Hey yo,
It's that time of year again, when the coolness of winter/spring gives way to the heat & humidity of summer. One more note on vacations: It's really nice to be able to actually get away for a week, to go (drive or fly, doesn't matter) somewhere you've never been, or some favorite place. That's why Florida was such a big deal for me. I hadn't even flown since '04, when I flew to Ireland for my bro's wedding. Having said that, it's good just to be away from that friggin' place for a week, even if you don't go anywhere or do anything. This year was the first time I got three weeks vacation, so I'm able to spread things out a bit. The next one, coming up in a couple weeks, we're just going to stay around Chicago I think. We might go downtown for the Taste of Chicago, but it's always so damn crowded. Haven't been in years, though.
Summer is always a time when you worry about two things: thunderstorms and street people.
Don't get me wrong, driving in a thunderstorm is ten times more preferable than a blizzard, but it still kinda sucks, not to mention delivering in a downpour, that's the absolute worst! I always make sure I have a change of clothes handy, and plenty of towels, because I've been literally soaked to the skin before.
Street people come out when the weather gets warmer, that's just a fact of life. And, if you think it's only in the large cities, think again. Most of my encounters have come either in suburban areas, or in towns not far from Chicago (Rockford, Madison, etc). See my older post on "Night People" for examples. Yeah, I got propositioned by a hooker about 10 days ago. I was just about to start my delivery, when, seemingly out of nowhere, she comes shuffling down the sidewalk. I was flabbergasted when she suggested what she did, but not entirely surprised. In fact, I actually thought about it for a second. But, with my luck she'd either have been a cop, or had some horrible STD. Besides that, I only had about $20 on me. I dunno if you can even get anything for that these days. Still, it made me feel, in a strange way, wanted, ya know?
So, it's that time of year: BBQ's ,baseball games, amusement parks, fun stuff. The work is the pain in the ass (as usual).
More soon,
Steve
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Vacatione
tip of the hat to Kevin James, Doug Heffernan on "King of Queens"
Well, hello again, I know it's been a while. What can I say? I've been busy doing the internet marketing thing, living life, etc. I wanted to mention that I had not been to Florida since I was a sophomore in college, and since my old man retired down there over 10 years ago, I thought the time was ripe to pay him a visit. So, since I was able to schedule my vacation the same week as my daughter's spring break (the wife didn't want to go, for reasons I won't discuss here), we decided to make the 2.75hr flight from Midway to Orlando. Booking the flight online was no prob., but finding parking (again, the wife wouldn't drive us) was another story. I found a place whose parking lot was a mile or two from the airport, but damn! Like $75 to park for 5 days.
Well, needless to say, things did not get off to an auspicious start: first, I inadvertently left a small knife (which I use for work) in my backpack, and the security screeners at Midway were none to happy with me. They let us pass, confiscating the knife, of course. My daughter was livid, which I can't blame her for. The flight (airline withheld) was uneventful, save for some turbulence near Orlando. When we touched down in Orlando, I was soon on the phone with the old man, who was waiting in a nearby spot (they use "kiss & ride" or something). We got our bags, and met them outside baggage claim, when, what to my wondering eyes, my wallet was missing. My daughter nearly had a coniption; she went sprinting back to the terminal, as I ran into the "lost luggage" room to report the incident. Well, long story short, they had found my wallet (containing my cash, credit cards, basically my whole life) on the airplane. It had somehow fallen out of my back pocket as I was getting up. Unbelievable. My daughter had to go all the way back to the gate, where she retrieved it & brought it to me. Again, not a happy camper.
From there, things improved; we had decent weather (Tuesday it stormed all day), although cool for Florida in April, and we got to swim, sun, shop, and even hit a few balls at the driving range. My dad & stepmom live in a retirement community in central Florida called The Villages, which is basically a small city unto itself, with shopping,gas stations, you name it. Golf, of course is the big deal down there, and there are dozens of courses, ranging from the small par 3's to the Championship Arnold Palmer & Nancy Lopez courses. Alas, we didn't actually get out, but still enjoyed motoring around on the golfcarts. They're everywhere down there. In the evenings, we would go down to the village "squares" where people would congregate to hear live music (the line-dancers were hysterical), mingle about, shop, etc. Very neat. And all Spanish-themed, so pretty cool.
