People hear what they want to hear, ya know?
I went to Freightliner with my load assignment already in hand; a trailer pickup in Wilmington.
The last thing Freightlner did was refill my oil. Everything else was done.
Well, after I got there, Chris said my oil drain plug wasn't secure and leaked now. I told the girls immediately. Chris estimated I'd get a new plug and out by 3:00.
I told them that too.
But the plug they ordered didn't fit. I remembered an improvised repair done 3 years ago which saved me the price of an oil pan and labor. They redrilled the hole. The diameter no longer matches specs.
I asked Chris to have them measure the hole, and I don't care what it looks like a bolt is a bolt.
He didn't know until later that he wouldn't have the new plug til tomorrow.
I told Korena this. She hung up on me, then sent me some really nasty all-in-caps texts blaming me for the pissed off trailer people yelling at her and for everything else.
Well, I feel her pain. I mean they had me set to hook the trailer in the afternoon. Then they moved it to Friday morning. Now she has to call them back a third time to tell them I won't make that one either.
I used to have ice in my veins. Now, every time I'm in deep shit, I get harassed and attacked for it.
Like I said, I get it. She's lost cred with a customer (or customers relation) over this, on top of everything else.
This kind of stuff with repairs is pretty common, but I guarantee you I, of all her drivers, take the grand prize.
Dropping a drive shaft and getting towed twice in 3 weeks? Then almost dropping it again 3 weeks later?
Anybody has to find me and my truck as the common element, but it's not me.
My only mistake was forgetting the improvised repair. It was a big one, but then I was getting hammered by both the girls with the texts, and had no ice left. My nerves were shot, so I wasn't thinking clearly enough.
Just imagine, Ed, if Bev were more like my old girl Teri: You break down while driving her home.
She wants to know what's wrong. You say you don't know yet. She wants to know what you think it is. You say you don't know let you look at it. She says don't talk to me like that I'm your wife and this and that and you should be grateful and---
Now you're under the hood. What is it? Don't you know yet? Well I what do you think it is? How long do you think this will take?
Trust me, man: in a few minutes you aren't quite sane or clearheaded anymore either.
It's like getting kicked, repeatedly, when you're down. At the exact worst time.
You're lucky to have Bev. She can be blunt and brutal, but I know she lets you take care of business.
But then, the stress Korena is always under, 24/7, would get to anybody. Sometimes it rolls down hill. She tries hard not to blame me for my truck or repair guys, but you have to admit, this stuff right now with me is just...Too much.
She's got 12 drivers. I guarantee you, she has at least one, and probably more like two or three others down for repairs; each with their own unique issues. Some of them want home-time. One might need an operation. Somebody else might need money.
She's traveling. She travels a lot to negotiate and secure new accounts, and right now to set up the move. She's got her i-phone and nothing else; Kate is running things for her kind of, but she's still hooking up loads.
Kate just gave birth. She has her own challenges. Mommy can't drive two hours to the nearest bank branch to fix the problem Freightliner caused by knocking her card over the security limit--long boring story but because of my issues her card is shut down.
Anyway, the 500/week thing ain't happening. The carrier wants every penny I earn back til they get it all back. That means no advances either.
Fortunately, I've been here often, and sandbagged a little so I won't STARVE TO DEATH.
Tomorrow or over the weekend, I've withheld enough to restock on food and get some pure antifreeze and stopleak at Wal-Mart.
By the way, I've never hedged my bets like this with you. I've been 100% straight with you.
I know how to max out my fridge and what nonperishables work best. Like peanuts; very filling. Side dish for everything. 50 cent frozen burritos. Take up little space, and I can't eat more than one at a time.
I could go on, but suffice it to say, I won't STARVE...not that the carrier cares.
Korena will figure out that I had hoarded a little money pretty quickly, but if she bothers to ask I'll tell her the truth. She might be pissed off at first, but then she'll remember what I said; you know about starvation and my unfixed coolant leak and my experience; and she'll decide I had a right to fib a little in order not to starve to death.
...as long as I'm running hard and trying to break my own records (for some reason she likes me more when I'm her best driver).
But right now? I'm at the bar again. And you know what else? I bet my whole 2600 (cents) on fantasy football.
I was good last night and stayed away, despite it being my last chance for impairment before leaving.
But after those texts and stuff, I think I can afford 25 bucks of my secret hoard to be alive and human somewhat.
Dammit I just realized I have zero fantasy players in tonight's game.
Hey am I scraping nails on a chalkboard here? C'mon man! I honestly believe I could survive in the wilderness, but I'm not in a hurry to get there. And if I were there, I'd be making moonshine, brewing beer, and cultivating other plants and fungi once I got food and shelter knocked out.
As you know, I've considered going off the grid. I've learned a lot from the discovery channel. I think if I was hungry enough, I could eat worms and stuff...except I'd rather die than drink water out of elephant-poop.
...unless you paid me enough...
I'm getting hammered again by Kate. Not sure about Korri, but Kate still thinks I'm a typical driver.
Korena got yelled at by Ryder, the pickup place, for an hour. I said "I understand. I really do".
She said she didn't think I did, and recited how the carrier, her husband, etc. we're all over her "because of" me.
Oh yeah Doyee i'm just a trug driver so I ainn so smardd...
I texted back exactly what I knew (from personal experience) Korena has just gone through on this particular load: She sets the pickup and delivery based on what freightliner told me and I told her. Next, she has to reschedule it for tomorrow morning. Next, she has to call them back yet again. Oh yeah, I get it.
So not only are they bashing me, but despite their experience with me, they think I'm self-centered and dumb.
Nothing I say or do cracks this perception of me, at least with Kate. "I don't think you do"?
At least despite my impairment my response was civil and lawyerly (Kate is an attorney).
Fortunately, I don't care what people think of me and like being underestimated. Still, it hurts a little.
All any of us can do is his or her best. I can honestly say, I always have--at least as a trucker.
I don't even get credit for that. That hurts worse.
Okbye
No comments:
Post a Comment