Busy Busy

Lately I feel like I've been going, going, going none stop. I hate those days where you feel like you haven't gotten a chance to just sit and chill for a few minutes and before you know it, it's time for bed to just wake up and start all over the next day.


My dad had hand surgery a few wks ago. He tore the tendon in his finger and the surgeon 1st thought it was be a quick, simple procedure. However, when they got in they realized that the rip wasn't were they thought it was (in his pinky finger) but actually in the palm of his hand. They moved down to the palm to reattach the tendon to then find out that he had arthritis in his hand so bad that the tendons looked like spider webs. SO.. they had to take some from another part of his palm and put it where the tear was. He was in a cast for the 1st week. From fingertips to elbow. He started physical therapy 4 days after surgery and has to go twice a week for 7 wks. Once he finally got his stitches out they took off the cast and put on a brace that goes from fingertips to the middle of his arm. He can't take it off except to wash it twice a day, to do his exercises and to have it massaged to get the swelling to go down. Today he hit a milestone. He has finally learned how to shower and dress himself lol. My mom's greatful for that. It's pretty hard to do those things 1 handed. He still can't drive so 1 of us has to take him (her) and 1 of us has to pick him up (me or her) daily. Also, take him to his P.T. appointments. It isn't even my own arm and I can't wait for him to get out of the brace and be able to do more things.


Sat. was the last day of class for this semester. We get 2 wks off then go back. Here I thought having a Sat. class from 10-2pm was shitty. Ohhhh no.. next semester?? Another Sat. class, except this time it's from 9am-5pm. Jesus! That's 8 freakin' hours! WTF? I know I'm going to be asleep within the 1st 45 min. AND we have papers due every week! Ugh.. it's not even here yet and I'm already dreading it.


On to other news.. I've seen Bruce a few times since the last time and he STILL hasn't asked me out, called me to hang out or set a time for lunch. I have no idea if he really is interested or not. The other day we took my mom's car up there for an oil change and dropped it off. He wasn't there so I just assumed he wasn't working that day. When we went back to pick it up later, he was there. As we walked in to the front counter he was standing there..

Bruce: Hey! What are you doing here?

Me: Picking up her car.. she had an oil change done.

Bruce: Oh.. I didn't know her car was here. Let me get the paperwork.

He walks back a few minutes later and jokes around with me about the cost and other things. Is he flirting?? I can't tell. Maybe he's just a joker with everyone. Then he says something smartass and my mom goes.. ".. and which truck is his out there?" and I tell her which 1 it is. His boss was also standing there helping another customer and says.. "and how do you know which vehicle is his?" as he laughs. I look at Bruce before answering and his eyes go big.. he looks from me to his boss and back again. I chuckle and say 'well.. we've been here enough times the last few wks it wasn't hard to figure out'. I look back at Bruce and he looks relieved. Guess it ISN'T policy to pick up customers for their cars? lol


Finally we leave and have some errands to run before my mom has to pick my dad up from work. I meet her at Target down the street and when we get there, she tells me that her oil light is still on.. they never reset it. We go inside and I call the shop and ask to talk to him. He gets on and I tell him the deal and ask when I can bring it back.. I say in 1/2 hr, he says 'but i'll be at lunch then. I mean.. you can bring it back any time... whatever is good for you'. So I agree that I'll wait for him to get back. I get there and another shop guy meets me in the parking lot, guess he was waiting for me. He jumps in and resets it real fast.. took all of 60 seconds.. and tells me I'm good to go. I never even got the chance to see Bruce. As I'm trying to back out of the spot, I see him walk behind by car by 1 of the bays. I roll down the passenger window and say "hey! You better watch it! You're gonna get run over"

Him: 'WHAT?' as he walks over to my passenger winder and leans in

Me: 'I saaaiiddd... watch it or you're gonna get run over" (as I laugh)


He says something smart ass, we both laugh and I leave. About 4 hrs later I was out to dinner and didn't hear my phone ring at first. Thought I did.. but wasn't sure. I checked it a few min. later and I had a missed call and a vmail. I listened to the vmail and all he said was 'hey j, it's Bruce. I have a quick question for you, could you please call me back at 407-....." Of course it was the shops number, and I won't lie.. I got my hopes up. I called back, he eventually got on the phone.