Thursday we drove 1.5 hrs to New Smyrna Beach, on the Atlantic - that was nice; you can drive your car right down on to the beach, set up your umbrella, chairs, and all. It was quite windy that day, but that didn't phase us much. I went running into the surf at full speed, letting the cold salt water swallow me up, but always aware not to venture out too far, lest the rip currents take me away. But I can truthfully say that I swam (and peed) in the Atlantic Ocean;) A very nice day. We strolled around the streets, picked up a couple souvenirs, then had dinner at a little fish place near the inland waterway, before heading back. Lots of tourists and spring-breakers there.
Before you knew it, Saturday had rolled around, and it was time to come home - not a welcome
feeling, but whatcha gonna do? I had secured my wallet in my FRONT pocket throughout the entire trip, after the fiasco on our arrival. Looking back, I was very lucky. Anyway, back to the windy city, which was living up to it's monniker that day. We got home at 6:30 - 7pm and collapse, with a ton of laundry awaiting us the next day. But, all in all, it was an enjoyable experience; I had fun, and I know the kid did.
More soon,
Steve
Well, hello again, I know it's been a while. What can I say? I've been busy doing the internet marketing thing, living life, etc. I wanted to mention that I had not been to Florida since I was a sophomore in college, and since my old man retired down there over 10 years ago, I thought the time was ripe to pay him a visit. So, since I was able to schedule my vacation the same week as my daughter's spring break (the wife didn't want to go, for reasons I won't discuss here), we decided to make the 2.75hr flight from Midway to Orlando. Booking the flight online was no prob., but finding parking (again, the wife wouldn't drive us) was another story. I found a place whose parking lot was a mile or two from the airport, but damn! Like $75 to park for 5 days.
Well, needless to say, things did not get off to an auspicious start: first, I inadvertently left a small knife (which I use for work) in my backpack, and the security screeners at Midway were none to happy with me. They let us pass, confiscating the knife, of course. My daughter was livid, which I can't blame her for. The flight (airline withheld) was uneventful, save for some turbulence near Orlando. When we touched down in Orlando, I was soon on the phone with the old man, who was waiting in a nearby spot (they use "kiss & ride" or something). We got our bags, and met them outside baggage claim, when, what to my wondering eyes, my wallet was missing. My daughter nearly had a coniption; she went sprinting back to the terminal, as I ran into the "lost luggage" room to report the incident. Well, long story short, they had found my wallet (containing my cash, credit cards, basically my whole life) on the airplane. It had somehow fallen out of my back pocket as I was getting up. Unbelievable. My daughter had to go all the way back to the gate, where she retrieved it & brought it to me. Again, not a happy camper.
From there, things improved; we had decent weather (Tuesday it stormed all day), although cool for Florida in April, and we got to swim, sun, shop, and even hit a few balls at the driving range. My dad & stepmom live in a retirement community in central Florida called The Villages, which is basically a small city unto itself, with shopping,gas stations, you name it. Golf, of course is the big deal down there, and there are dozens of courses, ranging from the small par 3's to the Championship Arnold Palmer & Nancy Lopez courses. Alas, we didn't actually get out, but still enjoyed motoring around on the golfcarts. They're everywhere down there. In the evenings, we would go down to the village "squares" where people would congregate to hear live music (the line-dancers were hysterical), mingle about, shop, etc. Very neat. And all Spanish-themed, so pretty cool.
Thursday we drove 1.5 hrs to New Smyrna Beach, on the Atlantic - that was nice; you can drive your car right down on to the beach, set up your umbrella, chairs, and all. It was quite windy that day, but that didn't phase us much. I went running into the surf at full speed, letting the cold salt water swallow me up, but always aware not to venture out too far, lest the rip currents take me away. But I can truthfully say that I swam (and peed) in the Atlantic Ocean;) A very nice day. We strolled around the streets, picked up a couple souvenirs, then had dinner at a little fish place near the inland waterway, before heading back. Lots of tourists and spring-breakers there.
Before you knew it, Saturday had rolled around, and it was time to come home - not a welcome
feeling, but whatcha gonna do? I had secured my wallet in my FRONT pocket throughout the entire trip, after the fiasco on our arrival. Looking back, I was very lucky. Anyway, back to the windy city, which was living up to it's monniker that day. We got home at 6:30 - 7pm and collapse, with a ton of laundry awaiting us the next day. But, all in all, it was an enjoyable experience; I had fun, and I know the kid did.
