You may recall that I've been having obstacles to overcome to procure my daily 44 oz Diet Coke. Road crews don't work on the weekend, by cracky! So it has been smooth sailing to town for a couple days. Monday, Farmer H sent me a text that the side-mower was working again on my main route to town. I passed that information on to The Pony, who was getting out to meet a friend.
The Pony returned information that the three-vehicle, six-man stand-around crew was working on my SECOND route to town. But Farmer H returned home before I left, and said that surely that second crew was past our bridge by then, and on the route with the side-mower.
I decided I would look for clues when I stopped for the mail before taking either route. AHA! There was the bright orange sign they put up declaring ROAD WORK. It was just across our little low water bridge, but pointing up the hill, toward my main route. That sealed the deal. I would turn left, and take the second route, which would be, as Farmer H prophesied, clear of road crews.
After harvesting the mail from EmBee's innards, I climbed into T-Hoe to take a glance at it. WOO HOO! A couple of casino offers from Oklahoma. A receipt for my monthly health insurance premium check from Newmentia. And the ATT bill.
A white pickup truck pulling a flatbed trailer came down the hill and stopped at mailbox row. A passenger reached in to get their mail. Then the truck turned into our gravel road. I was parked off to the side. He had plenty of room.
I stuffed the good mail in my purse, and put the adds in the trash bag I keep in T-Hoe for just such junk mail. As I buckled my seatbelt, I heard a grinding noise. I looked up to see
A YELLOW COUNTY DUMP TRUCK, PUSHING A SCOOP THAT PICKED UP GRAVEL AND SMALL TREE LIMBS FROM THE ROAD!
As I sat there, T-Hoe in gear, my mouth hanging open, that dump truck crossed over our little low water bridge, and headed up my second route to town. I had snoozed, and I losed!
It was an omen. I did not even win my money back on scratchers.
Did you have to follow him at slow speed or go around the other way?
ReplyDeleteI am thoughtful and considerate enough to remind you: if you were still working, you wouldn't have these troubles. You'd be slaving over a desk, grading papers and chained to your classroom computer.
ReplyDeleteRetirement's not so nice, is it!
River,
ReplyDeleteI followed him a short distance, then he saw me, and backed up to get off to the side of the road, so there was room for me to get around. Good thing I stayed back 500 feet, like his sign said! Okay. I was only back about 100 feet. But that gave him room to move back.
I'm glad I didn't go around the other way, because The Pony had done so after lunch, and later informed me that he ran into TWO road crews at different ends of the road.
***
Sioux,
There you go, playing Tom Sawyer, making me envious of the great time you'll be having! Good thing you didn't throw in a brass doorknob and six firecrackers, or I might have offered to substitute for you!