[92] Screed City

[92]

02/04/2022 Friday. Kitchen Microwave. Beaver Haus. Lower Granville, Vermont.

TGIF. Made it home by the skin of my butt. I mean, a snow storm all the way from Buffalo to Granville. I left the school at 9a it took me nine hours to get home. I barely got into the parking lot at the shop. I had to bulldoze my way into a parking spot. Then haul ass. I started Junior Mint. Went inside looking for the Big Boss. He wasn't there. I told the shop guys where to find the key to the van. Then I ran out. Loaded my shit into the car. It had a foot of snow piled on top of it. All of it. I shoveled and scraped and shoveled and scraped. I opened the back door at one point to get inside. It wouldn't shut. I don't know why. Something was wrong with the mechanism. I thought I was going to have to go get a hank of rope and tie it closed, but I got a screw driver instead. And somehow fixed whatever the hell was broke about it. I mean, I will need to have a look-see tomorrow, but it stayed shut, luckily.

The road from the shop to Highway 4 was junk. Luckily nobody was driving so I was able to use whatever space there was to not get stuck or be forced off the road by other traffic. I ran a couple stop signs. I mean, that car is not the best in the snow from a standstill.

VT 4 was okay. Not the best. One lane until I got to Rutland. Which, for the first time ever, I think, I was glad to go to Rutland. I mean, it meant not going over a mountain. Which, I mean, funny enough. I called the Publisher to ask her what route to take. She reminded me of Rutland. I mean, that is not what was funny. What was funny is since I hate driving through Rutland it never even occurred to me to take that route. Even though I have been stuck in a snow situation before that forced me to take that route. I guess that is selective memory?

The road from Rutland to Hancock was our junk. I almost went off it twice. Some points I would just spin out for no reason at all. I mean, the road was slickery, that was the reason, but it's not like I was gunning the thing or something. I mean, there was hardly any traffic, so that was good. I only saw a couple cars in the ditches. No freshies though. So I didn't need to stop and laugh at someone and then get back in the car and yell "Sucks to be you!" Just joking. I mean, I would have tried to help. I just don't have the best car for that sort of thing. I mean, I could have given someone a ride though.

When I got to Buffalo Farm Road I tried to drive in. Got stuck. Managed to back out. Into the highway. Nobody hit me. I was about to abandon the car on the side of the road when at that exact moment a plow showed up. I put my flashers on and went inside. Turned on some lights. Went back out to feed the idiot goats. I mean, those poor idiots. There is like a three foot snow drift around their hutch. I'll get a picture tomorrow. It is kind of impressive.

I mean, that is it. Aside from requiring my entire focus for nine hours, the ride was pretty un-eventful. I talked to Shane about the Donkey BOT [Book on Tape.] He is going to experiment with some slide guitar and go out to the oil fields and ask some pipe donkeys if they will let him record some sounds. Which is awesome. And in other book news, Teresa is finished with her Dishwasher edit! I mean, when it rains it poor Joe can't get a break. Just joking. I relish that everything is coming together. I mean, shit!

I guess I will try the homemade Ticklers tomorrow. They are warm, otherwise I would try them now. But, I mean, I am a little nervous. They may be pure crap. I mean, they didn't explode when I was gone, however, they did kind of re-mold the gallon jugs they are in. Meaning, they def have some bubbles. I mean, I am exactly like Young Einstein all over again:

[Insert Young Einstein Bubbles in Beer]

In Covid news. I was so very careful about using the elevator at the hotel. I mean, I am really not worried about getting the thing, but I don't really want to get it if I can help it. I mean, it is pretty simple to not use the elevator. But this morning I went down to the breakfast nook. There was about 30 people there. Kids and adults. A hockey team. I put my stuff down. Realized I forgot my travel coffee mug. Went to the front desk. The guy gave me a new key. I went up to my room. Grabbed the thing. Didn't really think. Took the elevator down. And suddenly there was four adults and three kids in the thing with me. No one wearing a mask. Myself included. I just stood there. Trapped. I mean, I didn't even bother holding my breath. I knew I was fucked either way. I mean, we will see. It is not looking good though. I mean, nobody was coughing or looked sick, not really, I mean, the adults looked slightly hungover. I mean there was a bunch of Bud cans and pizza crusts in the hallway this morning. And it sounded like a party was happening last night. Not only that, but the huge mess they were making in the breakfast nook. Fucking animals. I mean, they didn't even pretend to clean up. How do people become so entitled? It is weird. I mean, I am sorry, if you are in charge of kids, even if they aren't your kids, you clean up after them. Kids are stupid. They don't know how messy they are. They just don't. Adults do, though. And these assholes. Not only that, but there is a severe labor shortage at places like these hotels. So, I mean, all they are doing is making more work for the one poor sucker that kept the job. I mean, if he quits, I mean, sorry, but you are either going to have to sleep in your car or go to the Hilton downtown, where they expect douchebags like you to act like entitled morons. That is why it costs so much. I mean, the whole point of American Capitalism is for rich people to treat poor people like shit. I mean, and if you aren't rich and you are forced to pay rich people prices for basic things then you are just treating yourself like shit.

I guess that is all I got. I think I will get some good sleep tonight and be able to work on Postal Teen tomorrow. I mean, that book is a little hard on the old emotions. Unless something phenomenal happens, have a good weekend!