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Boredom
Hello again!
I've been thinking a lot lately about life, my place in it, etc. This job of mine can become so tedious, especially in winter. Week after week, the same old BS, and sloshing through the snow,
it's all very monotonous. I guess I'm just tired of being cold all the time. I must admit, though,
this temporary warmup we're having is a nice respite. The snowpack is melting, and they're calling for rain next week. Rain! Did you hear me? Rain! Not snow, not ice, not hail, but sweet, wonderful rain! Thank God!
I've been having problems dealing with all the bullshit at my workplace. I'm sorry (I know you're probably thinking "Not more whining!"), but there ya go. It's like, some people at our facility don't give a shit, and just refuse to do their job the right way. You know, I have become aggravated in the past, but no more. If I let the screwups of a few ne'er-do-wells bother me, I'll just lose my mind. Let them deal with the consequences, because I will not. My "major premise" or "state of being" is going to be love & happiness, no matter what. This petty squabbling is beneath me, and that is where it will stay. I've done my complaining, and I'll do no more (although I've taken some juicy pictures of the fucked-up loads, just in case).
A "funk," I think is what they call it. Soooo, I'm waiting for my vacation, which isn't until April, but it should come quickly. I suppose I should be grateful that I'm still employed in this economy and all. And, despite all the talk of "a glut" of drivers, I'm pretty confident I could find work if I had to. I have almost 7 years experience, with no problems, so it wouldn't be a big deal. See, you can't let negativity, in any form, bring you down. I just have to focus on what I am grateful for, every day, and that should get me through. So, as I've said before, I make it a point to thank God for each day, each morning, each time I make it home safely.
So, that's where I'm at right now, kind of a reflective time for me (winters usually are). To quote a wonderful song by Genesis: "Spring will strike again, against the shield of winter..."
More soon,
Steve
I've been thinking a lot lately about life, my place in it, etc. This job of mine can become so tedious, especially in winter. Week after week, the same old BS, and sloshing through the snow,
it's all very monotonous. I guess I'm just tired of being cold all the time. I must admit, though,
this temporary warmup we're having is a nice respite. The snowpack is melting, and they're calling for rain next week. Rain! Did you hear me? Rain! Not snow, not ice, not hail, but sweet, wonderful rain! Thank God!
I've been having problems dealing with all the bullshit at my workplace. I'm sorry (I know you're probably thinking "Not more whining!"), but there ya go. It's like, some people at our facility don't give a shit, and just refuse to do their job the right way. You know, I have become aggravated in the past, but no more. If I let the screwups of a few ne'er-do-wells bother me, I'll just lose my mind. Let them deal with the consequences, because I will not. My "major premise" or "state of being" is going to be love & happiness, no matter what. This petty squabbling is beneath me, and that is where it will stay. I've done my complaining, and I'll do no more (although I've taken some juicy pictures of the fucked-up loads, just in case).
A "funk," I think is what they call it. Soooo, I'm waiting for my vacation, which isn't until April, but it should come quickly. I suppose I should be grateful that I'm still employed in this economy and all. And, despite all the talk of "a glut" of drivers, I'm pretty confident I could find work if I had to. I have almost 7 years experience, with no problems, so it wouldn't be a big deal. See, you can't let negativity, in any form, bring you down. I just have to focus on what I am grateful for, every day, and that should get me through. So, as I've said before, I make it a point to thank God for each day, each morning, each time I make it home safely.
So, that's where I'm at right now, kind of a reflective time for me (winters usually are). To quote a wonderful song by Genesis: "Spring will strike again, against the shield of winter..."
More soon,
Steve
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deep Freeze
Holy shit, it's cold!
I think I must be on an episode of "Ice Road Truckers" or something. Temp today in Chicago is supposed to be at -2 for a high, not to mention the wind chill. I know, I know, other places are going to be even colder but damn! Anyway, visions of Florida, California, the Carribean, etc. are flowing through my mind lately. My dad, who lives in central Florida, told me "yeah, it's going to cool down here, gonna get down to the upper 60's" He's always rubbing that stuff in my face, except in summer, when he & the old lady get outta there and come up here because of the heat. Kinda like "reverse snowbirds."
