A crazy last job

There was a call for cabs at The Grosvenor House via DAC, luckily just as I had cleared in W2, so I got there to find people streaming out onto the street. I couldn’t get right to the front, as I was flagged down by 2 women and a guy, the only thing was that they didn’t want him getting in with them. He was in that pissed state where your shirt is hanging out, your eyes are half closed, and you won’t take no for an answer. They asked me not to let him in, but what the hell was I going to do to stop him if they didn’t close the door? I found my moment however when both the girls were sat down with one trying to close the door; the guy wouldn’t let go so I drove away and he had to slam it shut. I noticed the girls were carrying two open bottles of wine, so I told them to make sure they didn’t spill any; ‘oh don’t worry we won’t, thanks’ they said confidently. The job was going to Forest Hill, and for the most part it was uneventful; I will say that I’m sure they were snogging each other at one point. They asked me to stop at a garage by Goose Green for cigarettes, and from then on I left the intercom on. There was lots of whispering going on, followed by speaking at a normal volume, so my concern was that they might have either spilt some wine, or, were going to try something with regards to the fare. As we approached Forest Hill station I asked if they needed a cash-point, and they told me they might just make it. So for the moment the wine thing was out of my mind, and now I was thinking, as I heard the jingle of change, that I would be told that they were a couple of pounds short and would they I let them off. What actually happened when I stopped was that they paid in full no problem, but then when I glanced back to have a look if they had made a mess, sure enough there was wine spilt on the ramp. At first they denied it was wine, but I told them I wasn’t stupid, and that it was obviously wine because there was a used tissue covered in red marks that they had used to try and clean it. I made a fuss that they had lied, which at first I was going to leave it at, but then when they were both out of the car and at their front door, I had a thorough check because I could hear them quietly trying to get in quickly; this is when I saw what looked like a shadow on the offside seat. I felt it and it was wet – a very large patch that was also on the upright section. I quickly shot over to the door to the building which was now closed, but there were windows at the top of the door, so I banged hard on them to get the girls attention. At first they looked at me wondering what to do, but as I banged louder they surely realised I would wake the whole block up, they opened up and I gave them what for. “I let you bring in those bottles because you assured me that you wouldn’t spill anything, but you actually spilled 2 loads – on the floor and on the seat”. All the while they were trying to calm me down, and that they hadn’t done anything wrong, but I then dropped the bomb “the car has been soiled and I want £40 to get the car cleaned and go home”. I told them either a check or a card, and when they said they had neither I told them that there was no way that neither of them had no cards. I threatened with the police, which they didn’t think I would call – they obviously didn’t know about the many times in the past I had called on the police and got my money. The mistake I made was going back to my cab to lock it, so I could go in and check their flat number – they shut the main door! For a second I tried to decided what I would say to the police operator when I called them, but instead I thought stuff it, I will just ring someone’s flat number so they get annoyed and come down – I will then blame the girls. A woman appeared at the main door in a dressing gown and asked why I had rang her buzzer; I don’t think I even apologized straight away, I just went straight past her and started banging really loudly on the girls door. I then apologized to the woman and said they had made a mess of my cab, and she said she had heard the commotion before her buzzer went. I assumed she would be really angry at me, but from her reactions when banging on the girl’s door, I concluded this wasn’t the first time they had caused a commotion. When I was outside their door, or what I hoped was their door – I had only seen them unlocking a door from the side, and when I got there there were 2 together – so I listened for any sound and when I heard it I started banging loudly. I knew they were thinking at first not to open it, but my message obviously got across that I would bring wake this whole building down to get my money. The door eventually opened and the anger on my face was clear to see. Anger may not work in other situations, but they knew there would be hell to pay with their neighbours later if this wasn’t dealt with. The more reasonable of the 2 told me she would pay me £30, while the other called me all sorts of names and told her friend “don’t pay him anything”; she was told to shush. When the card appeared I made it obvious that I was going to be quiet by whispering from then on. We (me and the reasonable one) headed out to the cab and I proceeded with putting the card through; all the while there were still insults coming from the other by the main door. By this time the girl with me was asking my name and telling me she was sorry for her friend. I replied “well there is always a sensible and not-so-sensible person in a friendship/relationship, I don’t know why it’s like that, but you are obviously the sensible one”. I was ignoring the regular insults now coming from the other, but she heard this and shut up. Once the receipt was signed and I was happy, the reasonable girl was worried that I was still upset, and she would not let it go. In the end I said to her “look what do you want me to do? Shake your hand, get on my knees…. I’ve got my money…” she interrupted “yes shake my hand” and she shook my hand and squeezed it “there, shake my hand like a man”; I was totally baffled now. I eventually pulled up around the corner and got to work with tissues, wet wipes, bottled water, upholstery cleaner, and a hard brush. I finished off with a good coating of Fabreeze, and opened the magic tree fully so it would overpower any remaining smell; and man was the smell of spilt wine strong.