Originally posted May 18th, 2007
Idle and tired as I am this evening, the opportunity to make money awaits, and despite the fact that I have yet to receive a single payment for any of the polishing I did in March, or May for that matter, I’m still making appointments, and preparing myself for yet another dirty weekend (God and the Wife only know I‘m already booked up well into late June). Gripes and past due accounts receivable aside, there really is something to be said about the joys of owning ones own business, regardless of it’s size, shape or purpose. You run it the way you see fit…Especially when you are the only employee (adds ominously chilling grin, and resentful hand rubbing).
Despite the fact that my little one man operation has garnered a name for itself within the industry, well enough to keep me hopping near year round, it does in a fashion harbor a few minuscule flaws. Primarily, the money issue would have to be the keystone of this long time chicamin chasing past time of mine. While it does bring in a fine sized bank note through out the summer months, it is not a reliable source of income the rest of the year, and quite frankly, well…Even now it still don’t pay as good as my day job. Another issue would be time, and that is where things can get really tricky.
Take for example, today.
As I’d mentioned only moments ago, I do have a day job, yes. Working for the man, by pacing the bays of my beloved truck wash no less then forty hours a week. This leaves only a window of opportunity for me to turn some cruddy aluminum into money, and that window would be the weekend. It is for that reason alone that most if not near all of my business is local, as out of towners who are just passing through, understandably do not have the time to sit around for three days in the truck stop parking lot, just so I might take a stab at their tanks. I should further add that typically it takes me round about twelve hours to shin an entire trucks worth of aluminum, and my back can only handle about six to seven hours worth of cutting at a time, thusly forcing me to chop a full truck project, into a two day venture.
Statistics and technicalities aside, most of my regulars already have a full grasp of my hours. I’ve cut aluminum for them before, they are reliable clients, and they understand my hours. These are the guys that will be keeping me busy through out the summer months. But there is always the curious new guy that is going to throw a wrench in the works, and this week, as it happens, there are actually two wrenches that have met my gears.
Earlier this week, I’d scheduled an appointment to cut some metal on one of the three CAT rental trucks that wonder the local hi ways and bi ways of South East Idaho, on the understanding that the driver have the rig on site, this very afternoon. I’ll stress the “This very afternoon” part. The project is already mentally kicking my ass, and I’ve not even started into it yet. I’d stressed needing the truck early for no other reason then to get a few hours head start into it, because I could tell just by looking at it, the standard twelve hours would not be enough time. It’s basically just a crap load of a lot a aluminum. Extra tool boxes, a bang board, and a push axel for starters.
Afternoon come and gone, and the end of my shift arrived. I’d been watching all day, and the white CAT rental, KW T600 I’d been waiting for all day had not arrived. As I left, I pulled Wonder Boy aside, saying only, “If that SOB I’m suppose to be polishing for this weekend shows up, you call me!”
And with that, I called it a day, figuring tomorrow morning would consist of me heading into work at a sort of bright but still early six A.M. as always, and then loafing around the bays and cursing myself for “putting up with it“ for a good two hours, before the said CAT truck finally arrived round bout nine. As fate would have it, wrench number two entered stage left a few hours ago, for as near as I can figure, no other reason then to keep my life amusing.
Settling in for the evening, and stretching a few of those muscles I’d forgotten I have (it has been one hell of a week), I'd written the day off as finished, and prepared myself for some lawn watering adventures and some fiction writing. That is until the phone rang….
It was my mother. Casual conversation. Day was still done. Then the phone rang yet again, and this time, a bit more timid, I checked the caller ID before answering. It was my mother again, and a lengthy “Watch the news and tell me why they’ve shut down all south bound traffic on I-15, on the north side of Pocatello” conversation ensues. Finding answers to mum’s said curiosities on the local news, and I again say my goodbye’s before shutting off the phone. I don’t even get a chance to lay the phone down, before it rings again….This time the caller ID states “The Work Place” is hailing. I answer, and say “Hello?”
Wonder Boy: Your polish job is here, what do you want me to do with it?”
ME: F***! CAT rental finally showed up?
Wonder Boy: Yeah, the purple one. Do you want me to back it up into bay three?”
ME: Yeah, don’t worry about the blocks, I’ll take care of that in the mor….Wait (beat) Purple?”
Wonder Boy: Yeah. You want it in the bay?
ME: (long beat) I didn’t schedule anything purple. The CAT truck I’m expecting is white…
Wonder Boy: K…but this one is purple, do you want it in the bay?
ME: No I don’t want it in the bay, I want a white truck with a big ass CAT decal on the hood, in the bay. You sure it’s purple?
Wonder Boy: Yeah (Pauses to look). It’s purple.
ME: (Ponders) Waaaaaaait….Is it a late model K Dub 900?
Wonder Boy: (pauses to look) Yu’hu.
ME: Studio sleeper?
Wonder Boy: (pauses to look) Yu’hu.
ME: Does it say (companies name) on the side of it.
Wonder Boy: (pauses to look)….Um…Yu’hu.
ME: Figures (beat) Was it (The owner) or his new driver?
Wonder Boy: (Long, long beat) Don’t know.
ME: Was it an older guy with a fluffy Santa clause lookin’ beard and a goofy grin, or a younger guy?
Wonder Boy: (Cups phone to request said information from secretary. Add yet another long mumblish out side of ear shot beat) A younger guy. He says he wants it done tomorrow.
ME: Right. (irritated) New driver.
Wonder Boy: You want it inside?
ME: Hell no, I don‘t want it inside. I never made an appointment with them. I’m expecting a White, K Dub 600 from CAT rentals.
Wonder Boy: What do you want me to do with the purple one?
ME: Make sure she's locked up, and leaver sit. Tomorrow if the CAT truck ain’t their when I get there at six thirty, I’ll take the job, but me and (purple truck owner) are gonna have us a little prayer meeting come Monday.
Wonder Boy: And if the white truck shows up?
ME: (Long, long…long, long beat) You have to ask?
Wonder Boy: Do you still want me to call you if it shows up?
ME: (frustrated beat)…Yeah.
“Click”.
So admittedly the cards don’t always fall into place just like they should. K, actually they very seldom do, but it’s really beside the point. The point is, during the day I donate my time to a company owned by someone else in exchange for a reasonable sum of money every two weeks. That is the job that pays the bills, and that is first priority. My down time is dedicated to writing and this here extra money fund side business of mine…It is my business, and I will run it the way I see fit. It doesn’t matter if you are an over zealous snot nosed punk that feels all powerful because you've finally got your hands on a big rig, and figures as such that you can march into any establishment on the road side with on the spot demands, and expectations of everyone around falling to your every whim, or if you are simply a real truck driver that just can’t seem to make appointments on time, when it come to my little polishing gig, it’s going to happen my way, or…I’m just gonna move on down the list.
Have a great weekend folks. Stay dry, stay warm, stay safe.
Static
