It's TOO Early For This.

Mondays are always very busy for me. By noon I am ready to rip parts of my hair out, and/or commit homicide on the shippers that move with us, or my crew. I usually get to work a little bit earlier than my crew so I can get things done before they come in and start asking randomly dumb questions about today's impending job. Mind you, said job has been on the calendar for no less than three weeks. Today even though I got here at 7:00 am, one of my crew was already here. Pinball had gotten here early, got a weight on the truck and was on his way back to the office when I arrived. I almost peed myself with delight, but I was able to control myself. It's a good thing too because my case of "Urine Be Gone" hasn't arrived yet!

Then it's off to the answering machine to listen to the people who have either called during the day Friday (because I never stay the entire day on Friday). Or it's those people who just can't seem to find time during the week to call me, so they wait until Saturday or Sunday. As I weed through the people who don't have a clue that they may actually need to book a move more than 15 minutes before they need to move (To those people I laugh at you. You poor silly bastards... You WILL NOT be moving with us. ) I hear that my future boss has called while I was out on Friday. OOOPS! That's prolly not a good thing huh? Oh well I will just tell him my current boss told me to go home. He knows "J. Boss"(current boss) is an idiot, so he will buy it!

The next thing I do is make sure all the paperwork for the drivers is ready for them. I have to remind them about 25 times before they actually leave to take all the cartons they need for the job. It never fails, they always forget a wardrobe box or 9, and the shipper is forced to call and yell at me. YAY! Cause it's MY fault my crew is retarded? I am also responsible for getting my bosses paperwork ready for the day. I have no idea why I do this. I know he will call me 15 minutes before his first scheduled appointment and tell me he has some huge Real Estate deal going(This really means he is taking his kids to the lake for some wake boarding) forcing me to call the client and reschedule. This always makes me cheerful to call someone who is expecting J. Boss at their house and tell him that he can't make it.

Then the phone starts. It's 7 FREAKIN AM! Why are you calling here that early? I never answer the phone before 8:00 am so random shipper 0_1 can just talk to the answering machine, while I laugh at them for waiting till the last minute to try and book a move. This time I answered early. My first shipper is someone we moved back in June. She skips trying to talk to me about her complaint, and asked to talk directly To "J. Boss". I give her the usual speech.

Shipper: I need to speak to J. Boss right away!

Debi: It's rather early for J. Boss to be in it's only 7:15 here in California (She is in Texas) so he's not here, can I help you or take a message?

Shipper: well , ok. Just tell him to call "Texas Shipper"(as we will call her).

Debi: Are you sure there isn't something I can help you with "Texas Shipper"? I am the operations manager here, and honestly he won't be in for a while.

I tell her this EVERY TIME she calls!!

Shipper: (long pause) Well ok there was some damage during my move to Texas( I know you are shocked at this) and I need him to handle this.

Debi: Well Texas Shipper, as I have told you before this office does not handle claims on a move out of California, you have to call our corporate office, and start a claim with them.

Shipper: (irritated sigh) Well J. Boss came out and gave me my estimate.

At this point I want to choke her. I have two other lines ringing, and I have explained this to her like 15 times now.

Debi: Yes I know he does all of our estimates, but that is ALL he does. You have to call this 1-800 number.

Shipper: OK I will try that, but I didn't like my driver either. Can you fire him? He wasn't very nice, and he damaged my things.

Now understand this driver is contracted by my Van Line. I don''t employ him. I have no idea who he even is...But I needed to get rid of her so ya know I told her what she wanted to here.

Debi: Oh yes ma'am. I was meaning to fire him today anyway, now I have a reason. He smells bad, and didn't give me a good Christmas present so ya know...He is gone!

(Click)

I figure what's J.Boss gonna do? Fire me and run his own company? He'd have to come in off the lake to do that...I'm not worried!