Re:Can’t Make This Shit Up—-The Truck

when I headed to work on Wednesday my truck seem to run a little sluggish. I thought things just needed to even out maybe get air pushed out or what. Then I went to get on 95 it seem to run better. Thursday I had a few issues and chalked it up to a coil pack. But something just didn’t seem right.

Friday rolls around I jump in fire it up start to put my seatbelt on and it spits and dies. I start it and it just sputtered. I backed out it just didn’t want to go. I get going it seem to do a little better. I stop at the light and when it was time to go it did me like it did Monday night. It wouldn’t go. I started to get over all of a sudden it just took off and went.

I got to JW’s house 3 minutes away it sat in the yard ran great. I messaged the one guy and told him something was really wrong this wasn’t right. He called me right away and we talked about it. He said let him call his brother talk to him they come to me figure it out. I told him I thought I could get it to him since it would be easier. He said he would call me back in a few.

He called me and said if I could get it to them that would be great they would meet me there and take care of it. They thought it was the fuel filter. They could get it taken care of pretty fast. Great no problem. I ask JW if he wanted to ride with me it wouldn’t take long. I didn’t want to be alone if I broke down and may need to get it out of the road or something. He said yes of course.

My thought was get it to 95 get it on there and once I got up to speed it would run halfway decent. Then I would have to baby it through town and hopefully get it there. Because it seemed once I got up to 40+ it wasn’t bad like I said.

Boy was my thinking wrong. Very very wrong. I got out there and it just didn’t want to go. Few times it got up to a decent speed and then it would just drop. I ended up pulling over I don’t know how many times. Was driving down the side of the road way to far. But I had to get it there and off 95 before it just wouldn’t go at all like Monday.

I finally get there they get there and they pull the fuel filter out and it was nasty. So me and the one ran up and got a new one. Go back put it in and start it. It still didn’t sound 100% but pretty normal. I figured because one of the coil packs or all need replaced.

They said take it out run it see how it done. The one went up to let us out of the gate. I turned out to go up the street and nothing hardly move sounded horrible. I turned around pulled right back in. The one who let us out was in disbelief. We took it back into the shop. The younger one that has the same truck kept saying he thought the pump was bad. The older one was saying it needed bled some more there was still air in the line. That is what I couldn’t decide was if it just wasn’t getting fuel or if it was sucking air. The younger one said he could hear it all the way back in the shop when I tried to test drive it and it was the pump.

I asked where this one dinner was compared to where we were. If it was close enough to walk to? The older one said he was going to his dad’s to get a tester he would drop us off. So he did he said as soon as we were done call him he would come pick us up.

I had not had a drink yet and hadn’t had my coffee. JW hadn’t either. I was going to pick him up then we go get our coffee. Until the trucked started messing up. I told him we would stop on the way to the shop but when it was so bad I wasn’t stopping no where. As long as it was rolling and going I wasn’t stopping. I was going to get something when we went to get the filter and there cooler was broke. He was getting hungry not feeling good. I was so thirsty and just wanted to sit down for a bit. I felt like I was pushing them to hurry up and figure it out and I wasn’t. I figured give them some time to check it over.

We got lunch and talked for a bit. We left JW wanted to go to the little store. I thought there was one on the corner across from us but it was something else now. I said there is one back the way we came not to far I think. We started walking. It was a lot further than I thought. But I was going to walk back to the shop and we had to pass it to get there. We were about to the store when the older one called.

He said it was the fuel pump they sold us a bad one. He ask if I had the paperwork from where we bought it. I told him where it should be and reminded him we bought it on his dad’s shop account so they should have a record of it. We talked he said everyone was giving him a hard time about taking it back and no one had it in stock. It isn’t something most places have in stock so that was another issue. I couldn’t go to another store because the first one would only trade not refund because of the type of part. He said he found one but it was about 15\20 miles away and the women wasn’t giving him a hard time she was going to just trade it. So they were leaving to get it. Later the younger one said they ask if the gas gage was working and it wasn’t. He told them no it didn’t once they put new one in. They said by that they knew it was a bad pump.

When we were talking he said we needed to find a ride home or somewhere to go because it was going to take them awhile to go get it and get it in and everything done. He said he would bring it to me when they got it done. I had no idea how we were going to get home. He called the guy he works with ask him if I gave him gas money if he could pick us up. Surprisingly he was down where we were at families house. He said he would call us when they were done and pick us up. We were not near any stores of any kind and had past the turn off for the shop so we just kept walking. We could not get in at the shop because the guys were not there it is a gated area. It would be a while before they got back. So we just walked. I kept telling JW at intersections we needed to go east or west to get back to an area where there would be stores and maybe a fast food place or somewhere to get a drink sit and wait. He say we may as well keep going the way we are. It didn’t matter to me much, but I was a little tired of just seeing woods and houses. We finally came up on this one area I said I think the big park is up here. By then he needed to use the bathroom and we still were just around houses. I mapped it in my phone it said it was a mile to the west. He wasn’t sure. I said if we keep going a mile the direction we are or we go a mile this way we are still going the same distance if he don’t call and pick us up first. If we get there you can use the bathroom and we can just sit in one spot and wait. Because at this point we didn’t know if we were walking toward the ones picking us up or away. I just felt we needed to just sit and wait. He said yeah true so we headed to the park.

