I'm not desirable company lately. Ever since my mid-week visitors last week, my mind has run wild. (So has my nose.) I was granted some relief after talking to Marcus in Dallas, but I guess I need another fix.

Actually I am working on filling out some forms. I am intimidated by some of the numbers size and almost embarrassed by other numbers lack of it. I am concerned that my contact for "our uncle" is a minority with a "chips ahoy" on his shoulder. I suppose I will give it my best shot and then let Marcus and the man upstairs take over.

I had just sat down at my desk early yesterday when my cell phone rang. With a quick glance I could not readily recognize the number on the caller id display.

"Hello", I said.

"D, did you have a good weekend?", the caller inquired.

"No, not really. And today really feels like a Monday', I replied.

Last week I had sent the caller a repair bill for one of the trucks the company had leased that was damaged while unloading at the callers place of employment. My first instinct was that he wanted to discuss or negotiate the bill which had been directly flowed through. The caller caught me off guard when he wanted me to see how quickly I could get a truck or trucker to their local warehouses. I told him within the hour and he was satisfied. I immediately sprang into action. While there are three trucks parked on the yard waiting completion of their leases, two lacked repairs that either I was waiting on parts for or the repair required expertise and or equipment beyond me. In addition to this, all the drivers have been terminated due to the end of the seasonal work. I headed for the yard, but took a route which went by one of this mans warehouses. When I finally found the crew boss, he told me that he and his superiors would have to talk and develop a plan, could I come back after lunch. This was good news because it would enable me to get off my duff and do some things I had been putting off.

I went by and picked up the freshly re-charged fire extinguishers. And that was good. I stopped in a truck shop located just a couple of blocks from the yard to schedule Black Sheep 2 for repairs. Turns out the shop was slow and they wanted Black Sheep immediately. This was good. I went to the yard, coded in the security gate, and began starting trucks. Black Sheep 2, across the compound to the other two and discovered the truck I was wanting out was parked behind the other one, so I started both to build air so they could be moved. Back across the compound, got into BS 2 and drove across the yard and parked. Got into BS 222 and back it out and hooked up a trailer. Got in to BS 22 and backed it out of the building. Back in to BS 222 and drove it and the trailer into the building and parked and locked the truck. Got in BS 2 and coded out of the gate and made the short drive to the shop down the street. The service writer and I filled out the paperwork and I began the walk back to the yard. Once there I parked my "S-10" under the awning, got into BS 22 and headed to KO's to pick up another trailer. Surprisingly, things clicked and I made the circle and was back at the West warehouse as scheduled. I had called Krl, and asked her to pick me up to take me back to get the "S-10". While I was waiting for her to get there I unhooked the KO trailer and began maneuvering a trailer that Roscoe had left at the warehouse from its secluded parking place. As it turns out, when the warehouse got busy shipping, they had taken two forklifts and picked this trailer up and parked it in the most undesirable place, because now the staging area was full! I could hardly see the trailer until I was right on it. A number of thing worked to my advantage, the trailer had a sliding tandem and BS 22 is a short set back axle truck, add to this my truck driving abilities along with a solid dose of luck and I got the trailer out and into a more desirable parking area. Krl arrived and I spoke with Jeremy and he told me they had just received orders to load four trucks so I had time to do what I needed to do. I went to Tye and picked up parts and supplies, then all the way across town to get the "S", loaded up dollie plates, unloaded parts and headed back. On the way I wheeled in to see if Black Sheep 2 had made it inside the shop. Turns out it had and they were almost halfway through with the repairs and the news was good. So far the most major repair had turned out to be a minor, ($100 instead of $600), and the next one on their list was thought to be only a check valve, which was allowing back pressure to build-up. Obviously they didn't know who they were dealing with. I don't have luck like this. I told the mechanic to keep up the good work and headed cross town.

