So I get to Marriott Courtyard in Brownsville earlier.  I didn't ask for a high end hotel, at all. I just wanted  a bed to sleep on.  Remember that I am still driving a rental truck, that has no sleeper and therefore no bed.

I was sent down to Brownsville today. I reminded my manager last night of the need for a hotel. She said contact here wherever I ended up today (not sure why she didn't think I would end up down here) and she would get me a room.  So, 14 hours today.  It's not just driving. It's getting the truck loaded, getting on the road, 1/2 forced break, fuel, hills slowing the truck down, traffic in Houston. 

Oh!!!! I saw the most insane accident I have ever witnessed today!  This dude driving a very nice pickup - pulling what I guessed to be about a 25 foot long trailer.  Whatever caused the situation to start, I'm not sure.  It was just him in that accident, I think he hit the center concrete divider and that's what caused the trailer to shoot out sideways.  Whatever the cause, I watched this truck literally get booted up into the air, do an almost 380 degree turn - IN THE AIR - and the LAND ON HIS OWN TRAILER!!

I was coming from the other direction so I didn't stop.  But I did see the guy try to open the door to his pickup and then ? He slumped back on his seat and that was the last I saw of that.  I don't think he died, he just got messed up in being slung around like that.

Oh, well anyway. I mean, I drove all day long.  I got to the yard down here, dropped the trailer and then went over here to the Marriot.  Tractor only, I'll pick up the trailer in the yard in the morning.  Anyway, this dude behind the counter - really nice guy, not faulting him at all for this situation - looked up my name. Oh yes, I was talking to her earlier.  She said something about you having a CLC card?   I'm looking at him dumbfounded, I'm sure. What is a CLC card? It's a corporate card to make purchases.  Uhh, no, I don't have that.  My manager was supposed to take care of all of this.

I mean, I pushed it all day long to get to a hotel so I could get to a room and watch the entirety of the SOTU.  That's State of the Union Address - Trump.  After trying to call my manager numerous times and texting her, I gave up. Do you mind if I just go sit over there and have a beer or something? I really wanted to see the SOTU.  I gave up on that, but these people came behind me and set me down at a table at the lounge and walaah. This table had it's own 36 inch flatscreen tv, they turned the thing on and there was Trump, greeting people on his way in

So anyway, I wanted that beer.  There was a dude sitting up at the bar, alone, no one else around.  Is there anyone working here?  He smiled and said he could get me a beer if I wanted one.  Umm, he didn't look like a hotel worker, but what the heck.  About the time he was going to do it, the bartender showed up.  Well I started talking to this guy about politics since it was the SOTU and was all into that.  Well, I got up from there and went back to the table to watch the SOTU, he came over, uninvited, to watch it as well. Have a seat! No, he said, I 'like standing, I sit too much.

We talked back and forth for quite a while.  I was a little bit amazed to find out this cool, laid back dude, probably in his 30's, casual dress, was the CEO of whatever company, supplies custom tools to auto manufacturers to install certain parts into new vehicles that robots don't, apparently, do.  He never actually said who he was, he just went back behind the bar and helped himself enough times that I got the feeling he was more than he was coming off as. The encounter was interesting because he didn't come off as a rich "snoot". Just a laid back person.

Anyway, I never did get a hold of my manager, though I tried repeatedly, and finally just paid for the room myself. I was pretty disappointed that I was facing such a scenario yet again with this company, tho..  It's a $179 room, I asked because I considered just paying for it myself.  I was like, ohh. Well, the dude said he could bring the price down for me.  Why? I wondered.  Why were they giving me free food, beer and a lowered rate?  Well whatever, I didn't say that to them, I just was having fun, but inwardly, a but upset about all of this nonsense I have gone through with this company. They have good intentions, they just don't follow through, or, they simply don't have their act together.  I have jumped through numerous hoops for them, I would like to wish that they could at least get their act together. 

Well, I paid for the hotel.  I wasn't about to go looking for a place after working 14 hours and I had had a couple of beers, so totally illegal to drive a commercial vehicle even if only a tractor or the fact that it was only a couple of beers.  Not worth it. 

It was an hour and a half later my manager finally contacted me back. Texting. I had called her - several times.  Then I ended it with a text.  She got the situation resolved and I asked them at the desk, is this going back on my card? 

Welp. It's 11 pm.  I spent hours in that lobby.  I mean, I was starving and went back down there and asked this very energetic bar tender if she had any food. Why, sure! I have leftover stuff from the happy hour, would you like some? I made it myself! It's really good! Why yes!  She brought me a big plate of it, another beer and said no thanks for paying for it.  Ohhhhhkaaaayyyyy!!  I let her a nice cash tip after eating and drinking and here I am, in the room. 

I'm really trying to make this job work. But there have been so many negatives.  I think the worst part of it, for me, is that I"m in the 4th truck since starting here less than 3 months ago.  Obviously I'm not going to be staying in a rental truck and certainly not one without a sleeper and have to pay for a hotel every night.

Well whatever. Long day, tired, going to sleep.