We finally got there I went to the pavilion and sat down he went to the bathroom. He came out we were talking. And his friend called him said he was on his way asked where we were. He told him he said meet him out front. So we did it is a huge park a bunch of pavilions, camp site’s, rv sites and other stuff. But we were by the front so we walked up to the road. He was there in just a few minutes.

We had walked 3 miles by the time we got to the park. It had only taken us an hour with the stop at the store. We could of gotten further but JW is a extremely slow walker. I would be walking along and relies he was way back behind me. I stop and wait on him to catch up. But in a bit he would be behind again. I try to slow down not leave him. I wasn’t like in a hurry walking fast. I just naturally walk fast. I would wait for him to catch up then hold his hand for a bit to so I didn’t leave him everything else.

They dropped us off at his house. I hung out with him it was about 5 something I think when we got dropped off. I they should be there in an hour or two. I couldn’t find a ride now it is 7 or after. JW said he would give me money for a cab to go home they could bring my truck to my house. I said as soon as I get a ride or call a cab they will call. They should of been done. Something was wrong.

I finally called a cab to go home because it was 7 something. And then he calls and said it was ready his brother (younger) one was bringing it if I could give him a ride home. I told him yes. I was talking to him asked JW to cancel the cab. But he pulled up about that time. I ran out told him so sorry my truck was done I was just calling to cancel. He was nice about it didn’t get mad. I gave him $5 for coming. The ride its self would of probably only been about $8 if that most likely less. Then he would of only got a small amount of that so I thought $5 was fair for him coming out there. No one knew he got it he got to keep it all.

In a little bit he called about my truck again. He said you been through so much with this truck I am just going to follow him to you and take him home. We talked about pay and things. He said $150 should cover what he had into parts and time.

They got there he said everything is brand new. Everything to do with the fuel system should last you as long as you have the truck and then some. You shouldn’t have to ever replace anything to do with it. They replaced lines, clamps, anything you can think of. I gave them another $200 they spent their whole day taking care of it getting it going for me. If it had been a shop they probably wouldn’t of even been open til Monday and then who knows when they would of gotten to it. Days later. They would of charged labor again and they would not of replaced anything. If I had them to it would of been more labor and more for parts. They wanted $600 4 years ago and $200 was the part. I am sure price has went up for labor. They put a mark up on the parts as well. These guess gave them to me for their discounted price they get through their dads shop and charged me very little for doing the job over and the extra work replacing everything else. So for just about $300 maybe a little more they did the first job twice and replaced everything else. That saved me so much money even giving them the extra $50 last night.

They said they would let me know as soon as they can replace the motor mounts to look for them and get them. They are going to try and do it on a Saturday while I work. I may just rent a car for that so they don’t have to rush. My motor is sitting on my oil pan and cracked it.

Sleeping Beauty is going to try to find decent ones at the junk yard. They are dealer parts and $500. I don’t have that and labor to pay right now and it needs done asap.

I could not believe they sold me a bad pump. The younger one told me same happen to him he had to do his twice too. We went to two different stores and it has been awhile since he did his. But a few people with shops have told me they are getting a lot of bad parts lately. I wonder if it is because of covid and so many places closing having less employees or maybe even employees out sick over this. They get bad stuff but not like they did this last year.

I am just so glad they got it done and thankful they did what they did.

The Wrong Parts

I think we left off with the guy put the part on my truck and then never did bleed the breaks and I have been trying to find someone to do it. He said he couldn’t get them to bleed and had to get a scanner and things. But then never came back or returned my messages. I was mad to say the least.

Well Yesterday someone finally had time to help me and go take a look at it. Pops and his twin brother and his brothers friend went and looked at it. The brother told the friend what to do and he done it because the brother just had stints put in his heart a week ago. Pops don’t know about that kind of thing. He went because he knew where my house is and me.

They were gone for a while and I was starting to wonder if something was wrong because it seemed like they should of been back. I decided to wait another 20 or 30 minutes then call if they hadn’t come back. In a few minutes they showed up. They said they were still not right and that they bled them 3 times all the way around and still couldn’t get them to feel like they should but it was stopping. Then they said the front tire was flat or low on air. They said I could drive it to the shop around the corner and get them to put air in it for me if I didn’t leave it sit for to much longer.

When someone else got here at the shop I had them stay here while pops ran me to my truck. He followed me to the shop to get air and it wasn’t stopping good at all. It would go right to the floor and I would have to pump and pump it to get it to stop. I asked the guy at the shop what would cause that since we changed that and bled them all those times. He said the master cylinder. I asked him how much it would cost for him to do it and how soon he could get it done. If he could get it done by 5. He said he could have the part with in 35/45 minutes of ordering it and then could put it on quick. He had a car he was working on he had to get done but it wasn’t a rush and it wouldn’t take long. That was at 2 something and before 4:30 he called and said he had it done. I told him I would be there a little after 5 to pick it up he said he would be there.

I asked him something about it and he said I needed to drive it and feel the peddle and see how it felt to me. I said does it stop or is it stopping? He said yes but I needed to drive it and see how it felt to me. That was a red flag to me. I said okay.

I had to borrow the money from my boss to even pay the guy to get it out of the shop I don’t have money to throw away on this truck right now. I told Pops what he said and that I didn’t like the sounds of that. If it was right he should say it stops great no problems. I said if I get there and it isn’t fixed I am not paying him for it. He said this might get nasty. I said it might but I am not paying him for fixing my truck and he didn’t now I have to pay someone else I already paid someone to fix it.

