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Thanks to the holiday schedule my military retirement check posted only yesterday. I put off going to the credit union as long as possible but still give myself time to get things accomplished before reporting to second shift.

At the credit union the rent is duly put in the landlord's checking account--I have NEVER stiffed him which I suspect is the reason he keeps me around since my yardwork skills and building upkeep abilities are not the sterling qualities I am famous for. The Internal Revenue Service gets their monthly catch up payment. I'm up to year 2005 now and maybe will get caught up in about five more years. Long story--boring in the detail. There is enough left to pay the power company, a small payment on my adventures in heart attack land--almost paid off--so close I can begin to savor that moment and a small credit card payment which gets it there on time but little to diminish the balance--but line upon line precept upon precept. The important payment is to Dell to put enough on the account to be able to order the McAffee security for a year disk for the new computer as the 30 days freebie expires the 14th. By the time I need it in a year from now it won't be a problem ordering it. I think about the Bookery, sigh and head to the post office instead. Stamps are bought and I almost mail my stuff out there as is my habit but the temptation of the Bookery whispers its magic and I need to also eat before work and time is beginning to crunch.

To my own surprise and no credit to maturity I drive by the Bookery and go to the gas station where $30 hits the tank where I congratulate myself on doing the right priority in funds dispersal not knowing in about four hours this sacrifice to my need for colored pieces of paper as my mother-in-law once described my vice would be blowing up in my face.

I grab a sauage hot dog from the gas station and regret it inside of two bites but finish it anyway on the way to work. At work I get my envelopes ready for the mailbox outside the front office of AAA then settle in to pretend to care about someone idiotic enough to run out of fuel on the interstate which is no place for your car to suddenly stop running at a high rate of speed.

For about two hours we are buried in call volume. There was one fellow I dealt with who simply could not be pleased. He needed a flatbed and a 15 minute callback. My driver wanted to eat first. My blunder was to call the member and imply the driver wouldn't be too far behind him. Members that need 15 minutes often take 25 to 30 getting somewhere and I wanted to make sure he was called as we were quite busy. I sensed he would be trouble as he wanted to know my name right off and the calltaker he had spoken to. He ended up waiting for the tow truck 30 minutes after arrival. Not all that bad a wait for a flatbed in my reality but members rarely understand what really goes on with tow service. Give him that much. But he went on and on about the terrible service and even called the calltaker back to whine some more. Some people just can't wait. He thought he might have to pay some overmileage and had gone home to get the money which wasn't needed. Plus it was his mother's place which made no sense to me--try a pleasant visit with dear old mom while you wait. Maybe she can't stand him either. I listened to him biting my tongue at his arrogance and he got annoyed with the silence until I flat out told him what more was there to say--I had already apologized and you can only do so much of that before it becomes meaningless. I believe he's the type who likes to lord it over service representatives and after all these years I am more amused then worried about their precious egos. I cost him a half hour of his life--he'll live.

The Ruth called. Her Ford Escape has a flat tire. Sigh. I mentally start saying goodby to the Bookery for another week. I AM saying goodby to my truck she'll be borrowing tomorrow for her school and the gas she'll be using up basically a trip and half back and forth to work for me. On Thursday she can get another tire since right now there is just a donut spare and they are usually only good for about 15-20 miles.

But God is still good and Logos still doesn't call so all is right with the universe.

Plus I finished Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Should start Memoirs soon.