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The car was about two minutes earlier than the app said it would be. But the driver just waited in front of the bar for Karin and Erika to give their friends one more set of hugs, before stumbling into the back.
It was some sort of cheap chinese import. But the driver. Damn he was hot. Hair up in a pony tail, cascading down the back of his seat. Lovely, strong fingers gripping the gear shift, and a brilliant smile when he turned back to them.
"Hey, I'm Weiying! You're Karin and Erika, right?"
Sadly, that lovely smile turned away as he kicked the red car into gear. They sped off down the street.
"Oh wow, I love your roof!" shouted Erika, who was way, way more drunk than Karin.
"Thanks!" their driver said cheerfully, never taking his eyes from the road.
Karin stared at the huge mandala that covered the entire top of the car.
"Are you buddhist! I love Buddha! He's so nice. I love yoga. I've got mandalas on my pillows at home!" Erika enthused. Karin looked at the mandala again. It wasn't green or orange and blue and it didn't have shiny mirrors or some sort of god picture in the middle. It looked like it had been stiched into the ceiling fibers, in red and purple, with strange lines on the edges.
"Nah, I'm chinese," said the driver, totally confirming Karin's thought that the writing was chinese too, "I'm not buddhist, I follow more like, um, Zen."
"So cool!", Erika said, swaying forward and putting her hands on the driver's seat. "Is that why you've got all that paper?"
The dash was covered in paper, all scribbled with the sort of writing her friend had tattoed on her ass. Erika was busy chatting about getting her tatoo. It was the worst type of flirting, and really, who wanted to bang a driver?
The very hot, very good looking driver threw her a laughing look. Ok, maybe Erika had the right idea.
"Oh no, that's just a bunch of rules I've put down for the...um passengers who can read that writing. They don't use the apps, so I've got to let them know how to pay and stuff." he said, cheerfully, taking a corner on two wheels.
Erika was flung back into Karin's side, disappointed.
"Oh, so it's not for meditation and good luck or anything?" She pouted. She struggled briefly against her safety belt.
"Oh, I mean some of it sure," said her driver, distracted by negotiating a five way. "But not all of it."
On the mirror hung a tiny tassel with a white stone. A pikachu bobblehead bopped atop the mirror. Anime styled stickers plastered the glove compartment. A black flute wedged underneat the bright red parking brake. None of it looked like her yoga studio's bamboo screens and happy cat insense burner. Maybe guys didn't do happy cats?
"Are you a student?" Erika asked.
"Sure." said the guy, switching lanes, and then roaring down a tiny side street. They blasted past another cemetary, and Karin blinked. She was pretty sure she'd seen someone being chased past the gate but...
"Oh cool, where do you go?"
"Oh, I went to Tulane for a bit on exchange. Right now I'm post-docing at the Conservancy. This is just my off-night job."
Erika looked ready to launch into the time she was interested in music, but Karin nudged her. Taped to the dash was the picture of two asian men, both playing instruments. They had long hair and dressed like martial arts movie extras. There was a heart drawn in red around one of the faces.
Before Erika could back off from her useless flirting, the car slammed to a stop.
"Ok!' said the driver, "Looks like we're here. And hey, there's my next passangers."
Karin opened the door and nearly flattened an old musician who was lugging a instrument case.
"Sorry! Sorry!" she called as she hauled Erika out of the car and away before any telephone numbers were exchanged.
The old man just tipped an old fashioned hat, and folded himself into the back seat. He was followed by three girls dressed in red. Weiying popped the front door so one of the giggling women could ride in front. The red car spun away.
"Oh he was so hot!" Erika enthused. "I'm going to give him five stars."
"You do that, girl," and Karin hauled her roommate past the gates and into the courtyard of their dorm.
Weird car, but nice guy. She hoped she'd see him again.