We left work a little early and went over there since pops son came in and said he was going to close. We got there and it was sitting there. The guy that worked on it wasn’t there. They said he went up the street he would be right back. I said I am going to go start it and see how it feels. He said take it up the street or around the block if you want. I took it out of there and as soon as I got in it I could tell it wasn’t right. I got on the side street there and started and it was going right to the floor not stopping. I turned around went back and told him it’s not fixed. He said let me adjust this I didn’t do that and it could be out so he did. He drove it it stopped but he pumped and pumped them to before he started driving it. He came back it was still soft going to the floor.

We started talking and something was said he said I’m not going to charge you for it. We went on talking he said I see your ABS light is on your pump is probably going out or not working right. I said no that has been on for a long time and I have never had problems until that part on the tire went out the other day and we replaced it and we bleed them and bleed them and can’t get it to stop. He said I did too I don’t know it has to be the ABS. I said okay then how can we tell because I have to have this truck up and going I can’t be stuck anymore like this. What is it going to cost to take care of it. I figure I have the money from the other repair that didn’t fix it I could use that to get the pump and fix it. He said let me scan it and see. He scanned and scanned it and after a while and a bunch of scans later he said no your right it isn’t your ABS pump it is working fine. I said so what is it why isn’t it working? He said you have a lot of air in your lines for some reason and you are going to have to just keep bleeding them and get it out he said I can’t find anything else wrong with it. I have scanned it you have the two new parts it is all you can do. He said gravity bleed them for about and hour that will force all the air out and then you may have to bleed them normally once you put the fluid back in. I said okay and I asked him again what I owed him since he scanned it for me and everything too. Because most places want $40/$60 to scan one and most want more. But when he scanned it he also seen that what he was telling me was wrong wasn’t and that I was right. He said I didn’t fix your problem you don’t owe me anything. He said I can’t charge you and send you out with the same problem you had when you came in. He said I just have to eat that.

I called Special K I was so upset and stressed I asked him if there was anyway he could please help me bleed the breaks and try to figure out what was wrong with it? I messaged work and told them that I had to get my truck fixed I just got it out of the shop it still wasn’t fixed I had someone to help me but they needed help and I had to find out what was wrong why I had help or I wouldn’t have again and would be messing a lot more work. I am sure they were not happy but I can’t help it. I had to get it fixed.

Special K said he was on his way home that I would probably beat him there and that we needed stuff at the store. I told him I was going to get to his house with it and park it then we could run and get what we needed. I took the back roads once I got over the bridge into the island to get to his house since there was less traffic. He got there before me but I don’t think it was to much before me. We went and got the stuff to bleed the breaks and break flood. He showed me how to set it up so you could do it by yourself and to make it easy so you aren’t losing break flood all over once it starts coming out. He said something about having to get under the truck and do something why he did something else. I said okay. He said no wait he said I can do that you are going to get inside and pump. He said one person can do it but it is easier if there are two.

Let me tell you if you want a leg workout like no other bleed your breaks over and over. But he did the front two then the back and was having trouble with the one back one then did the other side. He came back to the other back one and was going back and forth. He said we are going to do these for a bit and work on them because the other two are good but these two aren’t. He said I have seen it where for whatever reason you get an air bubble or a few and you have to just keep doing them and doing them over and over to get them out. We worked on them for an hour really probably close to two hours. He got under the side that the other guy just fixed on Monday the reason we are doing all this and he says I just notice something. Isn’t your bleeder screw or whatever he called it supposed to be on the top? I said I don’t know I haven’t been under there. He said the other three are but this one is on the bottom. I said then yes I would say it is probably supposed to be on top. Why would they just make one different. He started looking it up on his phone I pulled mine out and started looking it up.

What I found said that air goes to the top naturally and so the bleeder screw or whatever is on the top so that when you open it the air goes out. Once the air is out then it fills with more fluid and you start getting fluid once it is out and you close it. I said yep it is, he said yeah what I am seeing too and it makes since. I said so you can’t bleed it because it isn’t letting the air out on that side.

I said lets take it off and take it back and get a new one. Well that parts store closes at some crazy time. They keep like banker hours or something. The rest around us don’t close until 9 or later. I said okay fine I will go buy a new one and just make them give me my money back for this one tomorrow. We can get the new one on tonight I can have my truck. My friend is like girl your killing me here, we are losing day light quick now too. It was already after 8. I didn’t know it. Then I thought about it too I said I can’t do that because they have this big core charge for that and I don’t have an old one to take them because this one has to go back and they got my old one.

I called the guy who did it Monday and said look you put the wrong part on you need to come and get it, take it back and put the right one on because of this and it getting dark I can’t do it tonight like I thought. He said okay so we will see if he does it like he says he is going to. He told me 8:30 then messaged and said that they wouldn’t have the part until 11 so he would get it and put it on and take the old one back. I don’t now if he is really going to do it or not because why wouldn’t he get the wrong one and take it back first? They aren’t going to let him take a new one without paying for it. I am not paying again he can take the wrong one back and trade it. If he don’t want to and they want money he can pay them for it go get his back when he is done. I messaged him a bit ago and gave him the address where the truck is and how to get here. I had my friend follow me and we went the back road and dropped it off at my job instead of trying to get across two towns and the bridge back to my house.

