Today is Friday

I've been in a motel for 5 days now, I checked in on Monday. It took until 4:30 am to finish moving out of that rat trap, and then I wasn't sure what to do. So I got this place. It's not the greatest motel, the air conditioning is weak, the little refrigerator only works good because I keep a box of ice in it, some of the cable TV channels don't work, and there is no high speed WI-FI. On the other hand, the dog loves the place, there is a place for him to go swimming within walking distance and it's safe. What more could you want?

I got the most amazing lesson in driving a couple of days ago. And after all these years, driving, lessons are rare. My pickup had been pulling to the right, and the front end had been shimmying, and with increased driving it was getting worse. I had visions of a tie rod end or a ball joint failing, and I was worried about it. The day was hot, and I went on a trip that was about an hour drive, one way. I was about 10 miles from being back to the motel when this noise like a blow out happened with a brief flapping sound. But I wasn't riding on the rim? Curious. So I got out and looked at it, and about 1/4 of the tread was missing. I was looking right at the steel belt. Tire was intact, just missing some parts. Wow. I slowly pulled down to the exit ramp, and drove into a tire store. $85 later I had a new tire, and my front end was 'fixed'. The guy at the tire store said they didn't see that very often. I've never seen it before, short of the whole tire coming apart. When the tread started coming off, it made the tire bigger around, which is why it pulled to the right, and the wobble was also caused by the odd shaped piece getting ready to break loose. I'm getting much better gas mileage now, 2 days later. So, in increased mileage I'll get the price of the tire back fairly quick.

I went over to Union Cab to get Rod's phone number, and I should know the guys name, but I'm guessing it's George. Anyhow, I got Rod's number so I can get my rototiller back from him, he's had it for around 15 years. Since I'm leaving town, it's time. Rod's a good guy, even though a lot of people don't like him. So George is planting a few flowers by the street and I stopped to chat. The subject of armed robberies came up. George said he'd been in 2, one in Palm Springs, California, and one here last year. He sort of laughed about the one last year. Said the guy only got $24 and described him being chased by a police dog. In the other one he got beaten so bad the drivers who found him thought he was dead. Everybody takes it differently I guess. I won't share the details he gave of the one in California because I wouldn't want to give anybody bad ideas. It was the kind of crime that would be profitable and re doable.

Most people don't take it as good as George. I certainly didn't. I might have won, but that's the luck of the draw. It makes me think of LeRoy, Mudpie, and Kate. LeRoy won a fist fight with some guys who tried to rob him and he laughs about it. Mudpie had $10,000 worth of damage done to his face by Hoser's criminal brother who is in prison in California these days. The guy was drunk, and I never heard what the provocation was, but I'll bet it was nothing. Kate had her arm in a cast for a long time. Radial fracture's take a long time to heal. Passenger twisted her arm.

The more I think about Roy Boy firing me, well, he's lucky he's about social security age. And I wouldn't have the stomach to be him these days. Union did more rides than Badger in 2009, for the first ever time. Green Cab is starting, and they're going to directly compete with Badger, doing a zone fare business. THM doesn't give a damn about the drivers, and that's huge. One day everyone will come to Badger and they'll see an out of business sign, and it'll be a total shock. No warning. The accounts are going away, does THM send out a salesman? No, that would cost money. Does THM send his daughter to golf camp at St. Andrews golf course in Scotland? Yes. Fewer rides than Union! The hand writing is on the wall. Will I be there to be among those hurt? No.

My DOT physical is in a couple of hours. Then I can get back in a truck. I passed.