We had some relatives show up for a visit and decided that renting a car to pick up supplies and to tour the island of Eleuthera would be a smart idea. Juliette and I walk the mile from the boat to the small airport to pick up our guest and to try and find a car to rent.
We arrive at the tiny airport (smallest I have every seen) and I see three taxi cab drivers standing around waiting for the next plane to land outside of the one room terminal next to the two lane road. I ask them collectively if they might know where I can rent a car. One of the drivers says he has a car for rent and points in the direction of a row of cars parked along a chain link fence separating the cars from the airplane runway.
I said, “Great, how much per day?”
He says, “$70”
I said, “Ok, I’ll take it…. What next?”
He says, “Where are you staying?”
I said, “On a boat by the end of the road next to the dump”
He says, “Where?”
I repeat, “On a sailboat, in the bay, near where the water barge docks, near the dump.”
He says, “Ok,… $70.”
I pull out my wallet and give him a fifty and a twenty and he gives me a single key on a key ring that has his name on it. I am standing there a little bit in shock at the ease of this transaction with no paperwork, when he simply says, “Bring it back with the same amount of fuel.” After I get in the car and adjust myself to its surroundings, (I haven’t driven a car in 5 months) I smile as I gaze at the fuel gauge….it reads 1/8.
I retell this story to our guest as we drive away, “…and he didn’t even ask for my name.”
Guest says, “He knew your name…Mr. Cash!”
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