I can not believe the shop, or pop’s brother and his friend did not notice that it was the wrong one and upside down, nor the guy that put it on. It took my friend that long to figure out what the problem was. But I can because like I told them, bleeding the breaks is so easy and something you just get under there and do without really thinking about it. You just do it, you figure it is all in right as far as fitting and bolted up there your not thinking it is mounted wrong or this is in the wrong place or it is upside down. Your just thinking okay I do this, this and this and it should be done and working. I can’t complain to much. But the guy who put it on should of been paying closer attention to if it was right or not. So two wrong parts lets hope the third time is really a charm and it goes together and bleeds effortlessly like it should of the first time.

Good Thing I Didn’t Go

To work deliverying pizza’s tonight. Since I didn’t I picked the kids up to go get their hair cut. From there we went to get gas. I went to the newer station I normally do not go to. I normally do not even go that way at all. I like the store just out of the way because I don’t go that way for anything and I don’t like the road it is on. To much traffic takes to long to get anywhere going that way. For whatever reason I went out of my way to go there.

I noticed my air felt warmer than it should. I check the heat gage it seem fine. I got gas started it it still seem warm. But the gage was reading fine. We left and headed home. I was maybe a couple miles up the road and looked down my heat gage was from cold/normal to all the way up and the oil light was on. I pulled over to turn around to go to the shop since I passed it about a mile back. The gage went down and the light went off I thought maybe it was a fluke. I couldn’t get across to turn around so I pulled out to keep going the way I was. A few block’s up it all happen again. I pulled in a parking lot. I shut it off started it in a few it all went back to normal. I seen it was after 430. I finally was able to get across the street where I was at and go back the other way. I got to the shop pulled down the side in front of the bays. I thought they had closed early some were closed but oldest seen a couple were still open. I pulled up got out walked in the bay the newest guy was sitting there. I ask him where boss was he said he went home. I ask him if he could look at my truck told him what it was doing.

He came out looked at it and it was out of water. That isn’t good because I had just put water in it yesterday. He seen me because I did it there before he plugged the two spots in my tire. I checked the oil why he was hosing it down so he could check the water and get the engine cooled too. It had to much oil. We were talking about how it was out of water when I just put water in yesterday. He said something is leaking here, over there and there. I said the radiator was leaking but it stopped.

He said why don’t you talk to boss I could go through this truck and have it in good shape for you in about a day. I said I just have no money to do anything to it. He said yeah but you help out up here and things right. I said yeah, he said I can’t see he wouldn’t or couldn’t help you out. I said O know but he has, he has a lot. He said oh but still. I said yeah I just don’t know what to do with it. It is a mess. I wish someone would help me out and go through it and fix it. But I don’t even have the money for parts right now.

Yesterday I asked the other guy if he put air in the tire it was almost flat and if I bought plugs today when I got paid if he would plug it. He said yeah. In a minute I look the other guy is at my truck he is plugging my tire. He got the patch kit from work and done it. I had a screw and nail in my one tire. He was telling me then he could put the oil cooler on and the starter in an hour or less how bad kt was and if it got worse the water could go in the oil and it would be ruined. I told him I knew. But I was at the hands of everyone else and when they could or would do it. He was saying then ask boss and he would do it. He seems nice and I think he knows his stuff and i think he do the job and not half ass it but like I told him I have no money and boss has helped me a lot. I have always paid for parts but not labor. But I still owe him $400. He knows what I have going on he hasn’t said anything about trying to help me so. I figure maybe the newer guy might say something to him, ask him if he can bring it in one day they are slow or what and go through it. If he offers and brings it up he will probably do it. But I am not asking him anymore right now. They have so much going on and things.

But it is a good thing I didn’t go to deliver pizza’s. Who knows what may have happened. If I had I would of been stuck on the side of the rode or blew my truck up maybe. I should of been on my way to work when it happened. I would not of been close to the shop help or anything.

It’s All Coming To A Head

So you all know I haven’t been to the shop in a month or two now. It’s no secret that the boss is shady and more and more has been coming out since all the shit happen in December. Well Starfish told us it was going to all come to a head and a lot of shit was going to come out. That he was doing well not doing a lot up there. Plus the drugs and all that. He kept saying it was all going to come out and he kept telling my Bff the bosses wife she better get things straight for her and the kids. He kept telling me I better tall to her and tell her to get on the ball get things taken care of get a job and things. Since we have started talking again not long ago he has ask me what she is doing and telling me I better tell her get her to do something she better listen.

Well right about the time the kid got killed kn the accident shit started hitting the fan. It hasn’t stopped and I don’t think the worse has come out yet or happened. Customers have started calling the news and the shop has been all over the news. People are going to all the licencing and permitting places and the state. They are getting everyone and anyone that they can involved.

Right before all this started and before the kid was in the accident boss went and rented a new shop and said he was closing this one and going to open the other one. The new guy was to run it and boss was just going to come in and build when he needed to and do repos and things mostly. He still working on opening the other shop and has a opening date here in a week or two. Now all this other shit has come out and they foundout he is opening this other shop amd grabbes onto that and running with it putting it all out there that it is the same people not to go there and things.