I uaed to make fun of those people, usually older folks, than went & hid "down south" for the winter. But now, I wish I were one of them. A gal I chat online with is moving to Clearwater, and she said "You should get a route down here..." If only. Actually, we do have a distribution center in Orlando - at least one of our drivers transferred down there- but I dunno. You have to take the bad with the good; hurricanes scare the crap outta me!
So, I bought this face/ski-type mask, where only your eyes & mouth are exposed; seems to work pretty well, in fact, too well. The two times I've used it already, my head became all hot & sweaty! I know I rhymed there, unintentional. But tough times call for tough measures, as they say, or something like that. It's a good thing to have on hand, rather than expose onesself to frostbite, which, I hear, can occur after only 10 minutes in these conditions. That's why I
enjoy watching "Ice Road Truckers," to see the techniques they use, not only for self-preservation, but also on their machines.
Only two months till spring - I hope that groundhog sees his friggin' shadow.
More soon,
Steve
I think I must be on an episode of "Ice Road Truckers" or something. Temp today in Chicago is supposed to be at -2 for a high, not to mention the wind chill. I know, I know, other places are going to be even colder but damn! Anyway, visions of Florida, California, the Carribean, etc. are flowing through my mind lately. My dad, who lives in central Florida, told me "yeah, it's going to cool down here, gonna get down to the upper 60's" He's always rubbing that stuff in my face, except in summer, when he & the old lady get outta there and come up here because of the heat. Kinda like "reverse snowbirds."
I uaed to make fun of those people, usually older folks, than went & hid "down south" for the winter. But now, I wish I were one of them. A gal I chat online with is moving to Clearwater, and she said "You should get a route down here..." If only. Actually, we do have a distribution center in Orlando - at least one of our drivers transferred down there- but I dunno. You have to take the bad with the good; hurricanes scare the crap outta me!
So, I bought this face/ski-type mask, where only your eyes & mouth are exposed; seems to work pretty well, in fact, too well. The two times I've used it already, my head became all hot & sweaty! I know I rhymed there, unintentional. But tough times call for tough measures, as they say, or something like that. It's a good thing to have on hand, rather than expose onesself to frostbite, which, I hear, can occur after only 10 minutes in these conditions. That's why I
enjoy watching "Ice Road Truckers," to see the techniques they use, not only for self-preservation, but also on their machines.
Only two months till spring - I hope that groundhog sees his friggin' shadow.
More soon,
Steve
Monday, January 5, 2009
Holi - daze
Hello,
So we've made it through another holiday season, I see. Hope all went well with you & yours.
Back to my regular schedule, Thank God. It really wasn't too bad, and the extra $ will come in handy. See, I not only have to deal with Christmas, but also my daughter's birthday, which is January 9th. She's turning 17, a weird age for girls. I asked her what she wants for her birthday, and she said "Oh, I dunno". Look, I know she wants a car of her own, and she's also talked of wanting a dog/puppy. I can't decide which of those two are worse, honestly. The winter actually helps, because it puts a damper on some of these things. I mean, who in their right mind is going to get a new dog in the middle of winter? Same thing with a car - I sure as hell am not going car shopping in these God-awful temperatures. Yeah, I know a lot of it can be done online, but you still have to test-drive the thing, right? Anyway, the winter buys me some time to get the dollars, and the head, together.
I would always think to myself, "OK, I've made it through Christmas, now just the kid's birthday." I know that sounds kind of callous ("Where's your holiday spirit?"), but it really has been something, at least over the last few years, that I've had to "make it through." It's almost like winter, especially for truck drivers in the snow areas. "Yep, made it through another winter." I see my job the same way, "Made it through another trip/route, whatever" Stopping to "smell the roses" is not in my vocabulary. If I stopped, all I'd smell is diesel and shit! So, you "keep on keeping on, till the day breaks, and the shadows flee away..." (one of my favorite quotes, by the way).
I've probably said this before, but, as I get older, I think I'm getting crabbier. It's funny, because
we always made fun of grumpy old men, and now I find myself turning into one. The Archie Bunker Syndrome, as I call it. I know, I can change, just as Ebeneezer Scrooge did, but it can be really tough, you know? I get annoyed more easily; it seems as if I'm being pulled in several different directions, by the demands of: my boss, my wife, my daughter, my sleep, my business, etc. I need a vacation. I get three weeks this year, Yipeeeee!
