Darkest Before Dawn: Toledo

Well it's taken another day, but it's supposed to get done today.  I'll call for a ride to the dealer and should be out by noon.

I hope that this time finally Kate has overnighted my new logbooks and mileage sheets.  I've been copying my last pages over and over again.

Chris the terrific service writer saved me 400.00 with a 600.00 clutch.

I might still have 800.00 to put into it.  Freightliner sent Korena an email saying that the only way they'd complete the work would be for her to guarantee payment.

I will sign a form authorizing the carrier to take all but 500/week of my pay until I'm even again.

That's a great deal for me, since I'm leaving with a leaky heater core.  I bought some black pepper at the Family Dollar, but it might not work, and I'll have to buy pure antifreeze and stopleak at Wal-Mart because it's getting cold.

Too bad my first check is at least 8 days away.  I've tried to withhold enough for that and a little food, since they won't advance me a dime til I'm even.

Korena did great by me.  She remembered my past due phone bill, my new plates and taxes, and my need for food and got me the 500/week.

I'll of course have to run through Thanksgiving.  I'll miss you guys.

Aside from the heater core and the blowby, I've got a decent truck now with a new tranny and clutch and shafts and stuff.

I have to run 30 consecutive days before we can move to the new company.  I have been the one who delayed this move this time.

If the stopleak isn't good enough, I can hit my pit crew not far from here and they'll get my In and out for 400.00 in one day, but I hope to avoid that.

The stopleak I used while I was running around with a new radiator strapped to the back of my cab because I couldn't afford the labor kind of worked on my radiator leak intermittantly/temporarily for awhile before I had to stop every 25 miles to refill it and my jugs.  Never clogged me up either.

This is a smaller leak, maybe with less pressure on it, and modern stopleak are better.

Too bad I have a 12-gallon capacity and have to use 5 times as much as a car does.

Time to take my last hotel shower now and get my ride.  Most likely they'll send me for a Friday morning trailer hook and then a load.  Possibly I can deliver at least the load and then reload for a Monday or Tuesday delivery, but more likely ill deliver both Monday and drop the paperwork at Sunoco Lancaster. That's one trailer and load for the week.  Could be one very small check, but an early start on the rest of the week.

I'll get the best paying loads she can swing for me.

That's all I can hope for.

Might not have time to write for awhile.  Okbye