So, where were we?
I’ve missed y’all! It’s been more than six months since my last blog. I said I’d have stories to share, and this is one of them.
Ding! Uber request for a long ride. I accepted it.
“Andrei” called me and asked, “Do you know where we’re going? I’ve already had two drivers turn me down. I need a ride to Columbus, Georgia. I’m in Milton, Florida.”
I sometimes enjoy a long drive, even though I can’t get any rides that begin outside of Florida. I usually get a good story from those riders. You can learn a lot by spending four-and-a-half hours in a car with someone. This one turned into a story about focus. Little did I know.
I arrived at his home and began helping him load his belongings. After several loads, he says, “Wait, I have one more thing to get.” And, there it was. The already opened 12-pack of Busch Lights.
“Have you ever heard of Sean of the South?” I asked. “He writes a daily column. You are a dead ringer for him.” I showed him a picture.
“No,” he said. “Maybe it’s the red hair and beard. We do look a lot alike.”
You know how you sometimes ask someone how they’re doing, and they tell you? Happens to me a lot. (I’m sure I’m guilty on both sides of that equation.)
Andrei began to open up. “I’m dealing with some huge choices in my life right now. I’m juggling too many situations, and at thirty-three years old, I think I need to pick one.”
“I have a baby girl with one woman, who lives in Tennessee. I love that little girl so much! She’s from Guatemala and already has two other children, ages 5 and 9. I love them very much, too!”
“Truthfully, though, I have fallen for another woman, who lives in Louisiana. She also has a couple of kids from a previous marriage. She is begging for me to marry her. I care deeply for her.”
As if that wasn’t enough, “There is a new woman in my life, also. She’s single and promises to make me happy for the rest of my life. She’s very beautiful and I know we could make a life together.”
I agreed with him. It was time to settle down and make a choice. He continued with more background.
“I was born in Russia, about 250 miles from Moscow. I never knew my father. We lived in a very poor area. I remember being told to go outside, across the street from my house. One by one, men would come by and abuse my mother. I didn’t really understand what was going on at the time.”
“When I was nine years old, a couple came from Tennessee hoping to adopt me. I ran away that day because I didn’t want to leave my mother. Thankfully, the couple returned and took me to Tennessee. I haven’t talked to them much lately. I need to visit them more often.”
He talked about his career. He’s a metal worker and travels a lot. I was taking him to a new job to build a warehouse. The beers were beginning to open him up. We talked about faith. He definitely believes in God and prays often, but it’s the type of prayer that doesn’t include much follow-up. He asked for my opinion as to his future, and that became the point of our ride.
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced during my seventy years on this planet is focus. As I have learned through much trial and error, just because you can do a lot of things doesn’t mean you should. Andrei’s top challenge was the same.
So, together, we narrowed it down to focus.
I wasn’t sure how much interest his “baby-mama” had in a more permanent relationship. He assured me that she wanted him around and that they had discussed marriage, but neither of them had committed.
“If you really want my opinion,” I said, “you have one choice. You’re your baby’s father. You’ve told me that you love the other two children and the woman you made the baby with. You’ve also said you would like a job that keeps you in one place. Your job skills are in such high demand, I think you could find a job in Tennessee.”
He began to get emotional. Probably the beer, but sincere. He told me several times how much he loved his little girl and how much he wanted to be near her.
“Even if you don’t get married right away, or ever, you need to be a real father to your little girl. It’s obvious to me, and I believe when you think about it, also to you, that the other situations involve women who want you to take care of them. It’s time to let them go.”
He was quiet for the first time during our ride. Then he said something I’ve heard many times over the years I’ve driven for Uber.
“There is a reason that you were my driver. You were my third try. When we get there, I would like to buy you a steak dinner. We can look for a Longhorn’s or something like that.”
I told him that wasn’t necessary. I had a four-and-a-half-hour trip back home ahead of me. He insisted that I had to eat anyway, and that would be his way of tipping me. I reluctantly agreed.
After unsuccessfully searching for a Longhorn’s, he said, “I found one near my place in downtown Columbus. They have steak!” However, this was much fancier than a Longhorn’s. Some kind of Italian bar/restaurant. We took a couple of seats at the bar.
“Have anything you want,” he proclaimed. Then quietly, “unless it’s a hundred dollars.” I chose the least expensive entree – $37.00. He ordered the larger version of the same thing. Then Andrei started talking to the young lady sitting two stools down from us. Thankfully, she would be leaving town and would not be able to show him around.
We finished dinner and headed to his Airbnb. He said he would start looking at ways to settle down and agreed he should do everything possible to be a good father to his little girl.
People often ask me what eventually happens to these riders about whom I write. The truth is, I never really know. I just pray for them and leave it up to God. If you have a moment, please include a prayer for this country-talking, red-headed Russian immigrant. Please God, help him focus!
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I know it’s been a while. If you enjoy my stories, and I’ve got plenty more, please drop me a note and let me know. Thanks for reading this far!
God Bless,
Tommy