July 16, 2009

           What’s this, a postal notice for a certified letter? Yep, and that was the highlight of the day, again proving that American jobs make you brain dead. And the better you are at the job, the more brain dead you become. Here's an important letter, which they will only deliver to your house when they are fairly certain you are away at work. Duh. Ask any civil servant. This card met the criteria for the superlative event of the day, so it gets top billing here. Kind of makes one wish the plumbing had backed up again or something, but that notice is top story. Carlos phone number has changed, for the third time this past month. There you go.
           Bite my tongue, it was slow at the shoe shop today. Some lady brought in 36 pairs for new heels but that only kept us busy a few hours. Where is Imelda Marcos when you need her? Some of the shoe equipment is showing its age and often cannot keep up with two of us using them. Closer inspection shows that they are all sewing or nailing machines of some type. And Fred knows a sewing machine mechanic. We closed an hour early today for lack of business.
           There is one machine bolted to the floor that does nothing but shoot small wires into the heel to secure it to the sole. It is a real contraption with a bale of wire on a six-inch bobbin. There is a dial to regulate the size of the wire to ensure it does not poke through, but only one or two settings ever get used. I told Alfredo about those battery powered brad guns that carpet layers now use. It took all my Spanish to ensure him it was a small nail, not a staple. I mean, if it does the same job, donate the big machine to the shoemaking museum.

           The lady who looked at the room called to say she did not want it. Oddly, she was more concerned today about the musical equipment all over the place. She said she liked to “live alone where it was quiet” so I hope she knows that can cost all your money. When others are at home, I practice only in the evenings. And I think we are all in agreement that I am not going to start hiding pianos and guitars. The ad says there are musicians already on the premises.
           I went over to the computer shop before quitting time. Business has finally dried up completely, as in not enough to pretend things may turn around. My sales are only 16% of the same time last year, less than half the rent. These may very well be the end times, or at least the situation that forces us into far smaller premises with a streamlined operation. At least I'm still making money, but I'm alone on that and can't afford the whole shop myself.
           So all will know, this is not a heat wave. We are not in the middle of anything unusual just because it is over 90 degrees outside. Every day. This is a normal Florida fry-an-egg-in-the-shade” summer. Get inside and let the grass grow, learn to make iced tea, and learn where the air conditioning is free. Casinos, bookstores, malls, libraries, there are lots of places to, as it were, chill out. I’d suggest under this building but Pudding-Tat beat you to it.

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