Look, I'm not a "Debbie Downer" (Wah, wah, wah...),. In fact, this time of year, the New Year, brings me a sense of hope. Not necessarily resolutions, which most of us fail at anyway, but a hope that the coming year will be better than the last. I hear song lyrics popping up all over the place here. It's definitely a time for reflection on life (for me) ; you know, where have I been, where am I going, that kind of thing. I still smoke, I still over eat, don't take particuluarly good care of myself, that has to change, because I DO want to dance at my daughter's wedding, and I DO want to hold my grandchildren in my arms, and I WILL!
Time to go car shopping...
More soon,
Steve
So we've made it through another holiday season, I see. Hope all went well with you & yours.
Back to my regular schedule, Thank God. It really wasn't too bad, and the extra $ will come in handy. See, I not only have to deal with Christmas, but also my daughter's birthday, which is January 9th. She's turning 17, a weird age for girls. I asked her what she wants for her birthday, and she said "Oh, I dunno". Look, I know she wants a car of her own, and she's also talked of wanting a dog/puppy. I can't decide which of those two are worse, honestly. The winter actually helps, because it puts a damper on some of these things. I mean, who in their right mind is going to get a new dog in the middle of winter? Same thing with a car - I sure as hell am not going car shopping in these God-awful temperatures. Yeah, I know a lot of it can be done online, but you still have to test-drive the thing, right? Anyway, the winter buys me some time to get the dollars, and the head, together.
I would always think to myself, "OK, I've made it through Christmas, now just the kid's birthday." I know that sounds kind of callous ("Where's your holiday spirit?"), but it really has been something, at least over the last few years, that I've had to "make it through." It's almost like winter, especially for truck drivers in the snow areas. "Yep, made it through another winter." I see my job the same way, "Made it through another trip/route, whatever" Stopping to "smell the roses" is not in my vocabulary. If I stopped, all I'd smell is diesel and shit! So, you "keep on keeping on, till the day breaks, and the shadows flee away..." (one of my favorite quotes, by the way).
I've probably said this before, but, as I get older, I think I'm getting crabbier. It's funny, because
we always made fun of grumpy old men, and now I find myself turning into one. The Archie Bunker Syndrome, as I call it. I know, I can change, just as Ebeneezer Scrooge did, but it can be really tough, you know? I get annoyed more easily; it seems as if I'm being pulled in several different directions, by the demands of: my boss, my wife, my daughter, my sleep, my business, etc. I need a vacation. I get three weeks this year, Yipeeeee!
Look, I'm not a "Debbie Downer" (Wah, wah, wah...),. In fact, this time of year, the New Year, brings me a sense of hope. Not necessarily resolutions, which most of us fail at anyway, but a hope that the coming year will be better than the last. I hear song lyrics popping up all over the place here. It's definitely a time for reflection on life (for me) ; you know, where have I been, where am I going, that kind of thing. I still smoke, I still over eat, don't take particuluarly good care of myself, that has to change, because I DO want to dance at my daughter's wedding, and I DO want to hold my grandchildren in my arms, and I WILL!
Time to go car shopping...
More soon,
Steve
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy Holidays!
Greetings!
It's been longer and longer in between posts here, my apologies, but the holiday season is here, and there is a lot to do. Besides the regular work, paying bills, groceries, etc., there's Christmas shopping! Yay! Actually, I did most of my shopping online, so I avoided much of the hassles of malls, crowds and traffic, but there is always that one or two items that either weren't available on Amazon, couldn't be delivered by Christmas, or just those things that popped up at the last minute. At first my wife said she didn't want anything, then, a couple of days before Christmas, she comes out and says "Oh, I'd like so-and-so's CD," which put the fear of God into me. I mean, not only am I working an altered schedule these two weeks (Christmas and New Years are the only two weeks my company changes it's delivery schedules), but now I have to run around trying to find last-minute gifts. Hooray!
