Tuesday Sept 25,2007

Woke up sleepy, which is typical for me. I struggled to get going, it’s good thing I like my job. I made the typical cup of instant coffee, and got ready for work. I had clean clothes due to my laundry being done last night. I wrestled with finding a light shirt, knowing it would be hot today. I started to sort out the clothes as I went. In a perfect world, where I wasn’t depressed, I’d have sorted them last night. I took my choice of clothing to the bathroom.
I shaved off the shadow that has been growing on my face. I took a quick shower knowing I had enough time. I chuckled because, I’d been neglecting the Tai Chi that I used to do. The exercise says to look up , then look down. Here i was soaping up and looking up and down at the same time. I called it Shower Tai Chi. I grabbed my phone and went about my business.
I have had a lot on my mind, and I thought writing it down would help. I was going to bring pad of paper with me, I figured why not use work stationary. I made it to work early. I went in for coffee. In the break room was Papo, the manager of B and D, the company I’ve been working for for about 3 months now. I said "Good Morning", and he quipped "you’re still here?"
Now this sort of annoyed me, yet I laughed. I quickly changed the subject. I said "last night Mark said "don’t get arrested we need you to drive tomorrow". I told Papo that I was going to pretend that
I was in a fight. I would say "I had this guy and I had my fist up to his face. I said "You’re lucky I have to work tomorrow". Papo laughed. I started talking about how wierd things were yesterday. You see, business at B and D has been on the slow side. Normally I just do what is set for today, and I get done early. Papo came up with this idea, that if the day deliveries were done early, to call about Noon , to see if there are any same day deliveries. The same day service is something that is offered to the body shops. Meaning if they order a part ealry enough, and we have it, we’ll get it to them the same day. There was a meeting yesterday morning about it, and when I called at Noon yesterday, Doug the GM said"it will take a few days to get this going." Then he called back to see if I would return to base/ Although I don’t agree with the logic, it does keep me busy.
My tuck was loaded when I arrived as usual. This kinda bothered me at first, no I just see it as a better way to service the customer, and well it’s less stress for me. So I get in, and try to get my numbers entered. This task has turned into a sick joke. Some drivers will say "will you enter me", as some kind of homo reference. I think it’s sort of harassment, yet I don’t dare say anything. SO off to get my driver sheet.
I’m waiting at the printer for it. I’m thinking "this is hurry up and wait" After a while, I just said to Doug, "I don’t think my sheet is gonna print>" He then says "did I put your numbers in?" Holy short-term memory loss Batman.
I get my sheet and head out to the road. Well not exactly right away, I did wanna see clean windows and mirrors. I head into the warehouse to see if there’s any paper towels. NO and there hasn’t been any for like two weeks. So I think "there’s paper towels in the break room." I take about 4 and I clean up my windows and mirrors. There’s an echo in my head from Justin from LKQ saying "at least your truck is clean". I start thinking, maybe all of the other trucks are filthy, and they are.
I head out, to my first stop. Just like every other day, the Northway is jammed up. I curse"F@#k this, I’m taking another route. I took route 9 to Osborne road, and then to Central Ave in Albany. My first stop is Albany City.
I immediately see a Ford ZX3 and fall in love. At least until I see the miles...90k. That’s what I have on my car. I go in and wait a long time until someone sees me. After hearing AM talk radio about how the tolls are ridiculous, I see a sign on the door that says YANKEE STADIUM. I wanted to joke and say "How much do you pay before you get there?"
Next stop was Albany Dodge. I kinda passed the entrance, and drove in via the front of the place. I took the corner and remembered this big speed bump that makes my truck cringe. I go ever so slow, and pull in but not all the way, this is so I can get out for the truck I drive is kinda large. I go inside. I get waited on by Janice, who is very attractive. She’s venting to her co-workers about how this guy is mad because she sent him what he asked for, not what he needed, I think. I said "that happens at our place too, people insist what they order is right instead of asking for assistance with the right thing." She signed the sheet and started to give me the wrong copy. I said "I’ve done that too". Now I’m feeling all good about me for making someone feel not so alone. I leave and I try to go under this car port, and it’s blocked by a DHL van, and a group of guys bull-shitting and smoking butts. I just wait, and after a while I start to get impatient, for delivering can be an aggressive mindset. Out comes the DHL guy, and he leaves...I continue on.
Next stop is a Taxi repair shop. I stop at Dunkin Donuts first. This is a very dysfunctional D and D, and there is a line out the door. I squeak past to use the bathroom.. I really wanted to buy something, yet I didn’t want to wait, so I left.
When I pulled into the Capital Land Taxi lot, I was cursing. Not only was there a truck parked where I normally drive so I can back in, there was also lots of glass on the ground. When I pulled in, I said to Tony."I’m annoyed at all of the glass out there". He says "you just noticed that now?" Meaning, it’s been there for a while, at least two months. I was like "jeez me and my expectations." I realized that little pieces of glass, will not pop a tire, and I always worry that when I see glass, that there will be tire casualties. I helped him and he was thankful. I asked him if he ever straightened out the grill dilemma. You see, the guy Mike that shares my route with me, has a commission deal where he orders parts for the place, and gets paid for it. He sent some grills that needed clips and they were the non-preferred ones. I told him I’d remind Mike of it which I did. I went to the next stop...the Van Galen’s.
The Van Galen’s are very funny. They like to party, so if it’s a nice day, they try and get all of the work done early, so they can leave for the day, and maybe go fishing, or golfing, etc. I show up at 10AM, and I have like three pages of stuff for them. They check everything to make sure that the stuff is right. I had three bumper covers, which they proceeded to inspect, while I waited, all the while cursing how long deliveries take, and how the new catalog sucks. After reading a bit about performance measurement, I tried my skills. "How does the book suck?" I said. He said it lists a two door sedan. I thought, a sedan is 4 doors? a coup is 2? He said"yeah" . I thought "well jeex maybe the book doesn’t completely suck just from one mistake" but I didn’t say anything.
There were guys outside looking at poles and we all went "what the heck are they doing?" I quipped "maybe they are Pole-ish"? hoping the Van Galen’s weren’t Polish but maybe German. I was expecting more of a laugh but nope.
Off to C and R auto. I ended up going to Madison Ave and then drove right by where I parked my car, during my stay at Albany Med in February. I drove by a bunch of people outside smoking. An article that I recently read about banning smoking there came to mind. As I drove by i said "ahh I see this smoking ban isn’t working so well." I think some guy heard me. I flashed back about how the security people from the CDPC couldn’t find my car that night. I ended up on Delaware Ave, thinking I’m the shit because I’ve bypassed all of the traffic on Madison.
Chris , the guy that pays the bills wasn’t there. I just smiled and said "oh well I’ll stop back". I went to Delaware Tire. That was ok.There’s so much more and I’ll post Part 2.