Monday misc

I took a lot of pictures last Friday or Saturday (this heat is frying my memory) and I still have another entry or so of them to post.  Yeah, I’m vain, but, really, they are some good pictures, and it is so pleasing to be able to share them like this.  It really has made a difference in my life.

It is extremely difficult to find reliable people to work this paper job.  I wonder why?  Has it always been so fucking hard to find people willing to work steadily?  I am kind of grateful, in a way, because all these losers make me look good (or is that stupid?  Do I look like  a lifeless SOB?  I don’t think so, but, hmmm…)

Anyway, doofus (#9 number two) doesn’t work at all on Saturdays now,.  I do.  I’ve taken about 2/3rds of his route on Saturdays, and today, when I got my check from the boss, he told me that doofus can’t work this Sunday either, so could I pick up 270 some papers myself?  The boss is a lot nicer than I am, so I didn’t say just what I think of doofus, and just said, "well, I guess so…".  I’m thinking, well, that’s extra money in next week’s check, and god knows I can use it, and I do find myself sitting around with not much to do on my nights off, but jeeez, why are people so fucking lazy these days?

My parents were Depression era kids, and instilled in me this work ethic:  You get paid for a job, you do it.  You do your job when you say you will..  You do it right- the best you can. If you say you’re gonna do something, you do it.  Period.  Not "if I feel like it", not "maybe", not anything but doing it.  No "ifs" "ands" or "buts".  You do it.  How hard is it for people to do what they say they’ll do? 

Real fucking hard, apparently.

Am I out of synch with the American mind-set?  Am I a patsy, a mark, an easy lay?  I don’t understand.  I have some pride in my word and myself, and those would be damaged if I sluffed off.  What is it with these people anyway?  Have they no pride?

On another matter, I lost another rack this morning.  We haven’t lost any or had any break ins for a while, but this morning, at my last stop on the south route, I found the rack on it’s face, ripped off it’s base, and covered in trash from the trash can that sits next to it normally.

I wrestled the thing back up, and tried to set it back on it’s base, but the metal rack had been ripped off the base almost all the way, and I couldn’t get the thing to stand up straight.  The Sunday papers inside were all fucked up- here, there, and everywhere inside the rack, so I took some time to put them back together and put them in my van.  I had 7 Monday papers for the rack, but, given it’s condition, I left them in my van and didn’t stock it; text messaging the boss that that rack was damaged.  I went back to Portland and got my SE pdx papers and ran that route, put all the returns in one of our stepvans (lousy sales this weekend) and came home to an apaprtment that had not really cooled off much, despite the fan in the balcony door blowing in all night. 

Days of the sun blasting away on my south facing apartment walls have kept them hot.  I sat out on the balcony, smoked a cigar, and read the paper until the sun made it’s appearance, then came inside, closed the balcony door and the curtains, and set the fan to blow directly on my bed.  I grabbed a quick shower and laid down and caught a few hours of sleep, then sweated myself awake and went to get my check.

The boss said – get this – that the last rack, the one I told him was damaged, had been stolen completely.  It was gone!  I must have interrupted the theives when I pulled up to it this morning, although I didn’t see anyone. 

Fuckers came back and took the whole rack, even the base, which had been nearly ripped off the box.  They took the time to undo the four security bolts holding that part down and took THE WHOLE THING.  And for what?  It had sold five Sundays yesterday, and one or two that I put in there in Saturday, and a few days worth of dailies.  The boss said that there was maybe twenty bucks in change in the coin box.  Fuckers put a lot of effort into it, and for so little!

The boss was kinda pissed.  Yeah, we lost another rack, but he’s upset at the Milwaukie police.  They are on ya like stink on shit if you don’t drive right, but where are they as thieves spend time, a lot of time, taking our street racks?

I got paid on my regular day for the first time in a long time, and actually have money in my pocket, and once the check clears, I’ll have money in the bank too.  I specifically asked him about the medical bills – they are in my name, so it’s on me if they don’t get paid, but he says he’ll get them, don’t worry.  Nearly anyone else, I would worry.  Buncha losers out there, ya know, but he says he’ll pay, I can almost betcha he will.

He’s Korean, Asian.  They have an ethical stance to them – if they say they’ll do somethng, they will.  I get along good with Japanese and Koreans – we think alike.

One more night of work, then I have Tuesday night/Wednesday morning off.  It’s laundry time!  (or will be, tomorrow night)

Meanwhile, I have money in my pocket, so it’s time to go to the Chinese restaurant.  One block away, and they have airconditioning!  Yay!

(my poor cat!  He’s got this fur coat.  Doesn’t seem to be suffering though, thank god.  I’d have to freak if he did)

On the planning board, some more good pics to post, and the Ballad of NWC and K*.  Stay tuned – good stuff coming up.

*****