco Council insisting on this to lessen the risk of fire. He wanted to erect a plaque outlining the history of the house and naming the deceased man and his three deceased sisters who lived in the house but the man had left all he had to distant relatives in Victoria and the relatives in Perth had declined to cooperate in any way. Drove back to West Perth and picked up a woman going from the Country Women’s association in West Perth to catch the Greyhound bus back to Leeton in the Riverina district of New South Wales. She had been visiting the Pilbara region of Western Australia being interested in the pioneer women, how they lived and dressed and what life was like in former years for them. She was a regular visitor to and found the Pilbara region a nice place to relax and unwind. She said that people those days knew what was happening to their distant neighbours without the benefit of modern communications whilst people today didn’t know who their neighbours were. Went to the City Railway station and saw a man about thirty with fiery red hair pull something from the rubbish bin and eat ravenously. Next job was from Farnley Street Mount Lawley to the city. I knocked on the door and a man told me someone would be out shortly. A woman came out with her white waitress jacket that she hung on the hook in the rear and wanted to go to the city mall. There were cars around the north of the city so I went to Claremont and picked up a job from North Fremantle going to High Street Fremantle. The young woman had been to an art exhibition on the corner of Henry street and drank too much deciding to leave her car and pick it up this morning. The exhibition was on the Kimberley region by Kimberley artists and although she wasn’t an “Arty” person she went to please her girl friend who she shared a house with and enjoyed herself. Went to the Esplanade hotel, a hotel that was a credit to its designers which blended perfectly the old and the new for the America’s cup and retained a quality hotel that was still very popular. I was watching the movement of twelve different areas with the computer screen. After a long wait I plotted into Mosman park and got a job from Mosman Park to Murdoch hospital. The man wanted to stop at a newsagent and purchased the paper and kept to himself in the back seat absorbing the news. He was immaculately dressed and paid for the fare with a charge account from a firm of accountants. 94 Next was a job from Curtis and Canning highway in Melville. The message said that the police had rang for a taxi and when I got there the police were booking speeding motorists so I asked a constable if he knew anything about a taxi rang in by police communications. “Haven’t got a clue” was his reply, so I went to Fremantle to pick up at Shacks the car dealers and couldn’t find anyone there. Third time lucky was a nurse going from Fremantle to Hilton Park. She said she used to listen to Death Metal music until she could see it was having a profound affect on her life and thinking so she changed to more conventional music and felt a lot better for it. Picked up a man who was going to visit his mother and see she was cared for in her retirement home in Bibra lake. He went away a lot in his job but regularly visited her to see she was looked after. Next was a Japanese woman hailing in Murdoch, she had an elderly woman with her and an infant in her arms. She asked how much to East Perth, I told her about twenty two dollars, then how much to Booragoon, to which I replied about ten Dollars. She then saw a bus and asked me to chase it so she would catch it. I overtook the bus and caused a minor traffic jam whilst they all got out. I waved to the bus driver as an apology as I went. It was strangely quiet for Friday, I meandered along the highway towards Perth and picked up a miner who worked at a goldmine in the desert country, producing enough gold to continue operating and continue looking for gold below 200 metres. He worked two weeks on and one week off and flew in and out of the mine, which was the way for these communities to function now with no state infrastructure and a more contented work force returning to their families for the time off. Planes were just like catching buses with the frequencies and amount of people travelling across the State and Country. He said the company paid his return airfare to the nearest capital city to his home and although some were flown to the eastern capitals, he lived in Geraldton and had to pay his way between Perth and Gerald ton. He was neatly dressed. Went to Midland where the work was booming but there was a breakdown in the service because of too much work and jobs weren’t there when we arrived. A woman came over on the Midland rank, asked if I could take her sister home I said it would be all right, so she went behind the tree and pulled her sister by the arm, the sister was too drunk to stand by herself, so I put the foot down, reached back to close the door and went. Picked up at the Midland shops a man going to Swan view. Went back to the Midland rank which was full of drunks so I drove home. On 9th October 1995 was up at 4.20 am and picked up the first fare from Embleton to Inglewood. The woman looked after two children that belonged to a flight attendant that today was going to the North West and return. If she flew overnight anywhere then she would take the children home or they would stay at a neighbours house. Next a woman going to work on an oil production platform returning after her two weeks off. She said she had three phone calls during the night at 7 0 PM, 10 PM and 2 am from a man friend who was in Spain and didn’t consider the time difference. He was loving his holiday he’d been to London, Paris and now Spain and was enjoying every minute of it. She had wanted to go with him but was unable to get the same time off. Next was a man from Morley to the airport, he was at peace with his thoughts. Next was a time booking from a backpackers in East Perth. There was no one there. Picked up a job that flashed on the screen from West Perth to the city. The woman worked at a bank in the city. She said it cost her 80 cents by bus to go to the city, and went door to door in four minutes. If she went by car she pointed to where she had to park which was a walk in all weathers and cost her five dollars a day. Picked up a man going to the city from Bayswater. He said” You know driver I am seventy seven years old and I have never owned a motor car” “Well how did you get around ?” I replied. “I was a slaughterman at the Midland abattoirs used to ride my push bike down there to work and home and I was a trainer of trotters” he spoke of the behaviour of horses the behaviour of mares and stallions and the different personalities in them. He told of a particular horse that a jockey rode once and vowed never to ride again, that had a nasty personality that no one could ride except him. He eventually sold it to a man from the North West. He made it clear of the pitfalls of the animal and the man didn’t mind being experienced in horses. The man contacted him later and told him he should have listened to him. Took a woman from Maylands to Nedlands, she suggested a way and I told her I’d take her that way, but she would have to pay more. She decided to go my way. 95 Picked up a man from Mosman park going to Perth. He had been to Margaret River for a holiday and taken his father who was from England to see the sights, but his car had broken down and he hired a car. The man himself lived in a luxurious part of Mosman Park, in contrast to some areas of the suburb and migrated to Australia a few years ago. There was a job coming up in Mount Lawley and I picked up a man going to East Perth. Headed up to Midland away from the peak hour traffic and picked up an elderly woman going to Stafford street to have an X-ray. She was commenting on how nice the rain was to see. A car lost control at traffic lights and slammed into the traffic lights, another car was sitting against a tree abandoned Was third car on the Midland rank and after 45 minutes picked up a woman going from West Midland to Swan districts hospital to see a doctor about severe arthritis in her left knee. Next a couple going to the airport from the Rose and Crown hotel in Guildford. It was a pleasure to walk into the reception and go back in time The couple had been to jazz festivals in York and another at suburban Armadale. They were jazz lovers and travelled all over Australia naming all the festivals they had attended. Did a local job in Midland and then a job from Swan districts hospital locally. A truck driver (with the stomach to prove it) was full of praise for the promptness when he rang. He was at the Bank West bank and was going to Stratton. He drove road trains from Northam to New South Wales, leaving Perth after cleaning the truck at 7.30 PM on Tuesdays (no later) and with his co-driver arrived in Sydney about 3.00 Am on the Friday morning. He explained that the road train was governed to 91 kph and if he exceeded the speed limit in South Australia the permit was revoked for a fortnight and the fine was about one and a half thousand dollars. The license for the road train cost ten dollars in Western Australia and eighteen hundred dollars in other states. Next was a woman going from Midland to Mirrabooka. She worked in the Myer Miss store and was going to pick up a three hundred dollar suit from a store selling designer labels at Mirrabooka. She worked five days from Tuesdays to Sundays at the city store. Went to the Morley rank at the new shopping centre. After a wait I got an urgent specimen delivery from a diagnostic laboratory to Myaree. After delivering I went to the Trade Winds hotel and picked up a young woman who worked there and went to Coolbellup. She said the hotel was very busy most weekends with local people staying but there was a bit of a lull in the weekday occupancy rate. Next an elderly couple going to the outpatients section of Fremantle hospital. They had no idea of the layout of the hospital so I took them in and showed them where it was. There were cars plotted in the Fremantle area and I secured a prospect coming up in Cottesloe. I was looking down Napoleon Street Cottesloe, looking at the dress mode of the suburb where people were well dressed slim and “Cottesloe” like. Picked up a man from the Cottesloe Hotel going to Fremantle. He worked as a Chef and the work was quiet at the hotel so he was sent home early. Next morning on Thursday 5th October 1995 about 4.45 Am a man hailed me in William Street Northbridge going to Mount Lawley. He was returning home after a night out. Picked up from Bedford a man going to Welshpool. He said he’d been out until 2.0 Am and was stilled “Pissed” and had been to a raunchy show at the Charles hotel and wasn’t feeling too well. We loaded his push bike into the rear and stopped at a deli on the way to get some milk to “Put the fire out”. He was a welder and was falling asleep as we went along. I suggested to him to be very careful at work to ensure he didn’t get any flashes as he had a very dangerous job for tiredness. He assured me he would be all right by morning tea time. He said there was a lot of work now and he was working a lot of overtime. Was a full moon this morning bathing the earth in moon beams. A terrorist group derailed an Amtrack train in America sending the train off a bridge into a dry ravine killing one crew member, four Australians were on board and uninjured. Next morning Friday 6th October 1995 there was a man going to the airport from Subiaco. He was on the State executive of the Bonsai growing society and was going to Melbourne for a meeting. He was talking of his love and knowledge of Bonsai that started in China, but was widely used in Japan where most people recognised Japan as the main country when Bonsai was mentioned. He said there were Conifers and trees that were ideal to grow in pots. Any tree can grow in pots and taken out of the pot will grow as large as any open range tree but the leaf is important. The best look of a Bonsai tree is to look storm damaged and aged. A woman rang from a block of flats in Shenton Park going to Claremont. I waited and waited outside the flats and a woman with plenty of cleavage got in and started abusing me and 96 asking where I had been. I told her that I had been waiting for quite a while and she hadn’t come out. She then started on about the girl who answered the phone calling her an imbecile and asking why she told her the taxi would be there straight away when she had to wait fifteen minutes. I kept my cool and said that there were imbeciles in all walks of life and to say the taxi would be there straight away and was there in fifteen minutes was technically correct to some people and it was difficult for the telephonist to know exactly how long the taxi would be. She departed on good terms a lot cooler and more understanding than when she first got in, it could have been an all in brawl if I had rubbed her up the wrong way. We had a reasonable week last week on the taxi because of the Royal show, this week it had quietened down. Picked up two women going to Fremantle, one worked at the Left Bank tavern near the river and the other wanted to be dropped near the mall. A couple of young men got in at East Fremantle going to the Biscuit Factory in South Fremantle. The one in the back was telling me where to turn and which lane to drive and his mate said “Don’t you like back seat drivers telling you where to go” I said I didn’t mind and dropped them in Jenkin Street. Got a job in Davies Road Claremont and checking the number there was no such number in the street. I told the base operator Dennis and he told me to give it away and I’d be given the next job in the area. A few minutes later the people