Me: "hey.. it's J. What's up?"


Bruce: 'Oh hey! One of my guys lost his flashlight, he thinks he left it in your moms car... did you happen to see it? It's kinda big and expensive and he's freaking out"


Me: 'No. I'm sorry, I didn't see it and I'm not in that car or at home at the moment but I can check when I get home if that's O.K?'


Bruce: "Sure... of course. Thanks.."


Me: "Anything else?"


Bruce: 'Nope. that was it."

There was a long pause until I finally broke it.


Me: 'Oh. O.k. then.. I'll talk to you later. I"ll call you if I find it"


Bruce: "O.K... thanks. Bye"


And we hang up. That was it. Nothing more. WTF?!?!? UGH! This is driving me crazy!! SO! I've got a plan. It isn't so much as a plan but more of a straight forward approach. My mom needs new shocks and soon. He called around and is getting them at a good price and will give her a BOGO if she goes there. My 'plan' is.. the next time I see him (provided my mom isn't standing within 8ft of me) I'm gonna ask him straight up if he's single.. if he says yes, I'm just gonna straight out ask him if he'll meet for dinner or lunch some time. I will get an actual answer from him this time.. if he says yes, I'll ask for his number and try to set it up right then. No more waiting around for him to call or for him to ask. I want a yes or a no so I can find out how to proceed. If he's got a girl.. fine.. no biggie. I'll still do business there. I hate games.. I hate that whole 'wait around and see if he calls' bullshit.


Thats my plan and I'm sticking to it! :)

Car Repairs

Let me start off saying I kinda hate my car. I loved it when I 1st bought it.. for like 2 months. Then things just kept being wrong with it. Just stupid shit, but expensive to repair b/c it didn't fall under the warranty.

It's technically an 'old' car. It's a 1999 Kia Sportage soft top. In some ways it's really cool.. but expense wise.. it really sucks. It looks just like the 1 in the pic, except mine is green. Not like lime green or anything, but more like a deep emerald green.

Anyhow, I bought it brand new and in the almost 13 yrs that I've had it it's been 1 expense after another. I'll admit, I don't take good care of my cars. I forget to get oil changes until the check engine light comes on, I forget to get gas until the gas light comes on, I don't even think about getting tires until either 1 goes flat or I notice metal sticking thru them. I'm sorry.. I'm a girl. I just don't think about those things. My thing is.. I forget. I forget a LOT of things. So, if you don't remind me or bitch at me to do it, I won't remember. Well.. my car doesn't talk.. though it would be cool if it did! I've always wanted a Transformer car lol. (Hmm.. I take that back. I'd be afraid of what it would say b/c all the things I've done in that car lol)

For the past yr or 2, I haven't really needed to drive it all that much. My dad takes pity on me so he drives it to the airport and parks it while he's away and I take his truck. Someone is almost always home at my house and I just use 1 of their cars if I need/want to go anywhere.

Well, my dad has been telling for a looonnngg time that I need to get it in and have the spark plugs changed. I couldn't even tell you IF they've ever been replaced in the 13 yrs I've had it. I called around and the lowest price I could get was the Tire Kingdom by my house. I never even thought about going there. I mean, DUH.. it's called TIRE Kingdom. I just assumed they did tires only. Stupid me.

So, 1 afternoon I dropped my car off and the guy working the counter, Bruce, was really nice and asked me all these questions I had no answer to. Sorry dude,.. I don't speak mechanic. I tossed him my keys when he said we were done and that he'd call me after they took a look.

