"I'm going to take out a knife"

Agh. 

Not complaining.  I rode the other day with a woman who did nothing but... and it was awful.  If I don't like it, why would I want to inflict it on a reader or listener? 

I don't want to be that person.  Did you have one in your family?  I did.  Several, actually. 

What else?   Well, we did truck day, worked a long day, and I pulled a knife on the guy at my cell phone provider yesterday. 

I got up, I had someone in my bed, I think Torbie.  I'm not picky.  If it's feline, has 4 legs and a tail, it can sleep with me. 

Biscuit is the naughtiest.  He likes to attack feet. 

Baby Girl only sleeps with me if I have a massive depression. 

Torbie is my most faithful companion. 

Biscuit occasionally joins us, and, is a very good boy when he settles down.  I see him almost as Torbie's understudy. 

Gravy will occasionally sleep with me, but is mostly Daddy's boy. 

So, that was a good start.  I took my shower and put on 2 layers of deodorant.  Truck Day means lots of heavy manual labor for me, in heat and humidity.  I don't want to develop a bad odor. 

They worked, by the way. 

I donned a t-shirt, lightest pair of capris.  They remind me a little of the baggy cotton pants I loved in my teenage years.  They had a snug, gathered, waist, white cotton (back when I could get away with wearing billowy white pants!), and I literally wore them to death.

Yesterday, I wore a baggy navy cotton pocket t-shirt, men's (as usual because they are far more modest), the black pants, and my trusty steel toed slip ons.  I can't say enough about those shoes, working with a blind man in a wheelchair.

I also had my back brace, of course.  I only wear it when lifting, per Ron's chiropractor.  The rest of the time I unfasten it and just let the suspenders ride on my shoulders. 

They were out of "our" water, so I had room to buy ALL the snacks I needed - total about 50 cases for all of our stuff.  We went to work, I unloaded, shoved it all in the building, and then stocked!  Boy, did I stock.

I did have one "new" person come by try to tell me how to run the business.  I kept telling her, her suggestions had already been tried and failed.  She kept complaining about my product selection.

I finally told her "I'll tell you what I told the other lady who tried to tell me how to run my business:  I'm here to make money.  If it makes me money, I will sell it, if it doesn't make money I won't."  I also suggested she go to the gas station down the street, and talk to the other vendor.  She got very indignant and stomped off.

You and I both know I'm not ambitious, but I'm not throwing away inventory dollars on something they'll never buy.  I'm certainly not going to waste precious shelf space on something that won't move.  If I can sell a dozen cup a noodles in a day, why would I stock fruit, which rotted and had to be thrown out because no one wanted fruit.  

That was annoying, but I doubt I'll see a lot of her.

I am seeing a red flag with some of the potentially difficult people: they always want to know our schedule.  Our schedule is working pretty much whenever we want to, several days a week.  We like to vary it, and work all 3 shifts.

The complainers want us to say "I work 9-2 M-F" so they can hunt us down and shout at us, tell us how to run the business, etc.  They get very angry when we tell them we are flexible, and work a different schedule every week. 
  
The other customers could care less.  Of course, if they have a problem, we have Ron's cell number posted for refunds. 

I prefer the "Catch me if you can" approach.  

I forget if it was the same woman, or another, but someone else got angry at me and told me I "Had to start working weekends."  Yesterday, which was a Saturday, me surrounded by 3 handcarts loaded with inventory. 

I said "It is Saturday". In a very calm voice.  She made some excuses and left pretty quick.  It was funny. 

And, of course, I had someone storming up to me, furious, raving about the other vendor's machine.  3 people, actually.  Wait, I had to tell them, that isn't my machine.  They still wanted to yell at me, I suppose because I was a vendor, if not the vendor.  

I can see why so many people in vending, deliberately stock when the customers are absent.  It is more exhausting than the work! 

Not complaining, I'm glad I have customers... but whooeee. 

I was happy to escape.  Normally I don't get mauled like that but yesterday was spectacular.  Some woman shouting commands on the PA system every 2 minutes, overtime being called, shouting about gnats in the other guys' coffee machine, Ron needing help, trying to get 50 cases into 9 vending machines, then stuff the leftovers in the stockroom, whew. 

I'm glad I have a job.  I'm glad I have a job I can do.  I thank God I can work with my husband and help him in addition to running the business.  I thank God Ron has a dependable, loyal, honest, helper.  Mainly, I thank God I don't have to play those horrible office politics/fashion police games.  UGH. 

So, we went home for a little bit, then went to the mall.  I had dropped my phone one time too many.  The audio quality on the speaker was terrible - I couldn't really hear what people said. 

We got to the kiosk, it was a nice guy.  He got a SIM card stuck in the new phone and was trying to pry it out (happily, not my memory card, which I need to back up).  He had a pair of open scissors in his hand. 

I put my hand in my pocket.  "I'm going to take out a knife." I said calmly "Open it, and give it to you, OK?" 

One think my work has taught me, you have a lot of ex military post traumatic dudes walking around.  I didn't just want to pull a knife on the guy and incite some combat instinct, or have him panic and hit the button (I'm sure they have a panic button). 

The clerk nodded, and I took out the knife.  It's a folding knife, about 4 inches long, just legal to carry in Houston.  His eyes widened, as he and his coworker looked at me with new respect. 

It worked. 

At the end of it, I had my old chip and my new phone, and made a joke about "Kitty porn" as I showed off Torbie photos. 

Then we got dinner, and I bought a holster for the phone.  Clearly, it doesn't work for the phone to hang around my neck when I am stocking, etc.  I have butterfingers on my medication, so I would like a nice secure home for it.

So, we went home.  I, exhausted, went to bed.

Unfortunately someone's dog got out and spent hours trying to get into the yard next door.  Is their little female in heat?  I hope not.  I hope they at least got a fixed dog.  [sigh]  I doubt it.

The ensuing yapping was pretty extreme, and prevented all sleep for hours on end.  I thought about going outside to investigate, but we have had large and aggressive, roaming, dogs.  I don't want to get eaten!  I think the homeowner finally chased off the dog.

Then, the music - that went until 5 AM, right before I woke up.  [snort]

Did I mention how nice it was to sleep with Torbie AND Biscuit?  Biscuit's spot seems to be near my left hip, and Torbie near my left ankle.  He hops up around her and settles right in.  He likes a fuzzy blanket.

Both Gravy and Biscuit like to suckle on a soft toy cat, my slippers, and blankets.  Why not?

At least they're not like Mr Gray, the pervert cat who raped my foot every night.  No joke.  And he was fixed!

No real question how HE ended up at the shelter before I got him!  

Anyway, being positive.  It was very nice to roll over and pet Biscuit whenever I wanted.  He didn't mind. 

Biscuit has a unique fur, it's thinner and shorter than even a shorthaired cat.  It appears normal but feels different upon petting.  Torbie doesn't mind some midnight petting either. 

Of course I am always up a couple times to pee, because lithium acts as a diuretic.  But, I used to get bladder infections and I have had maybe 2 since I started the lithium, 9 years ago. 

I got up, shower, God Time (some of it).  We had a good ride to church.  Chuck at church told me my "Where to Look" tracts are almost done, and he "had a surprise for me". 

Hm. 

We had a good ride home, compounded by traffic.  The driver was nice and accepted a Bible.  I don't think he was reached yet. 

All my drivers get prayed for "special" in addition to my regular God Time. 

I tried to take a nap, but that didn't work - ambient neighborhood noise.  So, I finished my God Time, cleaned the litter boxes, and ordered some pizza. 

Tomorrow I have to get up at 2.  I just pray I get a good quality of sleep, if I don't get the duration.