rang back at the same address and I went back and tried to get blood out of a stone by checking for the same non existent number to no avail. In desperation I drove along the street towards the other direction and there was a young woman waving. She had stayed at someone else’s house and the first time they rang they had said the wrong number and they had corrected the number on the second time, but the telephonist had neglected to change the number. She went into the city and we understood there were failings from both sides. The school children were on school holidays. The city seemed to vibrate with the school children swelling the populous walking the streets and making the city look busy but to the taxis it was a shallow business. The roads were noticeably easier to drive along because of the lack of school children and school buses. Drove back to Claremont and lined up for a prospect that was coming up in the area. Got a job from a house in Swanbourne a disabled young man who had an arm severed before the wrist and a lot of blood around a bandage on the arm. His mother explained that he was always falling and she handed a hand full of tissues to me if he needed them to soak up the blood. He desperately wanted to engage in conversation as we drove towards Warwick and I desperately tried to understand what he was saying. People were there to meet him and usher him in to a building where he would be busy doing therapy. Next a woman went to a periodontist in West Perth. She had a stroke that effected the left side of her face and had to let him have a look at it. She asked me if I could come back and pick her up which I did. Next morning the first booking was at 5.30 am from North Perth to the St John of God hospital in Subiaco. We commented on the change in the hospital where the ornate columns had given away to the modern design of no style but just fitting in as many beds and people as possible. The nurses quarters were being pulled down and were to be replaced by medical suites. Took a couple from the Perth station to the airport. They looked as though they were going to the bush to work as they both had a swag and were dressed in bush clothing with a wide brimmed Akubra hat. Went to the East Perth rail terminal the train was due at 7.15 am so it was possible to clean the car before the train arrived. Picked up a crew member who said that there were five hundred people on the train and there were thirty carriages and this was the last double train as the Wildflower season had finished. He was saying he had six days away travelling from Adelaide (where he lived) to Perth and three days away if he went to Alice Springs or Sydney. He said the locomotive crews used to work six hours, now they worked up to thirteen hours and a crew had fallen asleep at Rawlinna last week. All the work was on a contract basis. Drove back towards Highgate and got a computer job to the Australian Institute of Management in Floreat Park. The woman did a three day course on management for her company. Did a couple of local jobs in Fremantle and then three crew from a ship at 8.45 am wanted to have a liquid breakfast before sailing to the Persian Gulf at 1 PM in the afternoon. Picked up a man from the Fremantle rank going to Wardie street in South Fremantle. The house he went to had a tower with a galvanised iron enclosure. I asked him what it was as 97 I’d often wondered and he told me. It was a well about eighty feet deep and the water was used to supply the Mills and Wares biscuit factory nearby for many years. Next was a sixty six year old man who was going from flats in North Fremantle to work at a disabled workshop at Graylands psychiatric hospital. He thanked me for being so prompt and I told him that the flats were difficult for many as there were so many entrances and drivers were always having problems. This man was a worker and wanted to keep active, he was in so much pain in the back that he had to take a small amount of morphine daily to lessen the pain. A woman next went from the Claremont rank to the city, going to have lunch with a friend. Next was a man in Stirling street going to the city. He requested a wagon as he had a whole lot of drums and bongos to take to the city to do some busking. He was African and played at schools and anywhere he could get work. The equipment had to be packed in a certain way into the taxi as it all wouldn’t fit otherwise. He had a stroller that he loaded the equipment on and wheeled it to the lift and went into Forrest place. It was a beautiful fine day in Perth today, a good time of the year for the weather in Perth. A man asked me if I’d mind taking him to the Sebel hotel. I told him it would be a pleasure He was going to have lunch with the General Manager (I think he wanted me to know that), he came from Melbourne and he had previously lived in Perth for a period of time and was going to make sure he came across every three months in the future. On the Town hall rank there was a nice passing parade and a lot of children wandering the streets with a mingling of country people having a look around. Had a couple from Kambalda who were in the city to get a good quality pair of locally made work boots for their work at the mine. The man worked in the office the woman underground as a surveyor. They talked of the rivalry between Kambalda and Kalgoorlie and how they did their best to stop Kalgoorlie defeating them in any of the sports they participated in. I dropped them at the airport. Got a job from a back packers hostel in Aberdeen Street Perth. I went up the stairs knocked on the door and decided there was no one interested when an English youth flashed across the road and got into the taxi. He wanted to go to Subiaco, worked in a store until lunch time, then he was going back in the afternoon to mark prices on the goods. He was soon to finish the job and was to start a job in Morawa in the wheat belt driving a truck. He said he would be working long hours but would get one hundred dollars a day cash in hand plus keep. Next was a night disc jockey on a radio station in Subiaco travelling to East Perth. He was obviously looking forward to his day in bed, he commented on the fact that the date was Friday 13th. Next was a young woman going to the airport from Highgate. She lectured in University in Perth on glass blowing and did work for herself that sold all over the world. She was visibly excited going to Melbourne to see a two week old niece for the first time. She originally did a course on glass blowing in Adelaide and that was the first time out of Melbourne her birthplace. Once she got the taste of the smaller cities she decided that the smaller cities were for her. There was less pressure and an easier life style. Next job was a Vietnamese man who slept in and wanted to go to Bayswater. There were few cars in Midland and I plotted into the area and drove up there. Two former Premiers of Western Australia were gaoled for criminal offences, a former deputy Premier was charged and Cabinet Ministers had been charged. Many of the high fliers of the late eighties were on charges although they all seemed to get Queens council on five thousand dollars a day. Picked up an elderly couple going from Midland to the Casino. The woman had a wheel chair and a special cushion that had to sit on in the front seat. She said they were going because it was Friday 13th and went to the casino every couple of months. They were both well dressed and said they will play on the machines until lunchtime and then go home. We all agreed it was good to get out occasionally. There were cars on the casino rank and surrounds. I went back to the Midland rank and picked up a regular passenger who was going to the Senior citizens for a game of carpet bowls and then would return to the bowling club before returning home. Returned to the Midland rank Next job was in a quiet part of Midland, West Midland near the river and cut off from the mainstream traffic. A quiet area except for the aircraft flight path. I knocked on the door and a woman came out with a little girl and a stroller. I loaded the stroller into the back and asked the little girl to sit in the rear as I opened the door for her. The mother said she was going to get her son. She got the son and then told me she only had five dollars. I told her not to 98 worry and she went to Social Security and wanted to start a course instead of being home all the time. She referred to me as “mate” and told me that she had lived in Mirrabooka before and her house was broken into almost monthly and now lived in a safe secure area. Went to the Midland rank and a man tried to get into the front car and then came back to my taxi and got in. I asked him what had happened and the front driver had a booking to go to. The man wanted to go to Ewing street Bentley which had two distinct sections and by his description of the building it seemed to be the Eastern side which turned out to be the case. Got a hail in East Victoria park. We got well into the city and the man said that he had rang for the taxi twice and it hadn’t turned up. I said I’d wished he told me earlier as I could have checked with the base. He said he was desperate to get into the city and couldn’t have waited any longer. Got a job from the East Perth Rail terminal a country woman which showed in her friendly manner, she had come in on the Prospector from Merredin and was down for a doctor’s appointment and was returning home on this afternoon’s train. Went to the Murray street rank and watched a man I had seen before in the city asking for money. He went to selected people spoke to them, some would pull money from their pocket and hand to him, others would give a shrug and walk off and others would ignore him. Whenever he succeeded in getting money he would walk away and return a few minutes later. Took a man from the city to East Victoria park. He told me a number in Shepparton road where he was living. Picked up an elderly man going from an aged persons lodge in Bentley to the Bentley Hospital. He wasn’t at all happy living in the hostel, he was a prisoner physically to the hostel but his brain wanted to get out. He walked with the aid of a walking frame and was frustrated with his physical disability, was ordered to put on a cardigan by the people who worked there and he was too weak to take it off and had to abide by their decision. I got him to the hospital and helped him into the reception area. Next were four young men going from Bentley to the South Perth football club. They were off to Geraldton on a bus for the weekend, it was an end of season outing and they had a carton to take and were talking of a wet tee shirt competition that they all went to last night. They had all taken sickies from work, for an extra day in their weekend. Got a job from Aquinas college going to the East Perth Rail terminal. The name was Pat and I was expecting a Patrick, but it was a Patricia that was staying there for a conference that about two hundred people attended and one of the speakers there was Father Gore a Priest that was arrested in the Philippines. She told me about the theme of the conference that was run by the Catholic schools and dealt with the problems associated with the church in spreading the word. On the following Monday morning the first job was a job from Bedford to the airport. There was no front light on and a light out the back, I feebly knocked on the door, and could hear a dog come up behind, wagging its tail, it was a kelpie a lovely looking dog. A man came out and said he’d be back with a blanket. He was going back to Karratha for work. Next a man was going to the airport, to catch a plane to Fitzroy crossing reluctantly, to do some work. There were quite a number of airport bookings flashing on the screen offering areas to any cars willing to accept them. There was to be a general strike tomorrow as a protest against the State Governments direction on unions and employees. Picked up a man going from Mount Lawley to the airport going to Norseman for some work. We were talking about Rupert Murdoch’s comments on the Coles Myer board claims of unethical behaviour and how Murdoch’s previous actions were influential in the direction of so many countries where he had so much power and influence and where the cities instead of increasing their numbers of newspapers as population increased were falling in number and the writers that were given a start, the talent that was in the community were stifled as there was a difficulty for those writers to push their talents into the community and let people enjoy their writing. There were writers who were unseen all their life talented who because of the lack of possibilities were never discovered and never read because of the drop in numbers of news print available. Checked a lot of areas on the computer and found a job coming up in the Glendower area. Got a job from Palmerston street to the International airport, a Malaysian woman returning home after seeing her daughter at a block of flats who was a student at a nearby college. As we headed to the airport the woman couldn’t speak too well in English, but she was saying “Aircon, ,Aircon “ which was the words for the airconditioning to be on. All the taxis in 99 Singapore had airconditioning and use it continuously. Dropped at the airport and checked the Forrestfield area and Kalamunda, there were no prospects, so I drove to Embleton and got a job to Bayswater. Went to the Morley rank which normally moved quickly at this time of day and picked up a woman from the rank to a child minding centre. It was 8.00 am the twentieth anniversary of the death of five Australian newsmen in East Timor. There was little doubt that they were killed by Indonesian troops and the Government were continually putting the