I figured it was going to be bad but it is way worse than I ever thought it was going to be. Bff is worried he is going to go to jail they are trying to get him on fraud charges. They are waituing to see if the DA is going to pick it up or not. The other day on our trip to the zoo we stopped to get drinks and things for the kids and her bank card was declined. He said there were two charges for almost $5000 on the account he had to see what was going on. When we left the zoo she talked to him and he said the IRS froze their accounts. They put the two things on there something they do to hold the accounts or get their money. They say the taxes were not paid for 2014 he is saying, before he owned it. I don’t believe it but if that is what she wants to believe so be it.

I am waiting for the drug end of it to come out and how into it he is and what areas. He swears he isn’t but we all know different. I am thinking he is just buying but I think he is buying a lot. And I think it is a big part of all the shit that is going on. Starfish kept saying when it all came out went down we would see. But still didn’t think it was going to be like this.

Love My Good Friend

My Good Friend messaged me at work last night and said there maybe a small shred of hope for my truck after all. He had me go out and get under it and take some pictures for him, but I wasn’t able to find what he was looking for. I was supposed to meet up with him today so he could look at it but it has been raining here for days and today was no different and he been busy. He checked it in the rain for me the other day because we couldn’t get a break from it.

When he looked at it he said he was going to do some research and see if there was anything else that maybe goes on these trucks that would cause the problem I am having. Because some cars and trucks are known to have problems that cause crazy things to happen that normally shouldn’t or a design flaw of some kind.

When he looked it up he found somewhere that told him that sometimes on these trucks they put the oil cooler by the filter under the truck instead of where we thought it was to start with. That is what he was wanting me to get pictures of, the filter and where it all mounts up under there so he could see of he seen one or not. But I was at work and trying to watch the store being the only one there and under the truck and everything else. I didn’t get the right thing. I was going to meet him today or try but again with the rain we were stuck.

Hopefully he will have time to meet me at his new shop where he can get it in out of the rain and check it over. I pray it has the cooler down there and that is all the problem is. If not it is pretty much back to needing a motor.

I am just so thankful he is taking time out of his busy life with three jobs t kids and normal life stuff to help me. Because I can’t even ask boss right now really because of all the stuff going on there. I haven’t even told you all about that yet with everything that has been going on and being sick. Maybe tonight or sometime soon.

Disbelief, Shocked, Numb

Woke up to a horrible phone call this morning. It was my bestfriend, she hardly ever calls me this early if she does she wants to go to breakfast or something she wants me to go do with her. I was still laying in bed with Little Bitty she is home sick, wondering what she wanted to do if I felt like getting up and going.

I answered but I couldn’t understand her. She sounded out of breath or something she was saying something the shop. She finally slowed down. She was saying it bad just pray its going to take a medical. I said what, and said you know X from the shop? He had an accident on the way to work they don’t think he is going to make it!

I didn’t know what to say, my stomach dropped. He comes from the other county over here to the shop to work. He is like on the out skirts of the two counties. She said they had to life flight him. She was on her way to the office to get her husband and go over there. She said he was distraught. I am sure he is I am just in shock.

I didn’t know him that well, hey how are you or something. But still something like this to happen, you don’t want see that to happen to anyone.

I thought he was in some kind of little truck. When I seen him and Starfish going to work one morning theh were in a little truck. She sent a picture they were sent and it looks like a suv of some kind and bigger. But it was still a really bad accident. The wheel is off the truck it’s upside down on the side of the road on a pole it looked like. She said his friend was behind him and he survived to miss something in the road and it flipped.

I pray he comes through this and was thinking maybe it wasn’t as bad as they thought. But after seeing the picture I don’t know. I am just waiting for them to get there and get an update. I told her I was here if they needed me to go to the shop or pick up kids or anything. Little one is sick but its like a cold. I can always take her with me. Its only been about an hour and half I figure they just got there not long ago probably trying to find his wife and things see what they are saying. Be with her.

Should be Sleeping

Sitting here listening to music and thinking, it’s 1 am I should be sleeping. I have to be at work at 8 am. Just at the shop watching the guys collecting money or whatever needs to be done. They will be on their way home from their trip to Tenn. Waiting to hear if I am going to get to work this week with my sister and her husband or not. At least that would give me a little money to hold me over the next few weeks or to help. I am supposed to get my money from school Friday. I owe so much out but I think I will be okay as long as this storm don’t cause us to much problems this next week or two. I can’t afford to leave and I can’t not leave if they say we are going to get to much of a hit from it. If it was just me I didn’t have the kids I wouldn’t worry about it I just wait it out and hope for the best.

