Interesting people

Last night I "poisoned" the cats. 

I got the flea drops, uncapped them, punched a hole in the vial (the only thing I don't like about the Advecta brand, it's a little harder to do that), and started scruffing the cats.  I grabbed them by the back of their necks and administered the potion. 

The cats are all fine today, their usual selves. 

Biscuit was pretty indifferent.  Baby Girl practically yawned, but she's really only lived with us and I never grabbed her by the back of the neck.  Torbie has some PTSD from her time at the shelter and is very sensitive to being scruffed.  She carried on like I was raping her and then ran off and hid.  I am sure everyone grabbed her by the back of the neck, at the shelter. 

Finally done, I went to bed.  I got to sleep in this morning but no nap later.  I slept OK but had some odd dreams. 

I woke up, did my shower and God Time.  I called the wholesale company and verified they had our pickup order.  Apparently, the pickup orders are quite popular (at least from what I saw).  Yes, they had it.  $215. 

I watched a little TV and tried to get over my depression/anxiety.  I was already exhausted and I hadn't even started yet. 

Ron talked to our driver, who convinced us to try running by a Sam's club to see if they had the "good" water.  We went by, and sure enough we found it.  I got 8 cases. 

It was very crowded, around lunchtime.  The manager rang me up since I "only" had 8 items and all the same item, at that.  I had a very short receipt.

One of the cart attendants helped me load the truck.  He was very sweet and said I had a lovely smile.  I grinned at him. 

I took a last drink of the (I pay for it so it doesn't go in the sales tax exempt transaction) diet soda and threw it away. 

"Why'd you do that?" he asked.  He could tell I wanted to finish the drink. 
"The driver won't let me take it in the truck". 
"Why not?" 
"Worried about the leather (seats)". 
"Really?" 
"Yeah.  Everyone I know with leather seats is all 'Don't hurt the leather!""
"Huh!"
"Yeah.  Thanks again!" 

We headed off to the wholesale place.  The driver got lost and was looking at his cell phone while driving.  I worry at times. 

We finally got there and we went "By the ramp" as I was directed by the "girl" who took my order.  I wandered in and found someone in charge, who told me to go to the window.  The pickup business was booming.  They had a forklift and pallets of water going into the back of someone's truck.  Someone else was buying breakroom supplies. 

I wanted coffee vending items.  Mary (our longtime rep) helped me. 

She told me the order was $200.15.  Not $215.  I scrounged some change out of my pocket and gave it to her "exact".  She was happy and had me sign after I inspected the goods.  What I ordered, in good shape.  Gimme that pen.

Our driver backed up the truck.  They loaded the items without waiting for him to get out and unlock the tailgate.  That's kind of a "thing" with him.  I understand why he does it but people don't like to wait. 

The vending stuff hung out happily with the cases of bottled water.  We went to work. 

I had no idea how I was going to unload the cart.  I only have 3 carts.  One folds and has a bad wheel.  The other two were loaded up with merchandise. 

I realized, though, I only needed the top of one cart, to put the water, as it was going right into the fridge anyway.  I cleared the easiest one off and got that started.  Then I put the folding cart on top of that. 

I was very careful pulling the cart out to the parking area.  I didn't want the folder falling off and hurting me, or someone else. 

I got out there and loaded the coffee supplies on the folding cart, and the water onto the other cart.  I dragged them both into the building.  I put the water next to the fridge for Ron, and he got it.  He can basically let it fall down onto his lap and then push it into the fridge. 

Snacks looked terrible so I got started on that.  I had some complaints so I fixed that.  One customer was angry and accused me of doing a bad stocking job "And now it won't sell it to me".  I had to explain that the motor was bad, not the stocking.  I told her I would move the product to another row and change the price on it, so it would remain 70 cents.  I sold her the item she wanted and made change.  She was happy after that. 

Someone else was very angry a machine wouldn't take his money.  As it turns out, it had eaten a really poor-condition dollar bill, that's why it wasn't working.  Once I got that out it was fine. 

It makes such a happy little whirring sound when I clear a bill jam.  Almost as good: the sound when I clear a coin jam and everything avalanches down into the mechanism. 

Someone tried to (she said) buy an item when the vending machine door was open.  I don't know why they do that.  I got her product and change. 

All this while stocking snacks and helping Ron.  "Heather, what's this?"  Holding up a can of soda.  I do that all day long. 

One reason I see Ron's job as "assisted", he really can't do it on his own, even if he were able bodied. 

Finally done with snacks, I moved onto the coffee vending machine.  It basically pays for itself.  It does not make any "real" profit. 

I emptied the "yuck bucket" (waste bucket), which wasn't too high.  I filled coffee cups.  I added coffee grounds.  I added sugar and decided to wait on doing the cream.  I added hot chocolate, so happy I finally had it, and closed the machine. 

I need to get a scrub brush and some cleanser next time I come in.  It's getting a little sticky on the front end.  Finally done with that. 

Ron needed help.  I ran to his rescue.  I decided to stock the bottled vendor as our time was getting short, Ron was frantically rolling to and from the stockroom in his wheelchair, cases of soda in his lap, and acting rushed. 

I got the cart and loaded it with the drinks that needed to be replaced, then I got cold drinks out of the fridge.  I put the "warm" drinks into the fridge to chill and locked it up again. 

I took the cart (the folder, if you care) back to the bottled vendor and stocked, then I did the change bank because it needed dimes.  When prices are at a dollar fifteen, you need dimes.  With chips at 70 cents, I go through an endless amount of nickels.  {Filling} Change banks are a part of every service call. 

Finally done.  I was exhausted.  The lady who was supposed to meet us for a refund never showed. 

We had a really interesting ride home with a man from Ivory Coast, Africa.  French is the official language there.  He had a lovely accent. 

"You must speak at least 4 languages" I told him, and he nodded.

I meet some interesting people.