matter aside and not dealing realistically with the issue. They grovel to Governments and put good relations first behind the need for true answers to the questions, the newsmen were suppose to die in cross fire and the United Nations were catching up to Indonesia in their take over of East Timor which was illegal. I had a Catholic Priest from East Timor and others who said that Communism was not the object or desire of Fretlin, it was just colonial force of the Indonesians. Another irony on the news today was the return of Americans from a peace building visit to Hanoi. After the Second World War Americans went to Vietnam to talk to Ho Chi Min to have an ally and to be on side against neighbouring China. The Vietnam War was orchestrated when the Americans sent in the CIA after the French were defeated in Dien Bien Phu in 1954 The war was a victory for the armament and war materials manufacturers and Australia under Menzies blindly followed a road to stupidity. Many books were written on the subject. Picked up a woman from Morley to Dianella. She was very nervous and wanted to show me every turn and was sitting right up in the seat, it may have been her first taxi ride. Returned to the Morley rank and picked up neighbours of mine a couple going to the casino. They were in Australia from England twenty years and had four children and many grandchildren living in Perth and the south west of Australia. They told me information about various neighbours and I gave them information about other neighbours and we caught up with gossip and the latest happenings in the area. Next job was from Midland a local job and then a couple of New Zealanders, who by the look of their hands and by the way they were referring to combs and hand pieces were shearers. They were obviously looking forward to their carton that they intended to demolish without too much trouble. Next job from Governor Stirling high school to Swanleigh hostel. The girl had a virus and was going back to the hostel and her parents were both teachers at Koorda school in the wheat belt. Picked up Les from Bellevue going to Midland. We always had a good talk about Les’s beloved country region of Western New South Wales he was very sick and always offering to take me in and have a cup of tea with him, and his wife, a pleasure to talk to we never stopped talking until he left the taxi. The weather was warming up in Perth, for the first time in several months it was not jumper weather. Got a job to pick up in West Midland going to La Salle college and the message commented “For exams”. A girl was sitting for an examination in art. She enjoyed art and mainly painted with acrylic paints and studied the history of art and this was her annual exam today. This exam was worth twenty per cent of the total the other eighty per cent was from three paintings she had done during the year. Went back to the Midland rank. Took a woman and young boy going to Caversham a long way. She didn’t want idle chatter, and I suggested a way of cutting the distance which she hesitatingly agreed to. We got to an address and the boy who I assumed was her son got out and knocked on the door. There was no reply and she wanted then to go to her daughter’s house about a kilometre away. They both got out and went inside. A woman and a little girl went from Centrepoint Midland to West Midland. She wanted to drop a video off on the way she had a bad leg, so I took her video into the video shop and took her parcels to the front door of her unit. Next was a computer job in Beechboro going to Ballajura. A young man who worked for an engineering company was having time off to do some personal matters. He said there was plenty of work but by the way he was pumping me for information about takings in the taxi he wasn’t too keen in his work and was interested in driving a taxi for a living. An eighty year old man went from Embleton to Charles Gairdner hospital accompanied by his wife. He had a lovely garden which he said was in his care. The woman said the sewage was going through their area and there were three man holes in their back yard destroying a lot of their work. They were both married fifty seven years and the man said the secret of longevity was a good wife. They were broken into a couple of weeks ago and a collection of fifty cent coins were stolen. Next a man going from the Technical college in Leederville to Northbridge Technical college, 100 he left something at the latter and had to return to pick it up. He was explaining the external studies system where engineers got a diploma and never attend the college. Next morning a general strike had halted all air services. I managed to get a job from Subiaco to the airport at 5.45 Am. I Knocked on the door softly and a man came out and said he’d be out shortly. There were thunder showers yesterday and rain had been falling during the night and there was a lull now but more to come. It was lovely in the morning freshness smelling the trees and listening to the black cockatoos screeching moving overhead en masse towards Kings Park. The man came out travelling with only a small carry bag which we put in the back. He said he was going to open a new mine forty five kilometres east of Wiluna, a gold mine that will initially be open cut and if successful will go underground. We were talking about work ethics and how society had created itself to deny people work and where whole families were brought up to rely on their income from the government where we should make an all out effort to address this problem and get pride into all people and to give them all a chance to have a rightful place in society. Got a job from a hotel in North Fremantle a man who was a book seller. He went to pick up a friend in Swanbourne who wasn’t at home and we then proceeded to his employer in East Perth. He said he was getting sixty to one hundred dollars a day and already he had been promoted and was expecting to get his next promotion in about two months when he would be getting four to ten thousand dollars a week. (yes he was serious) Every morning there were many young people at the store and they all were looking for this next promotion. Next job was a woman that worked for Target in Midland. She went from Midvale. She worked upstairs in the office and she had never seen so many back biters, non talkers and small minded people who worked there. She had been there for thirteen years. Next job was a man from Midland railway to Perth. The traffic was bad because of the strike by bus drivers and train drivers. The man had lived in Darlington all his life he was on the property he grew up on when his father had the property as an orchard when they got a living from the land from fruit, milk, pigs and a lot of swapping and bartering (sometimes illegal), that used to go on. There wasn’t a question of what car you drove and what suburb you lived in the question was how you behaved to your fellow man and this was what people were judged on. Next was a cadet reporter from the Sunday Times going to interview a bus driver who made a car from bits of existing cars. She was meeting the photographer to take photos to go with the story. She normally covered the University with her journalism but as they were on holidays she was given other topics to cover. I suggested to her that she venture into the Senate of the University as there were plenty of stories there and the politics of the University was an intriguing subject, also the agricultural area and study at the University where sheep graze within the sight of the city was an interesting subject. Parked on the Cantonment Street rank in Fremantle and was disturbed from a daydream by a Japanese seaman (they are instantly recognisable ) as he opened the door and speaking fluent Japanese and me understanding fluent Japanese, and indicating with a lifting movement of the arms that he wanted me to wait for him whilst he got some baggage. I gave the universal acknowledgment of a nod of the head meaning yes and a smile and he disappeared and returned with two small shopping bags and provisions. All he said in English was “Vitooria kee” motioned with his hands as we got near and guided me to the fishing boat he was from. There was a fleet tied to the wharf. He didn’t know the language but he knew exactly how much to give me, even to the last cent, it was five dollars seventy. The “Griffin Venture” was tied up a drill ship that had a drill head protruding from the forward end of the ship and many different tanks and pipes to take the crude oil from the sea bed and treat it. The rain was continuos today we were given a message flashed on the screen that the causeway was flooded and the causeway round a bout was down to one lane, the next message was that Cedric and Karrinyup roads in Stirling were also flooded. Went to the Fremantle railway station, the first time I’d seen the station devoid of buses or trains and people. Got a young man who got in reeking of alcohol and with high spirits and over friendly manner wanted to go to His Lordships Larder an easy walk on a clear day but a soaking on a day like today. It was getting later in the day so I headed towards Perth along Canning highway where in Applecross there were two parallel lanes running next to each other doing about the speed limit when a Ford Falcon slewed across in front of me doing a one hundred and eighty degree turn and ended up on the lawn next to the footpath giving me the shakes for a few 101 minutes. Picked up a girl who worked at a Caltex service station. She was quiet at work today and was catching the taxi as she usually rode a push bike, but today was certainly not push bike weather. The oil sender light came on in the excess rain and I went to the mechanic to check it out. It normally would be a dire warning but knowing what I now know the water triggered the warning and I went to two mechanics (Peter Dunsire had since retired to a South West orchard) who both were too busy to look at the problem so I relied on my instinct and decided to continue work as the light had gone out. Took some young girls locally in Swan View. They were a little over school age by the look of them, possibly the unemployed good young people that were conditioned to their situation. Next a boy from Governor Stirling high school going to the school dentist in Guildford. He said last time at the dentist he had six fillings and he cleaned his teeth regularly. His family were from Koorda, his dad was manager of the swimming pool. The area was in for a good harvest this year. Worked the Midland area then got a fare from the Police Boys’ club When I got there a man said he was the only one there and he hadn’t rang. Picked up at Centrepoint shops where a woman said that the shopping would cost her fifteen dollars more because of the transport strike. Perhaps today was a look into the future with so many cars on the road, all roads were full and the motor car is surely an inefficient way of moving a city Next morning at 5.00 am I picked up a young man going from Guildford Road Maylands to Morley. He was going to get a lift with one of his friends to the brickyard in Malaga. His shift started at 6.30 am and he was at his friends house by 5.20 am. Next was a 5.30 am booking from North Perth to Subiaco. I’d picked up this man before he lived in a house that had been added to making it a very large house, the addition blending in well with the old section. He told me that there were more additions to come as his father had retired and was adding on as a hobby for eventual profit. Picked up a couple going to the International airport on their way to Cocos and Christmas Islands. The man worked for Main Roads and the woman was going on a holiday. They both knew the Islands well and said that the Clunies Ross Family were now back into shipping since Stateships were closed down by the Government There were quite a few miles of road to pave and the main means of transportation was motor bike. Christmas Island was now declared 65 per cent National Perk there was still phosphate mining on the island but the casino was the main source of revenue, only 300 kilometres south of Jakarta many Indonesians flew across and gambled. A man went from Maylands to St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. He said that yesterday’s rain was the most rain recorded ever for one day in Perth recording 68.2 mm he said that he would be in hospital today but could be returning later in the week for a longer stay. He was philosophical about it and conceded he was in their hands. A man went from Nedlands to Leederville. He had worked for an advertising agency for many years working long hours and not seeing his family and had decided to go out on his own so he would have to establish himself for the next ten or fifteen years before taking a break.. He got out near a pedestrian crossing where a woman was killed last week. He said it was devastating for the girl driver of the car who was technically in the wrong but he added it was a dangerous position to have a pedestrian crossing. He was as old as me and I wished him luck in his new venture. The taxi computers were giving trouble there were messages telling us to be patient until the problem was rectified. I parked on the City station rank. There were problems caused by the strike yesterday with flights arriving early this morning and many people were leaving their hotels at unusually early times Picked up a woman going from Leederville and then into the city. The woman went into a dress shop in Leederville opened it up and then returned, came outside and got back into the taxi. She said she didn’t go anywhere yesterday, just stayed at home and enjoyed the rain. She wasn’t interested in conversation. Drove towards Cottesloe there was a fairly reliable suit and black shoe