Odd Jobs

I’ve had many odd jobs through the years, or “jobby jobs” as most freelance artists call them, and as far as odd jobs go, this new one compares with the best of them. As a sometimes struggling artist, it's important to keep the employment-that-doesn't-serve-your-higher-goals in check and non-committal, as the term “jobby job” inherently by its creation denotes. Because you aren’t there to stay - it’s a means to an end. I think this latest one demands a nod. A good friend turned me on to it. I get to experience a real slice of other people’s lives. I make my own hours, and as a writer, this is a dream come true. But as a woman who wants to affect some positive change in this world, it’s nice for a temporary fit.

I drive for a cab company. Two actually. And the job requires spending time in an enclosed space at close proximity with complete strangers, if only for a matter of minutes, and it has opened my eyes to new ways of encountering strangers. First, I must remark on how quickly and readily people are able to place faith in an unknown human behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. It's incredible that people can feel so free to open up to a complete stranger. So many people going through very real things, and very willing to share. The human element has returned to Los Angeles for me, a much needed sense of community.

The job involves a lot of trust. For that, I always make sure to be the safest driver on the road. I am very watchful, and protective of my passengers. I must first put them at ease. Then I can ask questions, if the mood allows. And some people share really beautifully private things. I like to help them sort through it - we are all struggling through something. Sometimes an outsider’s point of view is just what a personal situation needs. I am generally moved by the human condition by nature. Everyone’s got his or her brand of battle, it's something we all share in common. Inviting a new ear on the matter, in the articulated retelling and paying attention to one's own voice, can lead to new ways of tackling the problem. I've seen more than a few shells crack wide open.

We all have it in us to conquer our challenges like a boss, yet we can’t operate in vacuums. I’d love to say that I can solve all my humps in the road by myself, but that would hardly represent the truth. Having a compassionate family helps. Great friends go for miles. Instinct is key. And trust in one’s self is your home base. From there, you can have at it. And learn from your choices because no outcome is certain.

Now, being in a position to be a friendly ear gives me a sense of purpose that transcends the making of the mighty dollar. I feel present. Undoubtedly, the road focuses me. But so does adjusting my energy and receptivity to each human that enters my car. An important skill to develop – reading your opponent. In any/every interaction. Keeps you sharp.

Those passengers that rise to the top of the crop are usually the ones who initially are polite and sweet to start, then slowly reveal very telling things about themselves. Whether it’s the girl in a messy ponytail with a spark in her eyes talking about her management job that’s stressing her health, or the Asian businessman who’s about to divorce his wife. They all matter. The clicking, purring Arabian queens turning on high their ipods that spew American teeny-bop music, or the hung-over hump in a thick overcoat with temperatures reading 97 degrees who projectile vomits out of my passenger window, a never-ending orange spray, with a perfectly positioned cluster of elementary school kids looking on and pointing and screaming. They all matter to me. I take pleasure in sifting through the mud with them, when appropriate. Throw around a few ideas on how to solve the problems of the world with real options - and it’s like watching flowers bloom. People can be so surprisingly articulate with the important stuff, the very things in their lives that have a tentacle on their attention. The issues that need rather immediate solving, utilizing our spare time together to talk about it. I don't ask frivolous questions (unless you want to talk about the weather, in which case, I can celebrate LA's weather ALL DAY and boo/hiss what's happening to my home state NY) because time-is-oh-so-very-precious these days. We have to be ace problem solvers in this day and age. And thankfully, I think people are still anxious to learn from each other. We are every one of us students, after all. Why wouldn’t we encourage each other? I’ll tell you this - it gives me hope for humanity. I'll take that where I can get it.