Here's what happened the week of Christmas: I go out on Sunday night (as opposed to Monday) so I can be back on Tuesday, and have Christmas Eve Day (Wed) off. It was cold as a witch's tit outside (I'm talking 0 degrees as a high temperature). I actually picked up this ski mask the day before, the kind that covers all but the eyes and mouth, and I'm glad I did. It worked beautifully. I was already driving a substitute truck, because mine broke down the week before in Greencastle, IN (another story). Anyway, I get my deliveries done, go to the truckstop, and have to make a decision; do I let the truck run, go into the truckstop to eat, and risk the truck being stolen, or do I shut the truck off, and risk gelling the diesel? Had it been a regular company truck, we'd have more than one key, so the decision wouldn't have to be made, but, with a substitute, there was only one key, so I chose the latter. I shut the truck off, locked her up, and went in to eat. As I came back, however, the key wouldn't open the friggin lock! Damn! I thought I was gonna freeze out there! After trying the passenger side, and fiddling around with it for about 10 minutes (I always have the thought in mind, "Frostbite can occur in as little as 10 minutes in these temperatures"), I finally got the damn thing open. Not again, I said to myself.
So, I go to do my second night of deliveries, and, wouldn't you know it, when I arrive at the first store, there are construction guys there, remodeling the front lobby. I thought "Can you believe this F'ing s__t?" I asked the guy how long they'd be there, and he said "Oh, about an hour and a half, two hours tops." I said, "Ok , let me go deliver another store, and I'll come back" which I did, two hours later. Yep, you guessed it, they were still there. I sat there for another hour and a half, before telling my dispatcher I was blowing it off. Of course, it had started snowing by this time, and several inches had accumulated during the time I waited. For me, it was a real George Bailey moment ("It's a Wonderful Life" is my favorite movie). So, what to do?
The store is located in a small parking lot at the bottom of a hill, and, generally, once you make the commitment to go in there, you're commited. However, my frustration was such that I had to get outta there. So I carefully backed out onto the street, and, facing an uphill climb, spun my wheels, let my foot off the accelerator, and spun again, and again, until I finally climbed that sucker. Whew!
Needless to say, the rest of the night went about the same way: the bosses decided to have me skip the store entirely, go to my cheese pickup, and have them push the product still on my trailer foreward, putting a lesser number of pallets of cheese on behind. I still took 18 pallets (normally it's 20). So, to make a long story short, I got back to south-Chicagoland about 4:00pm
(I've been on duty, on paper, since midnight). Something was acting up on this truck too, so I had to have IT checked out. I got back to the base about 6:00 or so, got home by about 7. What a nightmare! And, I still have my wrapping, running around, etc. to take care of. See, this is the kind of thing that makes one lose the real meaning of Christmas. I try to take care of everything, so the family can have a nice holiday (heck, I even did most of the cooking), and, before you know it, it's gone...
I won't let that kind of thing happen ever again. If God is willing to have me around for another Christmas, I'll plan ahead, and WON'T be working that week!
More soon,
Steve
It's been longer and longer in between posts here, my apologies, but the holiday season is here, and there is a lot to do. Besides the regular work, paying bills, groceries, etc., there's Christmas shopping! Yay! Actually, I did most of my shopping online, so I avoided much of the hassles of malls, crowds and traffic, but there is always that one or two items that either weren't available on Amazon, couldn't be delivered by Christmas, or just those things that popped up at the last minute. At first my wife said she didn't want anything, then, a couple of days before Christmas, she comes out and says "Oh, I'd like so-and-so's CD," which put the fear of God into me. I mean, not only am I working an altered schedule these two weeks (Christmas and New Years are the only two weeks my company changes it's delivery schedules), but now I have to run around trying to find last-minute gifts. Hooray!
Here's what happened the week of Christmas: I go out on Sunday night (as opposed to Monday) so I can be back on Tuesday, and have Christmas Eve Day (Wed) off. It was cold as a witch's tit outside (I'm talking 0 degrees as a high temperature). I actually picked up this ski mask the day before, the kind that covers all but the eyes and mouth, and I'm glad I did. It worked beautifully. I was already driving a substitute truck, because mine broke down the week before in Greencastle, IN (another story). Anyway, I get my deliveries done, go to the truckstop, and have to make a decision; do I let the truck run, go into the truckstop to eat, and risk the truck being stolen, or do I shut the truck off, and risk gelling the diesel? Had it been a regular company truck, we'd have more than one key, so the decision wouldn't have to be made, but, with a substitute, there was only one key, so I chose the latter. I shut the truck off, locked her up, and went in to eat. As I came back, however, the key wouldn't open the friggin lock! Damn! I thought I was gonna freeze out there! After trying the passenger side, and fiddling around with it for about 10 minutes (I always have the thought in mind, "Frostbite can occur in as little as 10 minutes in these temperatures"), I finally got the damn thing open. Not again, I said to myself.