brigade that were reliant on taxis to get them to the city early morning. After 9 am I was given a job that was cancelled and then a woman going from Cottesloe to the City Railway station to catch a train to Midland where she intended spending the day in the hills. She was a bit wayward and was critical of me and things in general, I took a bit on the chin until she got out. Went back to Fremantle and got a job from Vox Odeon in Fremantle an Aboriginal woman 102 with a television and a stereo taking both to her daughter in Bandeyup women’s prison in Middle Swan. The daughter had been gaoled for a driving offence. The woman had four girls and three boys and the one in gaol was the youngest in the family. The facilities for visitors there were a lot better than before, when there was a tendency to give scant regard to visitors but recently there was a visitor’s centre built for congregating and a place to wait before visits. Worked around Midland today there was occasional rain heavy at times and it was cool. Picked up an elderly man and his daughter going to Hollywood Hospital for admission. He had an oxygen bottle with him and had Emphasimia, he had two other daughters. He was in the Hospital yesterday and he said a foreign doctor charged 160 dollars for ten minutes work, and all he said was “I can’t do much I’ll just have to admit you. Took his oxygen bottle and baggage to the admissions, he was feeling so pleased that he made the twenty minute journey without using the oxygen. His daughter was on the verge of tears telling him she loved him as they were ready to admit him.. Went to the Lockridge Aboriginal campsite and saw housing much more in keeping with the needs of Aboriginal people with small sleeping inside areas and large verandahs for doing most of the daily congregating. The three bedroom brick and tile house reserved for Europeans is totally alien to Aboriginal people and totally unsuitable. Picked up at Bandeyup Women’s Prison and took the woman to Guildford railway station there were many stories today in the taxi but it was fairly busy. Early next morning on the computer there were jobs around and the day after pension day it was wise to beware early in the morning to watch for undesirables who had been celebrating all night and were likely to cause problems. Night clubs were also a worry the vast majority are good people but there is a significant minority who can be trouble. I always try for airport work as a start. A cool morning a typical winter pattern with a breeze from the South West. Was up at 4.30 Am it is seldom I don’t wake between 4,0 Am and 5.0 Am no matter what time I go to bed. The compulsion to feed a wife and four children is ever there. Got a job from Mount Hawthorn to the airport. On the way there were night club patrons walking onto the road in trying to stop me by standing in the middle of the road, I narrowly missed one drunken man as I dodged them. Took a woman from Mount Hawthorn to the airport. She worked for Western Mining and was flying to Kalgoorlie and then hiring a car to drive to Kambalda she was employed in training with the company. Next a man was flying to the North West, he was going to a mine site, a mine that was new to me and no doubt I would eventually get to know. He was going for 8 weeks after his 2 weeks off. Next a woman going to the ABC radio in Adelaide terrace. Three men were going to a function room at the Burswood function centre they were here for a conference on Gastro interology and seemed to be all Doctors and by the way they were talking were very dedicated and serious about their work. Drove towards Midland opposite the traffic flow and maddening crowd heading into the city. By the time I was in Midland I was number 1 on the computer and got a job from Middle Swan to the Perth Travelodge. A woman came out in her dressing gown and I soon realised she had a parcel in her hand wanting me to take a pair of shoes to the Perth Travelodge Her daughter was at the Perth Travelodge waiting for me, with the traffic it cost $27 which I thought was probably more than the shoes were worth. People were waiting at the motel outside and they said they’d rang for a taxi. When checking with the base room it was obvious they’d rang the opposition and they hadn’t arrived, so I took two women to Victoria Park who worked for a multi national company. Took a man to Bentley Hospital to do some Pathology tests, he hoped only for a little while. Took a young man from Beckenham to the Department of Social Security in Cannington. Next was a woman going from Maddington to a Physiotherapist in Gosnells. She found after a lot of trying a Physiotherapist that had done good for he. We were listening to Tchaikovsky’s, Pathetique symphony that we both were enjoying. and she said she had a few problems in life that she was trying to come to terms with. A woman wanted to go from Cheap foods in Gosnells locally. She had plastic bags from the check out to use as garbage bags. She had a young child with her and was getting married in a local park next Saturday. Took a woman and a small girl from Gosnells to the Broken Hill hotel in Victoria Park. She worked at the hotel and the girl cried all the way. The woman said she never stopped crying 103 every day. The woman didn’t like Victoria Park and worked at the Broken Hill hotel from 4 PM until midnight although it was difficult to get rid of the patrons until 12.30 am and they were a down to earth lot of people. Her car had got wet yesterday, she couldn’t start it and she left it at a friends house and would pick it up in the morning. There were four domestic flights arriving at the airport in the next half hour, so I drove there and waited. The first two flights were intrastate flights one Qantas and one Ansett, they only took three taxis. I got a job from the computer from the Perth Flight centre. A woman who worked up North and flew in and out fortnightly She stayed at the Royal hotel in Wellington Street in Perth. She had no money we called at a ATM on the way into the city. She was going to Thailand in two days time for a holiday. Next morning about 5 0 Am I picked up a youth after having a few drinks at a friends house last night. The friend was driving his car and was arrested for drink driving and they went to his house and had a few drinks that ended in the morning. Next was an Irish man going from Bayswater to an ATM and then to West Perth Railway station. He was catching a train to Fremantle and was to be met by a friend at Fremantle Railway station who was taking him to Garden Island where he was doing some plumbing on the sprinkler system on a Navy ship. He said there were three sprinkler systems on the ship the one he was working on was activated when one of the weapons systems exploded. He said he now got no travelling allowance to travel all this distance the allowance had been taken from them. Next was a nice looking woman going from Shenton Park to the International airport. She was upset at leaving her children for the first time even though they were in the Guardianship of their grandparents. She was originally from New Zealand and her husband worked for Cathay Pacific, was based in Hong Kong and she had moved to Australia to live because of the uncertainty of the transfer of ownership to China in 1997. She was mainly worried about the education for her children after the hand over. She dabbled in watercolours did classes in Hong Kong but found it difficult to spend time at her interest in Australia. Drove through Forrestfield to Midland there was almost no traffic and the world belonged to me so early in the morning. It was about 6.30 Am when I pulled on to the Midland rank. A man walked to the taxi and wanted to go to Hazelmere. We talked of a local identity who was defying the local council by building a concrete batching plant without their approval. There was still a dispute about his actions, but the plant was still standing and he seemed all powerful. Returned to the Midland rank. Picked up a local prostitute and took her to work. She asked me to bring business to her premises as it was the best place in Perth. Returned to the Midland rank and was first car on the rank at 7.30 AM and got a radio job at 8.00 AM. A woman went from Midvale to Midland railway station to catch a Greyhound bus to Geraldton. She was going back home after spending time with her children and grandchildren, she had many children warmly waving as she left. There were quite a few taxis on the Midland rank so I headed to Bassendean and got a man going to the city. He was originally from Canada and married a girl from Geraldton. He spoke of when he was a youngster he would put out traps for mink, foxes and bears, He said a bear who had a leg trapped would bite off its own leg to escape from the trap. Other animals would throw in the towel and surrender to death. He’d worked all over Australia in Hobart and Launceston and never seen it nearly as cold as Canada and said the answer was simple. People in Australia didn’t dress for the climate. Next job was a man from Subiaco to Perth. As I arrived at the street there was a barrier and a man on the side of the road removed the barrier so I could get through. The man was running late and had missed a previous taxi because of the barrier. Drove to Cottesloe and waited a long time on the Cottesloe rank as number 2 car until I had to get away and became number 1 in Dalkeith and a job was due shortly. Got a 10.15 am booking to the airport. An elderly couple heading away for a holiday. Next was a job from Ashfield to the city. The elderly woman was concerned with her appointment card for the doctor and spent the whole trip searching and finding the card. Two Japanese girls went from the Wesley rank to Fast Eddies 24 hour food shop. They counted out the money to the exact cent they were obviously told not to tip in Australia. Returning to the Wesley rank an elderly woman went to Mount Lawley. The fare was 6 dollars but the lady pushed 9 dollars into the palm of my hand and thanked me for taking her the shortest and quickest route. I told her not to hesitate to tell the taxis which way to go as 104 not a lot of taxis would know the way like I do. Picked up a woman collecting a dress from a dress shop where it was made up. She’d been to the shop this morning, but it wasn’t ready then, she returned to Bassendean. Took a man from Bassendean to Perth. Our conversation was stifled by a car that cut across our path gaining one closer position and we were both thinking of what he’d gain by such a ridiculous manoeuvre. Took a woman from the Miscellaneous Worker’s Union going to the airport and Adelaide who was talking about the State Legislation where strikes were to be by ballot and took 6 weeks to decide, where unions couldn’t donate to the Labor Party and generally gave her opinion of what would happen if the Liberal National coalition gained power at the forthcoming elections.. We spoke of the current account deficit and why multi nationals were allowed to enter Australia and dominate the economy. Monday this morning and it was harder to get out of bed at 4.50 am. First job was a youth going from Beechboro to the local service station to get cigarettes a drink and return home. A man went to the airport as he was going to Kalgoorlie for a week, he hoped he had taken the right clothes this time as last time he went he had taken winter clothes and it was hot every day. Next was a woman from Northbridge to the casino. When the woman got in I greeted her and she said after slamming the door. “To the casino I’m late now. We headed towards the casino and as we reached the boom gates in Moore street they were down and there was heavy breathing and sighs coming from the woman as if I was to blame for these gates. There was a real mind game here as she started even heavier breathing when I didn’t show any anxiety, as it was impossible for me to do anything. When we were near the casino she asked for the staff entrance and when we were nearly there she mumbled something about the telephone operator and thrust the money into my hand and didn’t wait for the 20 cent change. It was good to see her out of the taxi as there was an electric charge around her that made people around the likes of her tense. Went to Bayswater and a job due within 32 minutes. Took a man from Bayswater to Morley a man who was going to Jandakot to do a scaffolding course. This was the last week of the course and he was getting a lift with a mate as his car was stolen and he couldn’t use his wife’s car as she had a six month old baby and needed the car to get around. They had a bad nights sleep as the baby didn’t sleep much, in fact the baby hadn’t slept much since it came home. I told him that he’d get used to it and if he had the pleasure to have four children he’d sleep almost standing up. Picked up in Guildford. A woman going to the eye clinic at Charles Gairdner hospital. She and her family had Glaucoma was originally from England, her parents brought the family across when a child and lived many years in Koorda in the wheat belt until a few years ago when she had to move to the city for medical care. The woman was disappointed that her boys had only girls and no boys to take over the property, I replied that girls can do it just as well and she said they liked the bright lights too much. I suggested to her that she put down her life on tape as a start to recording her interesting life because she was an interesting woman. Next job was a man going from Nedlands to Perth after getting his car serviced. He was a resident of Kalgoorlie after spending his formative years in Perth. He didn’t miss the city one bit as we drove through the morning peak hour traffic. We talked about how young people are almost encouraged by the system not to work, I suggested to absorb the unemployed, they work in a Kibbutz as agriculture in the country or more industrial work if closer to the city, but not let them sit at home and degenerate as they want a purpose in life as much as anyone else. Why can’t a government stop unemployment altogether, it’s a dehumanising form of existence. When I asked him where he worked in Kalgoorlie, I expected him to say in the mines, but he swallowed saying he was a doctor. He had his own practise and enjoyed the area and we parted by him saying that the young got enough for cigarettes alcohol and drugs. Next a job from a book publishing company in East Perth, where I have worked before. They requested a wagon and they load the rear of the wagon up so much that I have to travel at a reduced speed to safeguard the rear scraping of the car. They drop books at various outlets and return every week to see if any books are ordered from the samples. Meandered to Midland about 10.00 am and did a couple of local jobs, picked up an elderly man who insisted I go in his driveway and not the neighbours, although he had a car blocking access. 