If we have to leave it is going to take a big chunk of money and I don’t want to do that. I need that money for a lwayer and hopefully get a new truck, pay bills and buy Christmas. I have enough to pay rent for just about 7 months, but I need to pay my sister back and I really think I need to find a different truck than keep putting money into this one. I really should have never bought this truck but I just lost my dad needed something to drive and knew if I didn’t get something Father of the Year would have my money spent because I couldn’t get it away form him. I finally just said fine go get it. I have a guy who still wants to buy it not sure how much I can get out of it but I can’t sell it until I get something else. I don’t need to be in a spot like I was when I bought this one where I need it. I can still drive this one for a while but it isn’t going to last me a while like I want it to unless I put some money into it and I don’t want to put that kind of money into it. It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t need hood, fenders, shocks in the hood, back hatch and painted. I think the air needs fixed as well. The air is a lot. I figure by the time I put all that money into it I could just get another and right now the prices aren’t to bad on them. I found a few with the 7.3 motor I want for a decent price. I found one that was okay priced and I could probably get them talked down even lower, but it has been wrecked in the front like mine. It needs a lot of the same parts as mine and it will need painted like mine does. But it has the better motor in it and I have the parts priced out, I can get them for not a lot if I get them down on the price of the truck then I could probably bring it home get all the parts and put on it then take my truck now and trade it to get the paint job it needs and be out less than if I fixed my truck. I would have the motor I wanted and nicer truck. I have made a list of about 12 to look at and talk to the people about before I decide what I am going to do. Most are about two hours away from me so I am waiting to get my money see what this storm is going to do then set it up so I can make a trip out of it when I drop the kids off at school and go for the day look at as many as I can in one area. If I find something I like then I can talk to them see what kind of price I can get it for and go back down another day or that day depending on how long I have before I have to get the kids and get it. I am going to look at a bunch before I pick one. That way the people know that I motivated to buy if I get the right truck at the right price. Right now with gas prices going up helps too because they know they are going to have to come down on the price of the trucks because people are not wanting to buy them when gas is up to $2.65 a gallon right now. But like I told my friend, it saves me $100’s to $1000’s off when I buy and even if I pay a little more for gas once in a while I still don’t end up spending what I saved on the price in gas. I don’t go that far I don’t use that much gas and gas prices don’t stay up that long. And when I have a list and I am looking at a bunch of different ones that are in the same shape in the same area or close people know well they want this for that one and it is same as mine she will just go buy that one if I don’t sell mine for a good price they come down too if they are really wanting to sell. I will tell them well I have this many others to go look at that are in this shape or that for about the same or cheaper so I have to go check them out before I pick one. I don’t want to jump on the first thing I look at and I need to get the best deal I can and the best for my money it has to last me a while. One thing I don’t like is that a lot of them are on lots and I hate to buy off lots but to get what I want I guess I will. I have thought about making payments even on one to get what I want that is in really good shape. But I still have to get it at a good price and make sure I can get it paid off by Feb. and still have money to pay the lawyer. No matter what the lawyer comes first.

I am also going to keep looking and adding to my list this week and taking some off. There were two or three I called about that have not called me back I figure they are gone. I am bad I love to car/truck shop. I said that to my boss the other day we were talking about shopping for some reason. I said I don’t like to shop for clothes and things. My shopping for clothes, shoes or a purse is walking through the store and seeing something I like. If I have the money and it fits then I will pick it up. But to just go shop hardly ever unless I have too. I said I like to shop for trucks and big ticket things like furniture. He like your a special kind of women, I just laughed. But it’s true I have always like shopping for cars and was always the one to wheel and deal when we had to get a new car.

 

Settling in My Job

I have been at my new job for about 6 weeks or a little longer. I just got my third pay check and we get them every two weeks. I worked a week I think and didn’t get one. When I first started I hated it, it is probably a understatement really. It was a fight every day not to walk out or explode on this one “manager” I have never seen a place that had so many managers for one room of people at one time. They are tripping over each other and no two know what any one of the others are doing. There was these two that are just on a power trip and the one looks for shit to come tell you about, like your stupid or don’t know. I haven’t had to work with her since about the first week to much and things have gone good, the last few days she has been back and it’s all I can do to not say something to her.

I am in the kitchen and on the grill 98% of the time. It was horrible at first I stood there with sweat pouring off me it was so hot and dealing with the witch on top of it and not knowing what I was doing and trying to keep up and make sure all the food was cooked right and put in the right places. Plus a bunch of us started at the same time and so there was no one really to ask if you had questions and everyone you worked with wanted things done different even though there is supposed to be one way to do them. If you said anything or question anything they tell you no so and so was wrong or this is how you do it, it isn’t the “right” way but this or that is why.

Now I work with mostly guys other than the GM and a few other mangers and they just tell you were to work for the day and let you be unless you have a question or you just really screw something up or do something wrong and even then they talk to you not just bark orders or talk at you. The guys are all pretty nice they all talk and joke around and they are willing to help if you need something or have a question if you you question what they say they explain why they don’t get nasty or act like you shouldn’t ask why. They all help do the harder stuff like lifting the big things or they will come by take my trash if it is getting full and I am to busy to get to it. They don’t question me or watch me like a hawk because they know I know what I am doing if I am not where I am supposed to be there is a reason, I am getting more product, cleaning or helping one of the others if I am not busy and that I don’t push my job off on others or not do it and that I don’t just stand around and try to slide out without doing things. I am always doing something or looking for something to do. The other week I mopped and went to dump the water and one of them guys was doing something where we dump it I stood there and waited until he was done so that I could dump it and put the stuff up. He said wow your waiting to dump it. I said yes I have to put it up and things. He said well thanks most the others go oh your doing that and in there anyway just take care of this when your done and walk off. The trash and other things are the same. They see that I don’t and hardly ever ask for help unless I just can’t do it so they are more willing to help me or take the trash or say they are busy I dump it or go get this or that if I need it. They don’t do it for the others there if it isn’t a manager and even a lot of them they don’t unless they tell or ask them too. They don’t offer to or just do it.

