Saturday 10 September 2022

MIKE MONSON - RIDE SHARING (2020)

 


Synopsis/blurb….

Ride Sharing is 37 stories, vignettes, and sketches based on Mike Monson's two years working as an Uber and Lyft driver in Northern California. Some of the material is verbatim accounts of events, some of it is completely made up, and some a combination of fact and fiction. At this point, the author can't quite remember what parts are true and what is a lie.

I do like cab driver tales both fact and fictional with their fleeting interactions between the driver and the rider.

Everyday scenarios, people in a rush for a meeting, stressing about work, or health, medical appointments, drug clinic visits or on the odd occasion drug buys. People needing groceries, rides home from work. Trips to airports, trips heading towards or fleeing from families. Dreams alive or broken.

Conversations or silence, dependent on the passenger. Repeat customers sometimes months apart and still spouting the same old nonsense. Musical backdrops or not, station changing passengers. Last minute diversions or altered destinations. Off the books requests and pleas.

Rules, protocols, penalties.

Moods - anger, frustration, tiredness, joy, indifference, solitude and time for reflection.

Scenery – countryside – changing, familiar and urban – Modesto, a city in California I’ll only ever view through Mike Monson’s eyes.

Mike Monson’s fiction has been enjoyed before – What Happens in Reno and Criminal Love and Other Stories

So have some driving stories…. 

J. W. NelsonL. A. Limo Tales 

Dan Fante - Corksucker

Jack ClarkHack Writing & Other Stories

This collection was very good.

4.5 stars from 5

Read – July, 2022

Published – 2020

Page count – 138

Source – purchased copy

Format - Paperback

2 comments:

  1. This does sound interesting, Col. Cab drivers do have some crazy stories. I've heard some of Mike's true-life stories, so I know he tells a good tale. I'm glad this is a solid collection, too, and not uneven, as some are.

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    Replies
    1. Margot, it was never less than interesting. I'm sure driving people around for a living is great source material for a writer.

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