Sometimes it seems as though I can never have a really lovely week without paying for it by an awful one soon thereafter. Grace and Chekhov planned to get on the road with their first load a week ago today, but the preparations took so much longer than planned they didn’t get to town to install the last of the safety equipment until late afternoon, which meant it wouldn’t be done until first thing the next morning. So I got them a hotel in town, and was awakened early the next morning to the news that the work (and other equipment & modifications made over the previous three weeks) had maxed out Grace’s credit card, and she no longer had enough credit to purchase the amount of fuel needed for a cross-country trip with a multi-ton load. After my initial reaction to being awakened to a crisis (which, unless you have a taste for severe verbal and emotional abuse, you never ever ever want to see), I took all the cash I had on hand ($500) and sent it via MoneyGram to her card. I’ve sent friends and loved ones money this way for years; it sometimes takes a little bit of argument with the credit card company to get the money applied immediately (if I’m unlucky enough to get a drone who absolutely insists it can’t be done, necessitating the infliction of second-degree ear burns over the phone until he turns me over to a supervisor who then does exactly what the first guy swore couldn’t be done), but in general the money is on the card within 60 minutes. Well, not this time. I was informed by not one but both companies that, despite the fact that we all agreed the money was there, it “couldn’t” be applied to her card until Thursday morning because the computers wouldn’t allow it. (Needless to say, that’s the last time I’ll attempt this formerly-effective maneuver). She had enough credit for Tuesday, and on Wednesday our friend kindly donated the fuel, and on Thursday morning I woke up spontaneously at 5:30 for long enough to recognize that it was 8:30 on the East Coast, make the call, demand a supervisor, direct said supervisor to read the notes on the account, be assured the money was there, text Grace to that effect and go right back to sleep.
And so I stupidly thought everything would be just fine until Friday afternoon, when the radiator blew in the mountains of eastern Oregon. AAA+ has saved my lovely butt many times and this was no exception, but the radiator was not available locally and we were told the soonest it would arrive would be Tuesday. So they’re cooling their heels in a small eastern Oregon town, and with any luck the repair will be made tomorrow and they’ll be on their way again, arriving probably Wednesday (with this heavy a load, their top speed is 58 mph). As you can imagine, I was in a foul mood all last week, and was only saved from it by loyal readers and clients (may Aphrodite shower blessings upon them!) who donated sufficient funds for me to put them up in a hotel, buy a new radiator & pay for repairs and add enough fuel money for the remaining trip. Needless to say, I’ve mandated a long rest for them once they arrive, during which the truck will receive a thorough checkup before returning for load two…which I sincerely hope I’ll have nothing worth saying about.
Oh, and if you want a really good deal on a prepaid session? Now is the time to email me about that.