I applied at the bank but didn’t get called for the second interview so I didn’t get that. I was told I may be going full time at my second job come September. Since I found that out and things have kind of calmed down at work, oh and they fixed the air in the kitchen so we are not dying back there, I am kind of thinking about just sticking it out here until then instead of starting somewhere else for just a few months or less and then leaving to go over there.

My friend told me they are trying to open a hop in Georgia and that if they do they want me to work there full time because he will be going back and forth between here and there and wants someone he can trust here to handle things because he don’t and can’t trust the guys on their own. It isn’t a good idea to leave the guys to work and run the office. I am still going there two days a week, was going on Monday when I had off and then after work a day for a few hours. But they have me on every day now but I am off by 2 once in a while I am there until 3. I just go from there over to the shop and do what needs to be done a couple days a week.

He ask me to come in and work a full day the Friday before the 4th of July and then I was off the Monday before the 4th so I told him I could work half a day because I had somewhere I had to go in the afternoon. He was glad I was able to go in they had went a way to the mountains for the week. He had people coming to pick up cars and they had to pay with cash or check and he wanted me to collect the cash and things.

The next week I was there and a guy came in to make a payment and was telling him he been in the week before and made one. I seen the guy come in and the one guy had come in with him and just wrote something on a paper and gave him. Not in the book or anything. They went back outside. I thought I am pretty sure he made a payment but he didn’t give me any money to put in the drew and I was the only one with a key to it. I thought maybe I was wrong and he was writing something else down for him.

Well the guy was telling the boss he made it and he was telling him he didn’t get it told him he needed to see his receipt and the guy told him he just wrote something out on paper, he told him he would find it and bring it back in and left. I told him the guy was there when he said and what he said happen. I also told him I thought it was odd that K had not given me money to put up when he left. He told me that the bank deposit for the day was $100 short as well and then this guys money. He told me that he been somewhere over the weekend and K had his wallet and he was missing money out of it. He went out and ask him and he swears he called and ask him to borrow it and he told him he could. Boss said he never told him the guy came and never called and ask him to borrow any money. He said I know he didn’t call me because he will never come to me face to face and ask for it or call me he will send me a text and ask me and I do not have any messages from him either. We went over what came in and everything, because I had went to the store too, he told him I must of spent more at the store or something when he ask him about the money he knew was missing. Said I must have forgot to put it back in there. I needed to print some things and there was no paper at the office so I was talking to my friend and I told her after the guys has went to lunch I was going to run pick mine up and some printer paper up and come back. She said that would be fine and then sent me a message and said he told her to tell me to use money I had collected to get the paper. The smallest bill was $20 so I took it and went to the store. I bought the paper and took the change and the receipt for it and put it back in the with the rest of the money. I knew he didn’t care and wasn’t worried about it but I didn’t want anything said like what was being said. I figured he put it with the ones for expenses for the shop as well. But if I didn’t think or bring it wasn’t a big deal. I said I spent x and the one guy came in paid cash and was $10 short said he would get back with you and bring it in so that was about $15 but he already accounted for all that. He said no he got it I know he did and he is going to pay it all back. I am thinking he isn’t going to be there that much longer.

But over all everything is going good with both jobs and I think I am going to stay at McD’s for at least the next month or two until they see if they are going to get this off the ground this time and make a go of it. He was going to do it a while back I guess and the guy that was supposed to do it with him and work in the one why he went back and forth backed out. Now he is looking at doing it now since he has me there that he can bring on full time and know he don’t have to worry about here when he is up there for a week or two. I can do pay everything, place orders, keep everything updated and handle things that come up. His wife said she could do it but she don’t really want to and has to go out three times a day to pick up and drop kids off plus do things at school and things for and with them. I could still do things for the kids and with them at the school because she would be there to fill in if she needed too and if not the guys could handle it a few hours or a day here and there. We just have to get one we both agree to handle collecting money and not give anyone else access to it other than the three of us and it would be okay. It’s just to much for them to do all the time and all the other stuff he needs done and that goes into being there all the time. If I had to I could even take one of the kids with me if they couldn’t go to school or something and I had to be there or they were off and wanted to come hang out for a while. He is so very easy going and laid back and really don’t care as long as the job is done like he said.

Only thing that sucks right now is the pay at my main job and there really is no hope of a raise until next year I think. But it wouldn’t really matter at this point if I did go somewhere else that paid more because I would’t have a check coming in for a few weeks or more and by the time full checks started rolling in I would be leaving to go over there full time if he does this. I am starting school in a few weeks as well and am going to have to work things around that and then work things around it somewhere else it’s just easier to stay here for now and see what happens. If this falls through he don’t do it then I will start looking for something else anyway. I still look at listings just to see if anything really good comes up that I just can’t pass up but most listings are weeks old and nothing new. If I really great office job came up I couldn’t pass up trying to get it and then if it was really good once I started working and it worked with everything else I have going on I would have then see what he was willing to pay and decide between the two what one to go with. I just hate going from job to job in such a short time even if I am trying to do better for myself.

Maybe A Job

I applied at McDonald’s a couple weeks ago, when I was filling out the application there was a drop down thing to pick days and shift. One of the shifts said 6 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday and had no weekends listed. That was great worked perfect with daycare other than the 6 am part. I could be there by 630 because daycare does not open until 6. I figured I would apply and talk to them about it if I was called to come in and see if that was something they would or could work with. At this point I will do just about anything. Well I get an email back two Sundays ago saying they do interviews on Mondays between these hours. I emailed back told them what time I could come in the next day if they had an opening and that I was open the following Monday at anytime between those hours just tell me I would be there. Few days later I never heard back I sent another Friday comes around I didn’t hear anything back so I called the lady and left a message. Then I had an email telling me to come in this past Monday the holiday so I said okay and arranged a sitter because daycare was closed.

