11/21/2014

Learning curve in the rear-view mirror

The most difficult part of my assignment was locating the fleet services desk in the maze of offices and garages. Next time I'll take a big ball of string, bread crumbs, and the departmental ID code number.

The gal on the phone at the feed store asked if I meant "straw" when I asked for "hay bales". Just so you know, a two-stringer is 14"x36"x18" and a three-stringer is 16"x48"x24".

So, at the fleet services desk they hoped I wouldn't mind that the pick-up truck had a camper on it. No problem. Well, except the problem of not being able to use the rear-view mirror. And we all know objects in side mirrors are closer than they appear.

The guy at Wells Bros. Feed Store stuffed six two-stringer straw bales into the camper-covered pick-up bed. That was maximum capacity. No need for the tax-free ID number as there's no sales tax on straw. So many things to learn! No matter that they were all out of corn stalks.

When I got back to work I had to clamber up on the tailgate and drag the bales out. A bale is not as heavy as I expected, but I wouldn't want to carry them around all day.

Driving the fleet pickup was a bit trickier. I kept getting stuck to the bare foam of the seat, then sort of falling out the door. The pickup seemed to be lumbering like a tortoise, but was actually going 45 mph. The speed trap cop ignored my City vehicle.

ODAA  Other duties as assigned
OJT On the job training
OLDP Old lady driving pick-up
ODAT One day at a time
What was the name of that author from Sri Lanka? Michael...  Ondaatje

Green Acres is the place for me!

Green Acres is the place to be. 
Farm livin' is the life for me. 
Land spreadin' out so far and wide 
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside. 

New York is where I'd rather stay. 
I get allergic smelling hay. 
I just adore a penthouse view. 
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue. 


© 2014 Nancy L. Ruder

2 comments:

Kathleen said...

You delight me! But now I've got that song in my head.

Anonymous said...

Hilarious story
Mary