I got up this morning and headed down to the truckstop for coffee and to get my paperwork finished up. While working on the paperwork I got a call from the office wanting to know where I was. I told him where I was and what I was doing and that I'd be back there once I had the paperwork finished. They obviously had something they wanted me to do.
Once I got back "R" asked if I would mind running up to Oshkosh to pick up a piece he needed at the yard for a load. Sure, why not? Should be a quick trip.
Yeah, right.
There are three of us here and the piece that I am supposed to pick up had some problems and won't be ready until some time after 2:00. I called and let them know what was going on. He asked if I minded waiting around for it. Yes, as a matter of fact I do mind sitting around here for three or four hours while I have my own load sitting back at the yard.
He said he would make some calls and see if anyone else would be around the area later today that could make the pick up and would call me back. As I haven't yet heard back from him I am assuming that I am going to be stuck sitting here until the damn piece is ready. I feel like calling him and telling him to stick it where the sun don't shine because I don't feel like sitting here, but I know that would leave him in a bind if the piece doesn't get picked up.
This is not how I intended to spend my day. I wanted to get the firetruck loaded up and make some tracks down the road as soon as possible so that I won't be rushed to get it there. Ah well, such is the trucking business. Things rarely go exactly as planned.
All I can do at this point is fill a meerschaum with some of my favorite tobacco and enjoy a smoke while I wait.
I misplaced my good pipe tool. I suspect that I left it back at home the last time I was in. I haven't been able to find it since I left out this round so that's probably where it is. I've been improvising with a small metal container as tamper and a paper clip as a reamer/ash blade. This morning on the way back to the yard I stopped by the tobacconist shop and picked up a cheap one to use until I get back home again and can get my good one.
Since I'm killing today screwing around with this crap I guess I won't be heading out now until tomorrow morning. I suppose I'll just have to go down to the watering hole this evening and force myself to drink a few beers.