Stopped by the C on Willie-D today after work….

… to take El Jefe’s book back to him that I didn’t have an opportunity to read.  (“Venus on a Half Shell” by fictional author Kilgore Trout, a recurring character in Kurt Vonnegut’s books.  Actually written by Philip José Farmer)  I didn’t take the time to read it due to studying and trying to make a meager living…. and the reading time is now at a standstill while the new job is being assimilated.

Saw Bessie, and another guy from another store, and the guy that is replacing me.  And of course, El Jefe hisself.  All were merry as could be at the C on Willie-D.

As it should be.

Curiouser

Things are getting.

Day One…

I arrived at the new job site before 8:00 and had to wait in the lobby for a while until my primary supervisor noticed me on a walk thru.  Boy was he surprised… he thought that I was going to start next Monday, and he had just come in from a 2 week vacation to the Monday Firedrills du Jour.  He & I collected my computer and monitor and took them to a cube in the next room and I connected things as best I could… an adapter for the monitor was missing.  Once that was found, he said that the box didn’t have the software that I need to do the jobs hadn’t been loaded yet.  And sooo……

Another contractor was called in to load the software.  While he was doing that, I was taken out to the factory floor… after being supplied with safety goggles, helmet, etc. (including a loaner pair of steel toed boots) and shown some of the issues that I’ll need to address.  Then I was deposited back in the engineering department to wait for the computer action to be completed.  I used the time to sketch up some ideas and look thru my Machinery’s Handbook for a special Metric thread.. which doesn’t exist. Looks like the machinery out on the floor uses a non standard thread on the ends of the shafts.

0nce the computer was up and running I began to make some models of the ideas regarding the threaded thingy.  This is gonna be interesting, finding someone that will make the threaded fasteners.  O-Ell.  Life’s a Cabaret, ole chum.  More later… at least I get to come back tomorrow…..

No longer am I peddling whisky to the stars….

Tonight was the last time that I’ll work for the Virginia ABC.  No more.  No mas.  I’m going to miss my peeps to whom I peddled whisky but not as much as I’ll miss my good friends with whom I’ve worked; it’s going to be lonely without them all.  I’ll still stop by and see them from time to time; send them text messages and e-mails, call from time to time…

They gave me a nice card complete with sincere notes… The newest employee, Alia, gave me a copy of “On The Road” by Jack Kerouac;  I mentioned that I would have liked to have read the book when I was younger.  I saw her reading it whenever she took her lunch breaks, and we struck up  conversations regarding literature, music, travel… I kept asking her, “Where were you when I needed you?” when we struck a chord with one another.  But then I would remark that her momma and daddy probably hadn’t even met yet when I needed her….  She would laugh…

Alia made a unit of delicious cupcakes for my sending off, El Jefe made a batch of his famous cookies too, and all of my co-workers gave me the card with warm wishes and tender notes penned within it.  I’m deeply touched.  El Jefe said that he wishes that he could have paid me enough to keep me on because I have been such an asset to the operation, and he isn’t yanking my chain on that one; for this I’m certain.  Over the years many customers told me that they shop at the C on Willie-D rather than at a store closer to their homes because they enjoy conversing with me and my humor, also.  I’ve congratulated them on milestones and offered condolences at times of grief.  Kind words, kind words indeed!  I’m always touched.  Many of them I’d asked if I could take their pictures so that I’d never forget them after I leave.  I would have liked to have taken more, like a picture of Tony One Shot, but these folks didn’t stop by.  A few people such as Mr. Wallace were in a hurry and couldn’t stay for a photo-op (although, Mr. Wallace did say that he would e-mail one to me…)

I’m going to miss the people and customers at the C on Willie-D, but it is time to move on, much as Ulysses did after each trial encountered on his journey home from the Trojan Wars.  And like Ulysses, I’m on the next leg of the journey, a Contract Process Engineer on a short term contract.  Where will my sojourn take me?  What is the destination, for that matter?  Maybe I’m on a never-ending voyage like ‘The Flying Dutchman’  an overture on an endless loop on an 8-track tape?  Who knows but God himself…. Yarr, Mateys!  Monday we cast off the lines and set sail for….

Windows Live is having some issues

I was chatting with my peeps in England & about the globe last nite when the program kicked me out… So, I tried to send an off line message to my pal Virtual Wayne… and Live crashed.  Tried signing in again, and the little bahstid began having connectivity issues.  Still having issues today.  Even tried resetting my password.  No go.  Wonder if someone has hijacked Messenger?  Then with me having reset my password, they will wander the globe doing evil in the good name of CyberDave… Conspiracy theories abound…

Job Offer….

I received a call while at work from a contracting agent asking if I would like the job that he & I have been communicating about.  After some parlaying he said he would contact the client and get back to me in an hour.  He did. I do.  Contract design for a short period… so I beached my boat, burned it to the waterline, and turned in my two week notice.  I’ll begin work on 1 November.

More as more happens….

 

(Huzzah!)

Suicide

My dear friend lost a close relative to suicide, a family tradition.  He’s off in the Territories now, joining the other survivors in their loss and grieving as a unit.  I didn’t know his relative personally, only through my conversations with my pal, but he was a good chap, and he & I shared some common considerations.  I mourn for them both, and their families.  I feel that I have lost a friend as well.

Situations such as this are few and far between, so there is rarely a base from which to draw to express ones feelings, compassion, empathy…  How does one relate?  Dunno. One tries the best one can, and mourns…