So, I go to do my second night of deliveries, and, wouldn't you know it, when I arrive at the first store, there are construction guys there, remodeling the front lobby. I thought "Can you believe this F'ing s__t?" I asked the guy how long they'd be there, and he said "Oh, about an hour and a half, two hours tops." I said, "Ok , let me go deliver another store, and I'll come back" which I did, two hours later. Yep, you guessed it, they were still there. I sat there for another hour and a half, before telling my dispatcher I was blowing it off. Of course, it had started snowing by this time, and several inches had accumulated during the time I waited. For me, it was a real George Bailey moment ("It's a Wonderful Life" is my favorite movie). So, what to do?
The store is located in a small parking lot at the bottom of a hill, and, generally, once you make the commitment to go in there, you're commited. However, my frustration was such that I had to get outta there. So I carefully backed out onto the street, and, facing an uphill climb, spun my wheels, let my foot off the accelerator, and spun again, and again, until I finally climbed that sucker. Whew!
Needless to say, the rest of the night went about the same way: the bosses decided to have me skip the store entirely, go to my cheese pickup, and have them push the product still on my trailer foreward, putting a lesser number of pallets of cheese on behind. I still took 18 pallets (normally it's 20). So, to make a long story short, I got back to south-Chicagoland about 4:00pm
(I've been on duty, on paper, since midnight). Something was acting up on this truck too, so I had to have IT checked out. I got back to the base about 6:00 or so, got home by about 7. What a nightmare! And, I still have my wrapping, running around, etc. to take care of. See, this is the kind of thing that makes one lose the real meaning of Christmas. I try to take care of everything, so the family can have a nice holiday (heck, I even did most of the cooking), and, before you know it, it's gone...
I won't let that kind of thing happen ever again. If God is willing to have me around for another Christmas, I'll plan ahead, and WON'T be working that week!
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Early Chill
Hello, again!
It's early December, and we've already had a couple of snow storms here in Chicago. Today is Sunday, the 7th, and our high temperature is going to be about 19. Brrrrr! It's too damn early for this crap! Back in the deep freeze, already? You gotta be kiddin' me! It's almost a carbon-copy of last year (so far, at least). Let's just hope we don't get the snowfall like last year. I mean, I'm not in Madison this year, Thank God, but still, this is a bit ridiculous.
It wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact my company won't allow us do idle the truck unless in the berth. Shit, I do it anyway. I consider it a safety issue, and will not compromise when it comes to safety. I've heard that the company would rather pay however much for a jump start, rather than waste the fuel. Is that crazy, or what? What they don't realize, however, is that you have to sit and wait, in a frozen cab, for who knows how long, for the tow truck or jumpstart guy to come out, and that is not comfortable at all. It's downright dangerous.
So, what do you do? Just have to suck it up, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Am I going to have to file a grievance with OSHA? I don't know yet, but I'm prepared to, believe me. Like I said, safety is something I don't compromise on; the company expects me to act in a safe and responsible manner, I think they should have the same obligation.
Time for more long johns.
More soon,
Steve
It's early December, and we've already had a couple of snow storms here in Chicago. Today is Sunday, the 7th, and our high temperature is going to be about 19. Brrrrr! It's too damn early for this crap! Back in the deep freeze, already? You gotta be kiddin' me! It's almost a carbon-copy of last year (so far, at least). Let's just hope we don't get the snowfall like last year. I mean, I'm not in Madison this year, Thank God, but still, this is a bit ridiculous.
It wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact my company won't allow us do idle the truck unless in the berth. Shit, I do it anyway. I consider it a safety issue, and will not compromise when it comes to safety. I've heard that the company would rather pay however much for a jump start, rather than waste the fuel. Is that crazy, or what? What they don't realize, however, is that you have to sit and wait, in a frozen cab, for who knows how long, for the tow truck or jumpstart guy to come out, and that is not comfortable at all. It's downright dangerous.
So, what do you do? Just have to suck it up, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Am I going to have to file a grievance with OSHA? I don't know yet, but I'm prepared to, believe me. Like I said, safety is something I don't compromise on; the company expects me to act in a safe and responsible manner, I think they should have the same obligation.
Time for more long johns.
More soon,
Steve
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