105 He was going to visit his wife in a nursing home in Mount Lawley and had only just got out of hospital yesterday himself. He was very sick himself as I helped him out of the taxi he was a very proud determined man and perhaps he should have been in the nursing home and not his wife. Picked up a couple who worked at what the man described as the biggest gold mine in the world. He worked two weeks and got a week off and from after Christmas all personnel would work on a two week on two week off basis and the school would be closed and families moved out with only a single man’s quarters available. They would work one day and one night shift of twelve hours and then fly out for a fortnight’s break. The woman was getting some seafood to cook for tea. The man said the temperature sometimes got as high a 60 Celsius in the summer and freezes of a night in the winter although it reaches 30 Celsius in the winter of a day. Picked up a teenager in Mount Lawley going locally he had Cerebral Palsy and was confined to a wheel chair. Took two young children from Mirrabooka to a centre in Dianella. They were doing a special course. Got a job at 2.00 PM from the library in Dianella. I arrived there at 2.02 PM and the fare had gone. Took a couple from Dianella first to the shops where the woman got out and then the man who appeared to have Parkinson’s Disease to a brothel in Bassendean. Next morning at 4.45 am the first job was from Allpike and Terrace Road in Guildford at the telephone box. It was a fairly risky one so I had the high beam focussed on the spot and a girl came into view. She looked all right and I turned around and discovered she was going to work in a bakery in Inglewood and her car had broken down. A job flashed on the screen at the Civic Hotel, I pressed for it and received it and drove quickly to the hotel, but it wasn’t there when I arrived. Picked up the woman who played the mind game yesterday about the boom gates, she was a different person today I knew what the problem was yesterday she was even apologetic about yesterday, telling me of the lights, of how slow they were to change and how one morning she went through a red light after waiting about four minutes. She had a lot of change and apologised for not having a note, which I didn’t mind at all, we were good mates when she got out. Got a job in Sussex Street East Victoria Park, knocked on the door and a woman came out looking a little stunned, she went back into the house and came out in what seemed four or five minutes and said the woman that wanted the taxi had already gone. The dogs gave me a barking send off as I walked to the car. Took a man from East Victoria Park to the Town Hall as he got out a man was standing near the rank and came towards me and asked if I could take him to the Perth Flight centre at the airport. He had just finished his week off and would start work as soon as he returned to his gold mine just east of Kalgoorlie and finish about midnight, he was a geologist and would be doing the samplers work as the sampler was flying out this morning. Most Geologists only worked day shift but he didn’t mind the night shift for if he was overly tired he’d lay down on the floor and have a sleep. There were cars about 6.00 AM on every rank I tried so I plotted into East Perth and drove to the East Perth Terminal. I cleaned the taxi and was disturbed by the Greyhound bus arriving from Darwin. Took a Swiss man to Como, he asked me how to get to Fremantle and I showed him where the bus stop was on the way. Got a job from the Swan View motel in South Perth going to Perth. The man was asking about the Brewery sight in Mounts bay Road, and we talked about the history of breweries in Perth where the first brewery was in St Georges terrace and how they had moved to Mounts Bay Road and then Canning Vale. At one time there were many breweries around Perth and Western Australia and like too many things there is a domination of the strong and the weak fall by the wayside. Well the old Mounts Bay Road brewery was sold to the Government at one time and then with the change of Governments there are a lot of questions being asked about what will be done there. Now it was in a state of limbo. Picked up a man from Dalkeith in a wheel chair going to a printing factory in Victoria Park. He was such a talkative man but difficult to understand although I tried my best to have a conversation with him. Plotted into East Victoria Park and got a job from a triplex, there were no numbers on any of the units, so after driving up and down I told the operator and was about to drive away when a suited man came running after me. 106 He got in the taxi I apologised and said I couldn’t see the numbers on the units and was about to go away. “We’ve ‘got numbers” he said “Oh I apologise I couldn’t see the numbers on the units I’ll have to get a pair of glasses” I replied “The numbers aren’t on the units they are on the letter boxes” he replied. “Well I didn’t see you waiting in the letter box “ I replied in jest. He was an impeccably dressed man but he didn’t seem to get the message. About 9.15 Am a job came up in Cottesloe. Knocked on the door and a startled woman answered and a little boy was trying to startle me with a shark hand puppet in one hand and a galah puppet in the other hand. We realised it was 32 b and not 32 that wanted the taxi. A lovely looking woman went to the Cottesloe railway station. Next was a man going from East Fremantle to Kardinya. He said he lived in Bull Creek but didn’t want to open an account there as he had to get four types of identification and it was too much trouble. (we both agreed a sign of big brother). Next was a request for a wagon in Myaree to the cold stores in South Fremantle. The man said he had been fishing since 3 0 Am this morning and all he could get was Mullet so he had to accept 12 dollars a box for it, and it was used for cray bait. Took a man locally in Hilton Park to the Tavern then to the shops to pick up some shopping, he could have easily walked down and back, the lawn was overgrown and the windows needed a coat of paint it cost him 10 dollars for the return trip.( a small tin of paint) Picked up an Australian Navy man involved in mine disposal going from South Fremantle to see his policewoman girlfriend in Westfield. He was attached to an American city and roamed throughout the world with his job. He didn’t realise the distance involved and I told him of the train service. He was a very fit young man and enjoyed his job saying he’d been in the Navy 8 years and hoped to spend 20 years . It’s Wednesday and last night I went to the Annual general meeting of Swan Taxis a great way to run a company as a cooperative. where the profits come back to the shareholders and if cooperatives were run properly it is a great system. Got home at 12.30 Am but the body clock had me up at 5.30 Am and the first job was a man from Highgate to Gloucester Park in East Perth. He was dressed in his chef’s uniform and we drove into Gloucester Park grounds which is always was a pleasant enough ground to drive in. Next was a job coming up in North Perth a regular woman who went from Walcott Street to the city. She had been catching taxis for many years. Was outside the house several minutes before the job was due she didn’t like us to knock so I waited until she came out. She came out a couple of minutes before the job was due and asked if I had change of 50 dollars or we could stop off and change it. I told her not to worry I made sure I always had enough change. She went to Barrack Street as usual. After about 45 minutes at 6.45 AM I got a woman from Lake Street Northbridge to Inglewood. She was not awoken by the alarm clock, had accidentally turned it off last night when setting it. She was originally from Biloela in Queensland and had been in Perth only two months, she had to open a child minding centre in Inglewood, and didn’t want to be late. Took a woman from Maylands to Royal Perth Hospital. Picked up a wool classer going from Jewel house (the old nurses’ quarters ) in East Perth to the airport. He had a pinched nerve in the back and was getting sleepless nights, this was the reason he was in Perth. He originally came from Esperance and worked all over Western Australia and did a course in wool in Sydney and also spent time studying wool in America and Europe. All he wanted to do was to get back to the shed and earn his $185 a day he said he felt sad looking at the unhappy faces in the city yesterday and yearned for the bush. I helped him to the check in counter and told him I’d see him in the bush. Picked up the State Development Manager for Coles Myer, going from North Perth to Morley shops. We were talking about the board problems with the Coles Myer board and he said he would like Nobby Clarke to take over the reins. He had worked for Taylor Woodrow homes for many years (2 years became 13 years) and to get back to his beloved Perth he had to resign and take this new job. We spoke of the new Morley shopping centre of how Woolworths were doing 40 per cent more than anticipated and how some speciality shops got it wrong and had to close down. He was an interesting man who gave me some information which would be remiss of me to reveal. Went to Morley and saw some of the regular taxis on the rank, (they were as reliable as clockwork). There were only two jobs on the radio in the last hour from Morley so most of the cars were picking up shoppers and others it was about 9.30 Am Got a woman from the rank who went to a house to look for a car to pick up as her own had lost it’s steering. When she got there no one was at home so she went to a video shop in 107 Malaga to sit outside and wait for her sister who worked there and she would use her car when she arrived. Next were three women from a motel in Midland going down the shopping centre. They were from Sydney, Newcastle and country Western Australia. Picked up two Japanese women going from Caversham Wildlife Park to the city. They were high with delight when they got in the taxi and started talking to me about the Darling ranges and also other attractions around Perth but the conversation fizzled out as I don’t think I was answering their questions correctly as they had a poor command of English. They got out in the city. Former Premier John Tonkin was buried today a man who was in his 90’s a genuine patriot who was revered and respected by all. Why can’t we have people in Parliament house today or is the party system stifling them? Was tired after the late night at a Taxi Insurance Annual General meeting, but I take pride in never taking out my tiredness or problems on passengers. Next morning after a refreshing nights sleep there was a veil of smoke and a smell in the air. There was no wind to blow the smoke away .There was soon to be the annual fire ban and fires were lit to beat the ban and get rid of combustible scrub. First job was a request for a wagon from Subiaco to the airport. The young man had a surfboard and was going to Kirra on the Gold Coast for a couple of days surfing and then was going to do some work. Next a woman going to the airport, going to Queensland probably on the same plane as the young man. She was suppose to go for a few weeks but last night her employer rang and asked if she could stay a few months. She was handling the franchise sales for a quick sign company. She was in Singapore and looking at the possibilities of setting up there although it was very expensive to live there. There was work around Midland also some prospects coming up and at 7 0 Am a girl caught the taxi from Stratton to Midland railway station. Her sister had been out last night and she looked after the children as the regular baby sitter couldn’t make it. She was catching a train to Fremantle to go to work. A man went from Midland to Hazelmere, he worked for a truck trailer building company .Most of the metal was pressed elsewhere and then assembled at the factory, the owner was getting on in years and didn’t want to make an investment to press their own panels. Next job was from Helena Valley to Scarborough about 8.30 AM. The man worked for a multi national white goods manufacturer and was going on a mystery tour with one of their clients. There were only five going on the tour two from each company and one from an advertising agency. He had no idea where he was going but suspected a train could be hired to Northam as this was a previous form of promotion. He was told to expect to be away until late in the evening. The company he worked for had all the products made in Singapore and there was a small margin on whitegoods to retailers of in some cases less than 10 per cent. There was