Let me just say.. I don't 'usually' go prowling for mechanics. Yea.. I've had my fun with a mechanic before (see: Past Lovers blog - Mr. Just Breaks) but that was a 1 time thing. But there was something about Bruce. For a lack of a better description.. he was hot. Light eyes, dark hair, tall, thin and all around yummy. We joked around here and there but that was it and I left. My luck lately when I meet a guy is either 1) he's already taken 2) too old/young to date 3) is a professor at my school and can't date. (yes.. #3 is really currently a professor at my college and when we first met was in the parking lot. My school shares the building with 4 other companies so we both could have been going to some place else.. unfortunately we weren't)

Bruce called me about an hr later to explain the current health status of my car. There was like 6 things wrong and before he found some 'discounts' and coupons it was going to be over $400. Ech. That sucked. After discounts and coupons, he got it down to a little over $200. How nice! I told him to do it and let me know when it was done. He called a few hrs later to tell me I could pick it up and I did. More joking/flirting ensued but I was with my parents (dad was picking up the bill thank GOD) so that was all. Bruce told me about a few other things they found but said it wasn't vital that I get them fixed now. We said our goodbyes and we left.

But I couldn't stop thinking about him. I liked his personality. He laughed at my corny jokes and smart ass comments and I laughed at his. I had to see him again.

Dad had to get the A/C belt fixed on his truck. He had planned on just taking it back to the dealership but asked me to call Tire Kingdom the next day to see if they'd do it cheaper. My luck!?? Bruce answered the phone.

me: Hey, I'm not sure you remember me.. I'm sure you see tons of ppl everyday, but you worked on my Kia last night....

Him: OH! Hey! Yep, I remember you. What can I do for you? Is there something wrong?

Me: Nope, it's good. Just had a question about an a/c belt for a Chevy Avalanche.

He gave me his prices, which were suprisingly more than the dealership. I asked if they did price comparisons and they did. He also said he'd throw in a free oil change. SOLD! Instead of being able to just drop it off, I had to wait for it since there was no one to pick me up. I didn't mind. It just meant I was able (possibly) to talk to Bruce more. Unfortunately, the store manager was there and kept Bruce busy. Only time I got to talk to him was when he checked the car in and checked the car back out to me. Damn. Plan failed. How was I going to see him again???

2 wks later I decide that my breaks needed checking. You seriously had to push the damn pedal to the floor to get it to stop. Was that normal??? I couldn't remember. I hadn't driven the car in over 6 months. It was time to go see Bruce again. On my way home from a job interview on Wed. (2 days ago) I pulled into Tire Kingdom's parking lot hoping he was working. He saw me pulling in, in my dad's truck and came out to great me.

Him: what do you want?!? (he asked laughing)

Me: Dont get shitty with me. I'm making your paycheck. I know you've missed me (as I laughed back)

I go on to inquire about prices for my breaks. He gives me prices and walks me back to my car asking when I'll be bringing it in... would it be that day? I told him I had other things going on but I could bring it by tomorrow (Thursday). He informed me that he was working 7am til 5pm so to bring it in sometime during those hours. Now the shop is open from 7am til 9pm. Was he flirting with me? I couldn't tell.

Thurs. came (technically this morning though it's now after midnight) and I didn't even get out of bed until after 11am. When I stress out, my shoulders ache like crazy and I get a headache. Well, after that interview on Wed. I had been super stressed since. (I think I totally bombed the interview.. sad cus I really wanted the job). When I woke up this morning, my shoulders hurt so bad it hurt too much to even raise my arms up to brush my teeth. My head was pounding, my jaws hurt (I also grind my teeth and clench my jaws when I stress), and I felt like I had just come down from a wk of hard drinking. My face was all puffy and all I wanted to do was down 1/2 a bottle of Aleve and go back to bed. No such luck. I had things to do.

