The Tesla

I need a ride to the New Beverly Cinema for a date but make the rookie mistake of waiting too long to call an Uber. The fare has risen to $23 and causes me an intense bout of bourgeois distress, but I manage to regain my composure when a cherry Tesla Model S shows up in front of my house. This would be my…

The Hustler

I’m standing in front of Culver City’s city hall when a white compact swings in front of me. I get in, greeted by a heavy-set, black woman named Sonia, who starts making conversation in small pieces. I’m distracted, trying to make sense of evening plans on my phone. She informs me that her windows are…

The Vegetarian

I’m in a neighborhood on the border of North Hollywood and Glendale. Behind me is a cactus two stories tall. I can’t recall the car, but the driver was a chiseled, white male with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a quality flannel. He would have easily been someone’s dream hunk in a past decade. He…

The Family Man

Mulholland Drive, deep Beverly Hills. A stocky, latino male in the later half of his 20’s pulls up to the curb. The beginning of the ride is quiet. Slowly, we move past the small talk and the conversation turns to the details of my last relationship and why it ended. He gives me some advice:

The Prisoner

Heading home. His voice was gentle, his Beamer spotless. His hair was a slicked black. A slender, 28 year old man from the Middle East. We made small talk until he opened up about his gambling addiction. He made $2000 per week driving long hours for Uber. He lost $2000 per weekend at the casino. He…

The Air Freshener

The context and conversation weren’t memorable. The 100+ “Black Ice” scented, Christmas tree air fresheners scattered throughout the car were.

20 hung from the rearview mirror, 20 were shoved beneath the driver and passenger seats. 20 more were crammed in the armrest…