a pall of smoke over the city still at 9.30 Am Picked up an elderly couple going from Doubleview to Whitfords who were catching a bus away for a few days. We picked up two women on the way. Worked around Whitfords and Wanneroo, any job that would come up in the area I would grab, bit of a lottery. Got a job from Ballajura to Inglewood and then a woman who apologised for such a short fare I told her not to worry. Got a job about midday from a multi storey building in Northbridge. Waited, was about to leave when a man waved from the front reception area. He came out and wanted to go to Subiaco. Well what an interesting man, employed by a union and never stopped talking about interesting subjects, he talked about a journalists job he had in Middlesex England, he studied Phycology at the University of Western Australia, played a violin and was talking about the film he saw a few years ago with Jack Nicholson. On the 2 PM news there was a threat of a power strike next Monday unless the Government altered proposed industrial legislation Next morning early there was as light breeze that was ridding the city of its smoke albeit very slowly, There was a job coming up in Herne Hill so I positioned myself to get it. It was a coolish morning, the bite of winter had gone and summer was around the corner. he job was in Bullsbrook (which also covered Herne hill area.) It was a Sergeant in the Australian Army going to Bethesda hospital in Claremont to be sterilised. He was mildly offended when I asked him if he was in the Air Force and proudly told me he had been in the Army for twenty one years and was going to retire with a pension after twenty two years. He 108 was going to join the Western Australian or Federal Police force, Aboriginal section, he was part Aboriginal. He talked about when he did his basic training he had to put up with bastardisation and once completed the whole attitude changed and he grew to enjoy it. He then went to Singleton and worked with ammunition and explosives. He explained how they travelled in the open land, through jungles and how the position each member of the patrol would take in relation to the two scouts and what each member of the nine person patrol would carry. They would work on hand signals and no voice in relation to each other. He said he was placed on red alert after the Hilton Bombing and was sent to Bowral forming part of a circle around Sydney in a state of readiness. His father was also a retired Army man receiving an Army pension and the long period of time spent with him was very interesting. Next was a woman going to a city hotel to work. Next was a woman who came from Carnarvon on the bus to visit her grandchildren in Balga. She was adamant it was Mirrabooka until we stopped outside and I showed her in the map the area was Balga. Picked up a woman going from Guildford to Balga. She had a virus, had been working at her mother’s lunch bar and her mother had sent her home and gave her $25 for the taxi fare that I had quoted. The quote was $2 too much which I gave to her and watched her until she got inside. Next a young man who obviously pumped weights daily with his shoulders twice as wide as mine and waist twice as narrow and a thin singlet exposing a lot of his chest and shoulders. going from Balga to Stirling. Next job was Mr Higgins from the Hyde Park Hotel going to Perth. He was one of two sons of the owners of the hotel who have been there for many years have never had topless barmaids and always concentrated on good quality entertainment and food for their patrons. Picked up a woman from Midvale going to Midland. She was upset as she had left her dog at a friend’s house and the dog had eaten some Meds women use during their periods and later died. Her neighbours had blamed her for the dog’s death and talked about her, one of her neighbours ignored her which didn’t do much for her as she was only very young and had cancer herself. She was visibly upset and very concerned about it. Worked around Midland and caught the sheep odours around the Midland sales yard, where the abattoirs used to be abuzz with people going to and fro. Picked up a man going from Midland to Belmont for a function his work were holding for employees, he worked in the North West and there were two functions held at different times for the two shifts that work there. He was talking about getting an extension to his house, he had one quote for $22000 and we had a talk about if he got a draughtsman to draw the plans up and present them to builders and get the best quality builder for the best price that was a way to handle the extension. Took a man from the city to Osborne Park to pick his car up after servicing. He was interested about the computer system and we spoke of the way the system worked and what was available with the system. Next morning at 4.40 AM a doctor was travelling back to Canberra after spending a few days in Perth. He was not a doctor in medicine. About 6 AM I took a regular man going from Maylands to Royal Perth Hospital. He was a stalwart for catching taxis and he had shown me figures where it was more economical to commute by taxi rather than his own vehicle. About 6.30 AM I picked up four young Taiwanese men from a brothel in Bayswater. They were asking for Jiggy Jig and I tried to explain to them that there were no other brothels open at that time of day, but they insisted on me taking them to “three ninety five”, I took them to another escort agency that I knew would be closed. One went in as the outside lights were on and came back down in the mouth and then we went to Fremantle agreeing on “C” shed all sleeping and all missing out on their heart’s desire. There were two jobs as prospects in South Fremantle. I plotted into the area and waited. Got a job from Louisa Street South Fremantle to the airport. There was no sign of life, so being after 7.15 AM I gently knocked. A woman came out indicating someone would be coming out, if I would mind waiting. A well dressed woman came out a few minutes later and was grateful that I had aroused her. She said she was from Canberra and that was all she wanted to say during the trip to the airport. Got a job from Highgate to the city. A man who worked for the Wesley Church as a counsellor, he said there were up to 50 people a day that contact him and he tried to point them in the right direction. He worked with two other counsellors and all types of people 109 came to see him, from alcoholics to unemployed people they would try to do something for them. Took a woman from the East Perth Rail terminal to South Perth about 9 Am. She was from Kojonup in the South West, she said there was rain there last night and the weather had been threatening all the way up in the bus. There was a lot of heavy rain in Perth today. Took a man from the Water Authority in West Perth to the city. He was well versed in rainfall in Perth and Western Australia and was saying that the rainfall in Perth over the last twenty years had fallen and there was a short fall of about ten inches per year. He didn’t seem pessimistic about it, other than to say that there probably would be years where the short fall was reversed. Next morning I was up about 4.20 Am. Took a man from Bayswater to the airport. He worked off shore on an Island and he was returning for his fortnight at work after a fortnight off. He said that today was the most difficult day but once he was there he soon got into the routine of things. Next job was from Bassendean to the airport travelling economically with hand luggage travelling to a gold mine in the desert to do a weeks work. A woman from Maylands went to the airport, she was commenting on how nice and pleasant the day was early in the morning, I told her I saw the sunrise daily. Got two more jobs to the airport, there was a lull in the work, I drove to Victoria Park and waited. Took a man from Victoria Park to the staff entrance of the casino. He was very well dressed and very polite but seemed as though he’d had a heavy night. There was no work around the city, so I headed towards Morley as there were no cars plotted. I got a job from Napier Street to the city. The man was a regular with a neat lawn that his father took pride in. The man got out as usual at the Horse Shoe bridge and walked towards the city. Picked up a New Zealand man in his twenties, dirtily dressed with badly soiled clothes going from Morley to Malaga about 9.0 Am. He’d worked in the Goldfields around Kalgoorlie for two years. He had drank a lot and lost a wife and two kiddies through the drink and had recently given up the drink and was banking money and enjoying life a lot more. He got out at a foot bridge at the end of a road where he walked across the top of the freeway towards his job. Went back to the Morley rank and a shower of rain gave us a lot of work for over an hour. Took a woman to the Morley shops a regular user of taxis. She wanted to avoid the rain and yesterday she had spent $500 on a telephone bill (she had relations in Malta) was paying the electricity bill and was changing her insurance company to the RAC because she had previously had trouble with her other insurance company. Sat behind another taxi on the Morley rank, a job flashed up on the screen in Dianella, I pressed for it and got a job from Dianella to South Perth. The weather had turned nasty it was a trip where full attention had to be focused on the driving, there was no relaxing and no mistakes to be made, the Northbridge lights were inoperable. Went to the Como rank. The rain abated although there was a bank of cloud lined up in the South West ready to drop its load over Perth. Got a job from Como to Mount Lawley. The freeway was slow. Did a few jobs in Morley, then ended up in Midland. One woman spoke of a driver who was abusive to her because the job was so small. She spoke of another driver she was sure was on drugs. I gave her a number to ring and report these drivers sympathising with her although there was an aura of despondency and gloom in her psyche The President of Quebec resigned after failing to get a majority decision for a breakaway State he lost by less than 1 per cent. I always equate with breakaway movements the adage by Abraham Lincoln. “United we stand, divided we fall”. Picked up a woman with a full lot of shopping going home and it only cost her like a lot of jobs here $4.50 Took a man from Swan View to Midland with his little boy going to Social Security. He said he was going to register to keep his payments up. Went to the Midland rank. Picked up a man going to Midvale. He told me last week he was rushed to Swan Districts Hospital with a recurring ulcer problem where he took a narcotic drug that still didn’t relieve the pain. They gave him an injection of Pethidine that still didn’t 110 relieve him, so he was transferred to Royal Perth hospital where they intended operating. He complained about the food and treatment at both hospitals and said that the problem arose because he went to a party in Geraldton the previous Saturday night and the following day travelled to Perth where he attended another party. Next a woman and little boy going from Midland to Midvale. The journey was a match of wits between the two, the boy wanted to remove a jumper the woman kept telling him to wait until they both arrived at the house. The woman won the battle as the jumper was too difficult for the little boy to get over his shoulders. Picked up a woman going from Midland to Bandeyup Women’s prison. She was going to visit a friend who was allowed to have her visit twice a week for one hour at a time. Her friend was allowed outside for the first time this week where the prisoners were given time outside to visit places in the company of a prison officer. This was a attempt to adjust prisoners back into society in preparation for release. Many of the prisoners escaped on their first period of time outside and their sentence was lengthened and privileges were stopped. This woman was a bit apprehensive about what her friend was going to do. Next morning about 4 0 Am I was on the road early and I picked up a regular passenger going from Morley to the Homes of Peace retirement home. He was always up early and seemed to revolve his whole life around the laundry working long hours and his conversation was always about the activities in the laundry. Next was a prospect in Nedlands. There was a night club on the way that I drove past, the risks at this hour were too great. Picked up a couple originally from England who were on their way for a holiday in Tasmania. They were hiring a car for ten days and I was able to tell them of the beautiful Cataract Gorge in Launceston and the attractions along the East Coast and I suggested where to spend the most time .They were keen walkers and Tasmania was paradise for walkers. There was a prospect in Herne Hill so I slowly drove there and a job came up in Bullsbrook. The job was not in the Street Smart directory so it was necessary to rely on what was said by the passenger when they booked the taxi the previous evening. It was a strange and empty feeling driving into unknown territory hoping that the instructions were correct. I eventually picked up the man and his Thai wife. There was one incorrect direction that could have been a problem but the man said he’d make sure he didn’t give that street as parade again. They lived in an out of the way house very sandy and dry a small holding surrounded by salt bush and broken down fences. They were going to the International airport, going to Pakistan where the man worked on an oil well. He hoped to be back home in a month but it wasn’t confirmed. He said there was a lot of problems in Pakistan and the military were ever present heavily armed and in major cities there were Army personnel at major intersections