By 1pm I was finally feeling a little better and decided to drop my car off. Bruce was there to greet me but he wasn't very chatty. Maybe b/c my mom was with me? Idk. We joked a little but nothing like before. I shrugged it off, signed what I had to and left to go have lunch with my mom. By the time he called back to tell me what was wrong (long list off shit again) but my mom had left and I had no one to drive me back up there when it was done. He offered to pick me up, I thanked him but declined. I didn't want to put him out any. He said he'd call back when the repairs were finished. In the mean time, I had to pick my dad up at work by 4:30. (he had surgery and isn't allowed to drive for 12 wks). Got back home about 5, mom was still out and Bruced called back to tell me my car was ready. Told him that I still didn't have a ride up there, that I'd have to wait until tomorrow if that was O.K. He again offered to pick me up.

Me: Nawww.. that's O.K. I dont' want to put you out any. Plus, you got off at 5...

Him: Really! It's fine! I don't mind! Give me directions. (I gave him directions) That's not far at all. I'll be there in a few minutes

I thanked him again and hung up. I got ready, grabbed my purse and headed out to wait in the drive way. Just as I was about to push the button to open the garage door.. my mom came home.

SHIT SHIT SHIT!! Couldn't she have waited another 10 minutes! Fuck it. I'm not calling him back.

Her and I chatted a few minutes and she went inside, saying she'd be back out in a few. Before she came out tho, Bruce pulled up in his big ass Dodge Ram pick up. This thing was a monster. It looked like he had a lift kit on it cus it was jacked up off the ground super high. I walked over to the passenger door as he leans over to open it for me while saying hi.

Me: holy crap man! Do you have a ladder to get in this thing? (I'm only 5'2". The door handle was higher than my head)

Him: (laughing) you need a boost??

Me: Seriously dude.. did you need to bring a vehicle I can't get into? Oh.. thankfully you have a runner to step on and an oh shit handle to pull my ass up.. otherwise I'd be shit outta luck! (still laughing)

I finally get in and close the door.

Me: My mom showed up about 5 min after we hung up but I didn't have a way to call you back to tell you you didn't need to make the trip. Thank you tho. It's really nice of you.

Him: No problem. I don't mind at all.

Silence....

Him: Wow. You smell really good!!

Me: (blushing) Thanks. I had been out back playing with my dogs and was getting all sweaty. I didn't want to stink up your car (laugh)

Him: Sweaty can be good (he turns and looks at me)

Me: (blushing again) Yea.. it can be when you have a good reason.... (pause) but I don't have a good reason. Well.. not a FUN good reason. (I shoot him a look out of the corner of my eye and he smiles)

We had idle chitchat on the way. He asks me how long we've lived there, if I had any kids (me no, him yes. 4 yr old boy). I find out he's originally from a small town in Indiana, moved down when he was 12, and swapped some funny stories about Indiana. (I had been there once a few yrs ago) We chatting about other things until we got back to the shop. It was no 5:30. He had been off work for 1/2 hr, but yet picked me up anyway. Was he trying to tell me something? Was he interested?? I still didn't know for sure. I wanted to ask him out.. but I didn't know if he had a girlfriend. I was hoping not, I mean.. that would be pretty shitty of him if he was doing this and had a g/f. Wasn't like he used a work vehicle to pick me up.. not like I was aware that they did 'pick ups' for anyone else.

We got back to the shop and I followed him in to pay. There was another customer in there getting checked out and Bruce was all professional. As I was leaving, I told him I owed him lunch or dinner for giving me discounts again. He smiled and said O.K. I didn't want him to think I was just bullshitting, so I turned back to the counter and said "No, I really mean it. You have my cell. Call me. I'll take you to lunch.. or dinner or whatever. Seriously.. call me"

He said O.K. and I left.

Will he call??? I have no idea. Do I want him to??! HELL YES!! Will he end up as another post for Past Lovers? Maybe :D But I think this time, I'd really like to have a relationship with him.

Wish me luck!!!!!!