3:57 a.m. - 2016-08-01
New Apartment, Same Old Johnny, August First Update
The apartment is still in shambles, but I have made some progress here and there.
My weights are set up on the front porch, and I do actually use them from time to time. Three times in two days, skip a week, use once, skip two weeks.
Saturday I was supposed to attend the Marilyn Manson and Slipknot concert in Pittsburgh with Gary, but circumstances got in the way, and more circumstances got it rescheduled.
Friday night I wasn't going to go Uber, but I did. Here's the recap:
Well, forget this night.
Tales from the Driversphere:
Wasn't going to go uber. I have a concert in Pittsburgh tomorrow with Gary Alexander. Was just going to go home after work, pack an overnight bag, maybe work out, eat, watch a movie, something to wind down and go to sleep for a few hours. Then I'd wake up, get an oil change, buy some cat litter, change said cat litter, and head to Pittsburgh.
Nope. I turned on the app. It wasn't cooperating. Just kept displaying those start up stars. I uninstalled/reinstalled it and went online. Was at work, but went to Sheetz to use the can. Saw it was surging near work, so I headed back to park there.
Got a request for the Upper deck. Took four people from there back to a road just off Robinson.
Got a request for just off 93, but south of our delivery area (south of 619). Turned out to be a round trip Taco Bell run. They didn't offer food, but they did tip $5.
Dropped them off. Got a request for even further south, Canal Fulton. I get down there, and the guys have put in the address wrong. So since they're being incommunicado, I cancel it and head back.
I should have gone offline.
I made it a few miles and I got another request for that general area.
I figured it was the same people, and that said people were probably the guys I had seen standing in front of a plaza bar, near the Marathon station.
The new location, however, was on a street behind there. So I go to that map location. This time they call. Turns out that I was right. I drive to the bar. Two of the guys are looking like they're about to fight each other, with a third guy separating them. They spread out for a moment. Then they get in each other's faces when the third guy isn't looking and start fighting. The fourth guy is looking at them incredulous. I back the heck up, drive off, and cancel the ride.
I should have gone offline.
I even pushed the button.
But Uber has this bs "are you sure" prompt, and before I could click it, another request comes in.
I accept it.
It's ten minutes away. I drive over to what turns out to be Fat Abby's Pizza. I make a left at the intersection. I go to make a right into the parking lot, and my front passenger side drops two feet into an unmarked ditch. Wtf.
I'm able to back it out, thankfully.
I pulled into the lot to assess the damage.
The plastic fender well is pulled loose. I have to finish extricating it from the bumper.
The spacer for where an optional fog lamp could be mounted is dangling. I remove it from the clips.
The bumper itself is pulled loose on that corner. I snap it into place.
But something in the suspension is messed up.
Have been limping it home at 20 to 25mph, flashers on, with the wheel cocked to the left and the tires squeeling.
I've stopped at a few well lit parking lots, and a few not so well lit ones. As I type this, I'm sitting at Sheetz. I aired up my tires, ordered some food, and now I'm getting this all out there.
Should have taken pictures of the full extent of the damage before making it semi-drivable.
To top it off. That would be uber passenger there, he and the girl he was with checked on me to see how I was, and got into another uber, some minivan.
I'm ticked but calm.
That deep culvert /actual driveway should have been marked with a reflector.
I shouldn't have gone Ubering.
On a better note: I'm not worse for the wear.
On an even better note: Sheetz carries the Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cups! They've been hiding up by the register with the seasonal/impulse items like the Reese's Pumpkins for Halloween.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153610756256540&id=656076539
Rewinding a bit to Wednesday night. After hosting Geeks Who Drink (two days in a row at that point) while having my $5 burger at George's Lounge, I started having a conversation with a gal via Facebook. It started off innocuous enough, with me offering her advice about basic training, even when she is going into a different branch.
However, that conversation progressed towards matters of her husband taking her for granted, and eventually she confessed her desire for me. *sighs* I know I've been down this road before, well, roads. There's the married road, the long distance relationship road, the age difference, etc., but we really, really click. It was love at first sight, mutually for a change. We've each been of the sentiment, "Where have you been all my life?" Or, more specifically for her, "Why couldn't I have met you five years ago?"
I don't know how we're going to overcome all of the obstacles in our path, but I'm hopeful and I'm happy. And I make her happy. What more can I ask for.
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