Apparently a simple apology goes a long way.  I don't necessarily believe I owed her one, but I did it anyway. She did not, however, apologize back for her behavior, I just shrugged it off.  If I'm going to continue to work there, I can't be at odds with the "new" manager - temporary - that I have been assigned to.  She could easily get me dismissed out of there by complaining to the right person.

That person, the "right person",  is at our terminal, running things. Nope, he isn't running anything, he's just "there".  The lady that I apologized to is running the show, she lives in Louisiana not far from Nawlins.  She manages her own terminal and crew of drivers.  The dude at the terminal is a mid-level manager.  I don't know that man, I've heard very bad things about him, including a hot temper and a penchant for raising his voice at people. I haven't seen either traits exhibited, but I have no reason to not believe the people that are saying it, either.  I really don't care - unless that s*** is directed towards me.

I do not give managers reason to yell at me.  I do whatever they ask, I am respectful, courteous and polite. I'm not an ass-kisser per se, but respect is necessary in the workplace.  One person - not a driver - informed it was best to steer clear of him - and that I am doing as much as possible.  But it is impossible to not go into the office after every run.  Still, I haven't had any bad interactions with him, I hope it will stay that way.  It's certainly  not abnormal that after letting go a manager that they send someone in to make sure everything continues to operate smoothly.

Anyway, the Nawlins manager suddenly took a personal interest in me - again - I think this is where it kinda goes south. Seems to be too much of a personal interest.  She did this last time before things went south.  She indicated today there is a West Virginia run available on Saturday.  Sure!  Well it's ahead of a few other drivers, but....  I don't know what that means. I do know Ann did that on numerous occasions.  And not for me.  It's whatever to me.

I"ve taken my share, more than my share, of endless, consecutive, low-paying runs.  Or watching 5 people getting dispatched before I was yet they got back to the yard after I got in.  First in, first out? I never called Ann out on that or other times I found out for a fact I was getting dispatched behind other drivers who were getting more work.  People threatening to quit, so she caved.  And other reasons.  So maybe it's just my turn. I dunno, but I am not asking for special favors and so it's all on her.  I'll take the work, that's what I can say.  And I won't be saying anything to other drivers about it.

Meanwhile, I got back to the yard today, got into an elongated discussion with other drivers who happened to be at the yard about the current circumstances, then asked the mechanic when he was planning on taking the truck into the shop? It's under warranty, they're going to have Peterbilt fix it for free.  Uhh, tonight or tomorrow.  Can I take it in?  Sure.  I recruited another driver to drive the pickup over to the shop - some 45 miles away - but, that driver and I both get paid for taking it over there.  And that driver wasn't doing anything but sitting around watching tv, he readily accepted.

There have been many, many times when the truck needed repaired they would let it sit for days before taking it in. No thanks.  That is "my" truck. I have it dialed in the way I want it. I don't want to be in a spare truck.  I will if I have to - which I probably will for this next run - but at least get the thing into the shop and get it into the queue there to have a mechanic work on it.  It only needs a fuel pump, that shouldn't be more than a day job.  If I do get this run this manager says I'll get - on Saturday - it's going to West Virginia. The spare truck is an automatic. I hate automatic tractors.  They just plain suck, but it's the wave of the future! Most big companies are doing away with them.  They are pandering to a new generation of truck drivers that don't know how to operate a stick shift and don't want to learn.

Anyway, I have a tooth hurting - it's one of the teeth this dentist that I've spent uber amounts of money at worked on. He took out an old, silver filling and put this - whatever - stuff in there.  It hurts like the dickens when I bite on it and now, after taking a bite today of something that hit it just right, it's constant, low-level pain.  I tried to call for an appointment tomorrow - but they close early on Thursdays?  Weird.  I'll call in the morning and see if they can get me in.  Tooth pain is no laughing matter and it never just gets better on it's own.

If they can't, I very likely will see if I can find another dentist that can.  There's plenty of them in town and this isn't something I just want to let go and hope it doesn't get too much worse any time soon.

And good ole' Addler.  I left him and Aspyn home on this trip - I was really going through it in my mind with this situation with Maria, that other house and all the stress and drama that keeps going on there.  I'm really thinking I want out of that situation, but at the same time, there is a new lady there and perhaps this stuff will die down? Some sense of normalcy? I'm tired of the headache of every single month, a new person needs to be found for the place.  OH, I got distracted, anyway I left the dogs home this time, it was just an overnight run. I do plenty for the folks here, they can help me out once in a while : )

Well, Taylor let them in, Addler went straight to my room and jumped on my bed - wet and muddy.  No worries for me, I have a doggy blanket covering my bed when I'm not sleeping in it.  But, Taylor came in, told him to get off the bed and he growled at her, snarling his teeth!  Dumb dog.  Granted the dog is no longer used to being left out all day long, tough.  Taylor said she smacked his ass and he stopped, got off the bed and came back out, lol.  Good!  Not good he was snarling tho, if I'd been here I would have beat his ass.  He "allowed" her to dry him off.