with machine guns. As we progressed towards the airport the man spoke of the kangaroos that were always around his property, we passed an expensive electric fence that the Government had erected to protect a certain swamp tortoise that had subsequently disappeared. The fence stopped kangaroos freely moving and when there was a lengthy time without rain many kangaroos and other species died with lack of water. A Macchi jet from the nearby Air Force base crashed in the area after two crew had ejected safely. A helicopter was sent to check if there was a danger of fire, arriving above the crash sight with the whirling blades fanned the fire and burning out more bush land. The fire trucks at the base were not permitted to attend the fire as they were standing by at the base whilst there were manoeuvres. There was no work at the International Terminal as usual so I drove to the East Perth Terminal. The Indian Pacific had arrived from the Eastern States. Picked up an elderly couple from Newcastle in New South Wales They were staying on spec at a city hotel. They intended staying for a fortnight and hiring a car for the time. They were talking about the Newcastle Workers club that got the full blast of the earthquake many years ago killing many people that had been rebuilt for a cost of $22 million losing its former glory like old time dances, a large dance floor and its former character. They parted describing it as an expensive shell without character. Raced back to the terminal at 7.15 AM and picked up a young plasterer from Adelaide who was moving to Perth where there was work and he was suppose to be picked up by his mates who were not there to meet him as arranged. He was booking into a back packers’ hostel and would catch up with his mate on the mobile phone when he turned it on later in the day. 111 Went to an address in Morley where a man had the bonnet up of a car, there was no taxi needed at that address. I went to the end of the street as it was a dead end assuming the number was incorrect. There were no indications in the street for the need of a taxi so I returned past the address and the man dashed out in front of me and explained that his son had ordered the taxi and hadn’t informed him. The son came out and asked if we could make the Morley bus station in seven minutes. I replied that I was almost certain we could and made it with two minutes to spare. Did work around the Midland area and found a pair of sunglasses in the taxi which I handed to Midland police station. Next morning the first job was from Midland Caravan Park to Osborne Park. The youth was rough looking and scruffy but very interesting to talk to. He was a scaffolder and his car wouldn’t start and today being Friday he was going to finish his week and then spend the weekend putting a new motor in his car. He had a second car that he had purchased with a bad body but good motor and he was going to spend the whole weekend transferring the motor. When he bought his first car it wasn’t going and he managed to get it going and now the head gasket had gone and it was time to replace it. He was looking forward to a busy weekend. Picked up an elderly couple going from Maylands to the Royal Perth hospital. The man had a subsidy voucher where the Government paid half and he accompanied her to the hospital and then returned to his house in Bedford. It was after 7.0 Am and the peak hour traffic was starting so I headed to Midland to not get tangled in heavy traffic. Picked up an elderly regular man going from the flats in Midvale to the senior citizens in Midland. He was very deaf and there was a continual buzz from his hearing aid. Picked up an elderly crippled woman from Swanview to the doctors in Midland. She was a regular user of taxis and every time I picked her up she seemed to be going to the doctors. I always backed up her drive into her car port to save a few difficult steps for her. Took a man from the rank in Midland going to High Wycombe. He was a farmer from the wheat belt and was picking up a truck that had been incorrectly painted. They were required to repaint in the correct colour and he was looking forward to a big harvest this year. He also loaded some black pipe in the taxi and showed me defects in the pipe that was through his property, he was taking the sample to the supplier and expected the hundreds of metres to be replaced and the leaks to stop. Next I picked up an elderly woman and her son who looked as old as his mother going locally in Midland. The woman talked about her “foreign” neighbour who owned a block of land, she contacted him to clear it, he kept promising to clear it, then he sold it to a woman who got it cleared but left the grass there and there was a fire hazard. She was now at the woman to get rid of the grass before the hot summer arrived. Another neighbour was in contact with the council trying to get the block cleared. Took a young man locally in Midland who was in the SAS for a number of years. He enjoyed the experience and talked of the number of trips overseas he did and on two occasions where he went to New Guinea and Thailand with other troops and they landed in the bush with camouflage and no identification and stayed during crisis times in these countries until political problems were resolved. Took the crippled woman back to Swan View from the chemist in Midland. She was so ill I had to go into the chemist and give her assistance into the taxi. Got a job from Midvale to Myaree towards Fremantle. A truck driver who worked for Kleenheat gas who had left a fairly new truck at a panel beaters to get some work done which he assumed was to be done under guarantee. As we were nearing the destination in Myaree, he showed me the new offices being built which would house Kleenheat gas and also Griffin Coal Company, both part of the Wesfarmers company. Next job was from a Phycologist in East Fremantle going to an address in Armadale. I was instructed to deliver the woman at the address and not to discuss anything with the patient. Pulled onto the Armadale rank there was a prospect due. A man and little girl came up the man asking if I could take him to Beckenham, he only had 10 dollars. I suggested to him that he catch the train which was adjacent to the rank. Two youths went to the nearby Bega Inn, so I missed out on the prospect. Next was a woman travelling locally in Armadale, she showed me a brothel on the way and told me of an incident a few weeks previously where the street had to be closed off as a woman had a gun and was threatening people. 112 Got back to the Armadale rank, like several suburbs of Perth, Armadale had lost a lot of its uniqueness in architecture and style with the advent of bigger shopping centres and fewer smaller shops. The modern design of buildings was very staid and there were several suburbs of Perth and in fact all over the world where the style and originality had gone to be replaced by buildings for sheer economics. It was after midday and I decided to head towards home. Filled up with the friendly people at the Ampol service station in Rivervale. Went to the back of the casino rank. A woman went to Perth, visibly ashamed of herself for not having enough money to pay for her taxi into Perth. When we got to Perth I asked her to leave her handbag in the taxi whilst she went into a building to borrow the taxi fare from one of her workmates. A man went from the Town Hall rank down to the Mint, collected something and returned to the Town Hall. Next Monday morning at 4.00 Am it was raining outside and there were three jobs coming up in North Perth and I was first car on the rank. Got a job in Coolbinia to the airport. There was a door bell on the front gate and a man came out bare chested after I rang and told me he was on his way. It was nice listening to the birds chirping to themselves in the trees and to see the sun trying to break through from the east. There were clouds banked up from the South West The man brought out the luggage a bit at a time darting to and from the house. He brought a booster seat for a child and his wife came out and was carrying a child. He introduced himself as Simon, I knew his neighbours and we talked about how they were and we also talked about tennis that Simon was very keen on. They were also talking about baby seats that were fitted to some taxis especially for little children and how they had difficulty getting a taxi with one as there were only a dozen or so taxis fitted with the seats amongst a fleet of 900 taxis. Dropped them at the airport, they were going to Rose bay in Sydney for a wedding next Sunday. Next job was the chef from Gloucester park going to work at the trotting ground. He had to wait twenty minutes this morning for the taxi. There were cars on adjacent ranks that wouldn’t pick the job up. Drove to the Bennet rank in East Perth. Got a job from 6PR the radio station the night disc jockey going home after his shift. He said he’d worked night shift for 6 months and enjoyed it. He would sleep from 6.30 Am until 2.30 PM and that would do him until he started work in the evening. Tuesday 7th November and today was Melbourne Cup day. The moon was strong and looked full showering earth with it’s soft beam of light We were told of a woman in a pink nightie who had disappeared from Fremantle hospital during the night. We had a description of her and were told she had disappeared about 2.30 AM. If she was walking the streets someone would see her. There was a prospect coming up in Noranda so I drove there and waited on the rank. It was an eerie feeling about so early. There was an occasional car passing by and even a person walking a dog went by around 4.40 AM. Picked up a man going to the airport for a 5 AM booking. He worked for the Victoria company that was connected to the casino and was going to Indonesia to recruit some students to do a thirty week course on English at a college owned by the company. He said that most students after doing the course went on to private schools or universities and become full paying students. He was talking about the taxis in Indonesia saying they took his life into their hands every time he caught a taxi in the country. Next fare was a man who worked near Sandstone in the desert travelling to the airport. He was returning to a gold mine to work for seven weeks before getting his next week off. Next job was a man going from Beechboro to the airport. He made no secret of the fact that he was reluctant to return to work because his wife was having a relationship with another man and was instituting divorce proceedings. He said that she had taken out a restraining order against him he claimed wrongly accusing him of hitting her. The Melbourne Cup was on everyone’s mind today getting advise on all the winners. Took a boy from Hale school going to the superdome to attend a luncheon for the cup People dressed for the occasion in all manner of hats dresses and suits fitting in with the Melbourne Cup style. A New Zealand 5 year old Deremis won the cup. Took a couple who worked for State Housing who attended a seminar with 8 other people, so busy at the seminar that the cup past by unnoticed. Took a woman going from East Perth to a city hotel. She was originally from New Zealand 113 and now lived with her husband in Kalgoorlie. She hated Kalgoorlie at first but had come to like it and the easy life style. She was attending a seminar in a city hotel on consumer credit laws, the laws were to be standardised throughout Australia giving both the consumer and lender protection. She came to Perth a few days before the seminar and was leaving tonight on the 6.30 PM flight. Took a woman and little baby from the City Railway station to West Perth. She didn’t know the address of a doctor she was to go to but describing him I found him in Hay Street West Perth. Did a local job in Bayswater taking a woman from the doctors, then a local job in Bassendean a woman and two young children. Next was a man from Bandeyup Prison to Guildford Railway station. He was sharp to me saying that he had waited over half an hour for me. I told him that there was a lot of work in Midland and cars will not make a special trip out to Middle Swan to pick up such a short fare. He was not convinced and wasn’t appreciative of me coming out to get him. Next job was a 10 year old boy going from Swanview Primary school to East Victoria Park. The booking was for 3.05 PM and at 3.15 PM I still hadn’t located a fare, so I spoke to a teacher who went looking for him. We eventually located him busily playing with his friends. The place he was going to was a place for hyper active children where they gave the family relief and fed him a special diet in attempting to reduce the problem. The boy never stopped talking all the way, his brain was doing a hundred miles an hour and I felt sorry for the young lad. On Thursday 9th November 1995 I got a 4.45 AM booking from the Vines Resort in Ellenbrook to the airport. It was nice driving through the Swan Valley in the darkness watching the vineyards go by and feeling the cold early morning air. I got to the resort and there were three men waiting who got into the taxi. They were from Melbourne and were returning after spending a few days at the resort enjoying themselves. They had played golf a few times and had gone around in the same score for 9 holes as most people went around in 18 holes. The only criticism was the isolation of the resort, which the travel agent wasn’t aware of in Melbourne and the difficulty in travelling all the way to Midland to get provisions. After dropping them I was hailed in Guildford Road by a young man going to Maylands. He told me that a lot of taxis were refusing to stop for him. Next job was a Malaysian couple going from a block of holiday units in Northbridge to the