Cab Tales 1

When I arrived back in the Coeur d'Alene area in 1990, I had left the Seattle area with my tail between my legs, severely depressed. I had sunk my net worth into a startup company called Westgate Mortgage Corp. I started this company in the fall of 1986. Interest rates were at a low of 8 3/4% for the first time since 1979. The spring of 1987 saw interest rates surge upward to 10 3/4% in just two weeks.

I was caught with over $5,000,000 in rate reduction refinances in process, losing most of them. After struggling for 2 or 3 years, I sold everything and moved to Dalton Gardens. A homecoming that was 18 years after I had left the first time.

Close to broke, discouraged and probably clinically depressed, I opened a used paperback store called, "Herb's Paperback Exchange." Very little income was derived from that, and I called an old friend of 20 years, Jerry Anderson. I told him I wanted to drive cab for him. Thence this relationship became a two or three year gig, ending with me managing the night crew.

In the next few weeks I'm going to write down some of the more unusual experiences I had while driving for Sunset Taxi. I hope it will prove interesting for you, as I plumb the depth of memories that have somewhat faded.