When I arrive at the West warehouse, two trucks were waiting to load. The two trailers I had parked there were still empty. I began unloading dollie plates and doing odds and ends. Finally I was done and went looking for Jeremy, who seems to be the lead at this location. He apologized and told me their shipping list was growing, three more trucks to go. The transfer load I was waiting for would load, but probably around eight in the evening. This is going to take forever at this rate. Jeremy went on to tell me that there would be no-one at the North warehouse to unload the load until in the morning. "So be here at eight tomorrow morning", he said. Obviously this man does know who he is dealing with and what kind of luck I have and expect!

I had not realized how stir crazy I had become until the morning phone call. My heart began to thump and I was ready to rock and roll! I have done this type work before. Two years ago I moved thirty-four thousand three hundred twenty-three bales as a driver for a contractor working for these same people. It was a thirty-six mile (one way) trip, and I did it over and over (do you know how many white stripes are on the road between Sweetwater and Snyder, Texas?). In the beginning, that was a slow process. As deadlines loomed they became more and more focused. I can do this. I need to do this. I need to feel like I am contributing.

I sure am glad I am salaried because if I was on a driver's commission I would have devoted an entire day and not hauled a single load. Sounds like my kind of deal!

Krl and I talked. She may need this as much as I do. Get the old juices flowing! She asked about a driver, I told her I had talked with our "stand by" man. He was interested but has a shoulder problem which hinders him from throwing load straps. If they get to moving lots of loads I might bring him in to drive and I might prep loads. According to the company accident policy (in lieu of worker's comp) I am allowed to be out of the office only twenty-five percent of the time before they will reclass and rate me up. I guess we will do what we have to do!

Turns out when I picked up the trailer at KO's he was thinking about calling me. It seems he is covered up, DO fired one driver and another called in sick. I have the assurance that if my Tuesday doesn't materialize I will have something to do for him! The past couple of years I have helped KO either in the office, on a truck or in the shop during the summer. At the end of last summer I took a leave of absence, but not until I had trained Elizabeth to do the spreadsheets. I have not hung around their office because I didn't want them think I was hounding them for work. As it turns out KO has been trying not to bother me because he didn't know if I was interested. I don't want to live in a truck a week at a time but I don't object to helping a friend out.

I just now realized today is Fred's birthday. I can remember when we were separated by just a couple of years but over time he keeps opening up the margin! Happy Birthday!

It seems that our area is beginning to get a lot of interest as a shipping hub. You can't get any more centrally located without moving North in to cold weather areas. It will be interesting to see the developments by summer's end.

I continue to battle depression over my upcoming meeting. I suppose I am back seat driving again.

I picked up company mail yesterday. In it was a certified letter about 2004 payroll tax deposits. I had mentioned this a couple of weeks ago. This was before I assumed the reporting duties. They are claiming late deposits and a $25 short pay (or deposit). They are now wanting $582 in penalty and interest. Hello? I had responded with a list of employee numbers and date of hire, correlated to tax deposit dates and shown them month by month payments and liability. I told them I could not reconstruct my previous counterpart's exact payroll numbers, nor could I match the IRS numbers that they contend, although I could get to within $4. I did tell them that I felt as though the $25 short pay was valid and had sent a money order for it and the corresponding penalty and interest. Yesterday's correspondence acts as if I had not responded at all. I am hopeful they crossed in the mail, otherwise they are not even addressing the form 843 I had submitted requesting abatement. You know, if I did my job like these people do their job I would be out on my ear. I can make mistakes. They can make mistakes. I can admit mine. I am willing to discuss or voice my views, I believe they have the same rights but don't try to bully me. Show me!

It has been seven weeks since Krl and I returned from the seasonal work. We had invited some of our friends and co-workers to visit us in Abilene. Last week Krl talked with Becky and set a tentative date. June 23. Becky, Kristy (or Krispy as I call her), and Frank, along with their spouses are coming! We are excited. We really miss these guys! Later in the summer Mandy and Daely are supposed to come and spend a weekend with us as well.

If I am going to enjoy any relaxed time with a Grisham book I had better get to it!

Be the real deal.

FATHER, renew me. Help me with my connection. LORD make this day what YOU intend.