International airport. They couldn’t speak English too well and it seemed they were farewelling a son who was staying in the units and probably studying at a nearby college. Next job was from Maylands to the Royal Perth Hospital. A man and a boy came out and the man explained that his son who was intellectually handicapped was going to the hospital to have an examination as there was pain in the stomach that the local doctor could not diagnose. Saw McCafferty’s coaches slowly moving towards the city. They were a new entrant to coaches in Western Australia and were charging half the fare of Greyhound as an incentive for people to travel. There was a long interesting story of the rise of Jack McCafferty’s coaches. I picked up a man who had been on the coach from Darwin for three days. He had been working on Prawn Trawlers in the Bonaparte Gulf getting banana prawns working in a stupor up to 48 hours straight and all that kept him going was the thought of the financial reward at the end. The neighbouring Gulf of Carpentaria was where the king prawns were caught and they were only caught during the night. He had been on the trawlers 14 years and was a bit fed up at so many years and was looking forward to seeing his mum in Como and having a nice long sleep. As he got out I said to him “You’ll be back next season” He offered no resistance just a smile. Picked up a man from the Water Authority who agreed with a man I previously spoke to about the drop in rainfall in Perth in the last twenty years of about 10 inches a year. The Indian Pacific was running late it was now after 7 Am, so I followed the railway line up to Midland. Picked up a regular woman going from Midvale to the Midland shops. There was a prospect coming up in Glen Forrest so I slowly went up Greenmount hill, there were cars flashing their lights warning of radar on the side of the road I sat outside the Greenmount liquor store as there was a radio reception problem further up the hill. 114 Got a job from Glen Forrest to the airport, it was a 9.00 Am booking and the computer called the job 30 minutes before time, so I was outside the address at 8.36 AM. The instructions on my computer were to assist a blind lady, so I went to the front door of the house surrounded by trees and scrub and told the woman not to hurry the person travelling as I was very early. The woman handed me a small carry bag and I stood outside waiting for the blind passenger to be assisted. Instead of a blind person the woman briskly walked to the taxi and got inside and said she was ready to go. I apologised and told her I expected a blind person, she brushed it aside and said she was legally blind and was returning to her home that was a small tram ride from the centre of Melbourne. She was saying that she had come over to see her younger 72 year old brother who lived in Kalgoorlie who was very ill and not expected to live much longer. She was originally from Wynyard in Tasmania and her family were scattered all over Australia. She had stayed at one of her relatives houses in Glen Forrest after returning from Kalgoorlie. I took her to the check in counter and pointed her in the right direction which she seemed to know as well as me. She was such an interesting woman. Drove back to Midland via the Guildford railway station as the Indian Pacific was roaring through the level crossing with black smoke pouring from the exhaust with the driver sitting right to the edge of his seat. Picked up a woman from the Swan View shops going to Midland. She had five children altogether. One in her arms and two pre schoolers and two at school for the day. All were girls and she intended having another child in 2 years. Picked up an elderly woman who’s son had worked at the Midland workshops for 30 years. They had redeployed him to Forrestfield Marshalling yards where he now worked and was in a quandary as that job was to run out on January 26th next year. On Friday 10th November the first fare was a young man who had been out all night and was returning home to Morley from Dianella to have a short sleep and then intending to go to work in two hours time at 7.00 Am. There were several jobs going off the Dianella so I went back to that area. Picked up another young man going from Dianella to Bayswater who also had a night out and was intending going to work this morning after a sleep. Took two young men who didn’t speak English very well went to the airport from Dianella. After a long wait I took a man from Morley to an engineering company in Malaga. He said he was very busy coming up to Christmas and there was any amount of overtime. Drove towards Midland and a job flashed on the screen in Guildford, I pressed and got a job to the Health Department in East Perth. The woman dealt with sexual health especially in handicapped people and was conducting a workshop for school heads today concentrating on pap smears for women and blood tests for men for prostate cancer over 50 years old. She had a lot of material in boxes. Picked up a man from the Methadone clinic in William Street going to the King Edward Memorial hospital. I thought he was a doctor but didn’t ask him, he was saying that next year the patients were to contribute four dollars per visit when having treatment under a directive from the Commonwealth Government. There were 300 people a day using methadone using anything from 200 mls a day (which is very rare) down to 5 mls a day. All were former heroine addicts and their doses were reduced until they were no longer required on the program, there were several hundred heroin users in Perth and to come on to the programme they had to go through a hospital in Field Street. There was a waiting list for people to go on to the programme until June next year. He spoke of other hospitals for de toxication and other programmes to get people back to a normal life. Picked up an elderly woman in Claremont going to Swanbourne. She walked with the aid of a walking frame and was provocative during the short journey. I said what I had to say and didn’t fall into the trap of entering an argument. Took a student from Christchurch Grammar to see a dentist in West Perth. He was waiting for my arrival and was not a bit concerned about the thought of seeing the dentist. Took a woman from the Perth Railway station to Yokine. Took a young man from Morley to Landsdale. He was starting work after 10.30 Am at a factory his father owned. His father at one time drove taxis in Perth. He now made vents for roofs to let out the hot air in the summer. On one week the passenger told me he made 200 of the vents but was now sick of making them and was now cutting fibreglass into required lengths. When he got to the factory he had to borrow the money for the taxi from his father. Next was an elderly woman going locally to the shops in Noranda. It was a sad day for her as it was her husbands birthday, she had lost him only a few months ago. All her family were 115 ringing her up and she wanted to get out of the house where they had shared many years. Next fare was a deaf woman who had the address of the Deaf Society in Brentham Street Leederville written on a piece of paper. I didn’t need to look at the Street Directory as I knew where she wanted to go. I could detect her fear of me not knowing where the Society was and she was relieved to see me turn into Brentham Street. On Monday 13 Th November 1995 it was 5.50 Am before I started. The weekend off was so enjoyable the normal body clock dictated I have an extra hour in bed. First fare this morning was an archaeologist going to Orabanda North West of Kalgoorlie to check out a site where a mine was to be located. She was going to talk to the local Aboriginal; people to see if the mine should proceed in their area. She said that there was a lot of conflicting tribal Aboriginal groups who had totally opposing views to an area and it was difficult to define exactly what the answer to an area was. Some Aboriginal groups in the city were claiming ancestry when she found they were from country areas and some groups were part aboriginal and had little knowledge of tribal connections. Was hailed by a New Zealand man as I came out of the airport, he had abandoned his car on the way to work and was going back home to wait until Coventry spare parts opened for a set of points for his car, then he would ride back to his car on his ten speed bike and fit the points and take the bike to work in the boot. Picked up a man going to the airport with a smell of alcohol on his breath. He told me to go as slow as possible as he was returning to his work after his week off. When we got to the airport I asked him if I was slow enough to which he firmly said “No” I asked him if I could take him back home again, he said “Yes!” I left him reluctantly at the airport .We had a Sarich car that the Federal Government allowed to go overseas. I made a decision never to buy a new car when the gear box of my Ford Falcon failed prematurely at 125000 kilometres which was a third the expectancy of the previous three speed locally built gear box and cost almost 6 times the previous gearboxes reconditioned cost, $2600 as against $450. There was a design fault in the four speed gear box where a C3 hub was built of inferior metal and this caused the gear box to fail. This was only the tip of the iceberg as the modern cars were more complex and designed for a shorter life than previous models. Life on the taxi is a lot more risky than when I started twenty years ago. We are not required to knock on the doors like we were once expected to do, for safety reasons. Eric Charleton became Transport Minister in the Court Ministry a well meaning and dedicated man he threw away in a short time the Taxi Control Board, Taxi Identification, regulation of the Taxi Industry and many other benefits that had been instituted as an evolutionary progressive need for the travelling public and those involved in the industry. True he reversed some of his mistakes he instituted but a Transport Minister that lost his driver’s license and tells people how to drive is evidence enough of his unsuitability to have such a portfolio. Eric may or may not be a good farmer, however for the good of the Taxi Industry and the travelling public more benefits would come forth if Eric Charleton had kept his reforms within his farm gate. Drugs both legal and illegal were easy to obtain We were blindly becoming more permissive and Governments had deregulated and sold off everything in the name of financial gain. For example the banking sector where Governments owned controlled and backed banks against failure, now were becoming foreign owned and controlled and were now fewer in number and vulnerable to the inevitable collapse of the financial sector of the likes of Great Depression. Australia had blindly followed first Great Britain and volunteered our people for war when history told us that no country helped another country unless it was in that countries interests. America was the latest country our politicians committed us to follow first in the Vietnam war and even as recently as the Gulf War in the Middle East. Our country could be in the non aligned movement and be an independent entity. We are bombarded with American violence and culture in the way of films and television where we could develop our own leading us along a more independent culture. I’ve had some interesting people in the taxi over the years. Several Lords, Dames Sirs people in charge of companies. Television and print Journalists, the late Allan McGillvray the cricket commentator, Sir James Hardey, John Dawkins former Federal Treasurer many State Political leaders, Lang Hancock’s first wife, Verity James a newsreader and ABC journalist and writer (a lovely person) and many others too many to mention down the tiers of society working people going to and from work and the down and outs who were behind the eight ball in life who would never get out of their predicament. 116 I wanted to drive a taxi when I was 6 years old when in the early 1950’s Mr Jenkins a taxi owner visited my father who was a Detective Sergeant in the Police force. He would visit and always slip me a packet of chewing gum. He seemed to have such a nice attitude to life. No matter who the person was getting into the taxi I looked at the qualities in that person. Goodness is in everyone if it be their hair their eyes their personality their interests skills or a hundred other things there is a good point to find to maintain conversation with or to remain silent if they desire. I took a bit on the chin and didn’t look at women as sexual objects but interesting people who are warm and interesting to talk to. Just after 6.10 PM on June 18th 1976 I picked up my first fare as a taxi driver in Perth an English man going from the Velodrome In Mount Hawthorne to the city. I was new in the taxi and hesitant and didn’t want him to know I was new at the job, but my naivety and inexperience I couldn’t hide. At 1.14 PM on June 18th 1996 I started the meter for the last time a job from Dickson Drive Middle Swan to the International airport. An English couple going back to England to live after many years in Australia. They had two young children with them and were off on an adventure into the unknown. I wanted to tell them this was my last day driving the taxi after 20 years but they were pre occupied and talking about more important things about Auntie Helen, Uncle David cousins Megan, Kirstan and Nathan that they were looking forward to see when they arrived 18 hours later in England. They had a lot of luggage and after unloading their luggage at the International Terminal I wished them luck in their new adventure into new directions in life. I was also heading into new directions in life. At 2.02 PM I logged off and ended my Taxi Log.