I was there about 10 minutes early and sat and waited, She called the people that were in front of me then called people that came in after me. Then she is calling someone that never showed up and then ask who I was. I was like nice I’m not even on her list after telling me to come in. First thing she ask was what kinds of jobs had I done in the past and then why I wanted to work there. I told her I was a full time student and that I just wanted a job I could come in do the job and go home not have to worry about things and all that. She then ask what hours I could work the earliest and the latest each day. Never said anything about the shift I applied for. I told her 6 am to 530 pm Monday through Friday. Then she asked about the weekends? I told her I couldn’t do weekends right now and she stopped and said that my application would be skipped over because I can’t work weekends. She said to email her if that changed and she would put it back in for review and maybe I could get something at that time. She then went on to explain the different jobs they offer and things like that and if there was any one I would rather not do or stay away from. I told her no I had no problem doing any of them. She said working in a place like that you get angry customers for whatever reason something wasn’t right they just looking for something to complain about or what. Ask how I would handle that if I would let it mess my day up or if I would take it as them attacking me personally. I said no I try to help them make whatever is wrong right and if I can’t then I will get the boss so they can handle it. She said that was great and what they do. I told her I worked as a cashier before and doing the bail bonds I was very use to dealing with people that were less than happy or friendly. I had no problems with that. She told me some other things but said a few times my application would be sent in but probably not considered.

I was getting ready to leave I asked her what about the shift I applied for and it didn’t ask for weekends and things. She said well it was a 6 to 4 and you can’t come until 630 so that wouldn’t matter. Well it would some because most places do not want you there all those hours in a day and things. But I just said I understood that and was just wondering why they put they have that shift with no weekends for people to put in that they can work if they require you to be able to work weekends. Of course she said she was going to have to look into that and ask if I applied on their site or a different one. I said no I went right to your site and applied and it was listed. She didn’t have an answer. She also said that their top performers get what they want over everyone else. She said that can take weeks or months to get or it could never happen you just never know. So basically if you come in kiss ass and do everyone’s work for them who don’t want to do their work you might get it.  Again if you are giving it to people who are already there that want it then why put it as an option? It makes perfect since to waste their time and the person looking for a jobs time. I was ticked because I had to drive the kids 20 miles to the baby sitter then drive back get them and drive back home for something that I didn’t have a shot at.

I didn’t check my email yesterday I guess, I went to the shop today to work and when I was done I was using the computer to print some things. I had to get something out of my email and I seen one from them. I open it and it says we want to welcome you as a crew member can you come to ordination on Monday at the store where you had your interview and then you will join the team at store number blah blah. I had applied to start with at the store where I interviewed at but when she ask what store I told her that one or the other one. She wanted to know what one was close to my house I told her I was in the middle of both of them I thought so I would take something at either one. She put me at the other one. That is fine, but I am hoping that after I go buy clothes and things that they want me to have and get in there they don’t say well you have to work this or that for a while before you get the shift you want like she said before. I may lose it on them if they do. I made it very clear to her that those were the only open hours I had those were the only days. I am just hoping they ended up with an open spot they couldn’t fill and it worked out for me. I just wish Monday would get here so I can go in and see what is going on.

I am going to work it if it works with my hours. I told them at the shop that as of right now I have it but I don’t know how things are going to work out on Monday but that I still wanted to keep working there as well. I am sure I can fit it in before or after work or if I have a day off during the week. It isn’t a lot but it will be gas for the truck or something extra for the kids. I like to save it take them to Disney once school starts back and it cools down a little bit. I just pray it all works out so that I can do them both. I need to get some papers taken care of I have to go by my old job to do it. I thought about doing that Friday when I have to go back up to the shop since it is right there next door. I am thinking about asking them if they need someone maybe 15 hours a week and asking them at the shop if he could use me 10 to 15. If they both could and would pay me what I am making now I wouldn’t have to take this job I could work between the two of them and make as much or more. I was already planing to ask because I did not think they were going to call me back at all. I think the other office may do it but I just don’t think the shop has enough stuff to even work me 10 hours a week. I am not even sure if this job is full time or part time. I applied for full. I didn’t ask at the interview because she had said I wasn’t going to be called back. I guess we shall see Monday. I here I am again playing the waiting game. I hate playing this game. I think I have go to the shop tomorrow to get some papers I may talk to them and walk next door talk to my old bosses and my friend next to them see if he could use any help 1o to 15 hours a week. I could split 30 or 40 between two or three of them. I know the one don’t like to do paper work he had someone doing it but I don’t know if they are still there or if he has someone else. I could do that for him. Even if I just did a couple 5 to 8 hour days at each one. That would still leave me time to do school on the weekends.

I have to think about things and make a plan talk to them and see what everyone has going on or if any of them would be interested. They may too just to not have to do the paperwork their self. They all three are ran by guys and all have nothing but guys working for them. If not I may go talk to some other shops and things in the area and see if I can get something like that. The shop is pretty flexible I can work everything and then work them in between the others.