So, working just two days a week now, the stories become fewer, but we do have two of them.
The first doesn't involve me but does include the manager and the boss's son. I wasn't there but everything they told me rings true. It seems that for whatever reason the local ATF office could not get into their safe holding all of the drugs that are being held in evidence. Gainesville is a small town. They don't need a big room to hold all of that kind of thing. Just a really good safe. They called the company. We are not safe crackers, we are locksmiths. AND this was the ATF. Security on their safe is a bit higher than most. In the end It was necessary to cut a hole in the safe to be able to access the evidence. THAT is where the fun came in. From what they tell me, it took FOUR HOURS to cut the hole and remove said evidence from the safe. They were draining batteries for the grinder constantly and keeping the van idling so they could recharge them. And gas for the vans is getting pretty pricy. All under the watchful eyes of our local ATF agents. The amazing part is they went out and bought one of those really expensive super-duper diamond coated blades for the angle grinder to cut through the safe wall. It didn't do squat. Next, they tried another specialty type blade with about the same results. They then got down to the cheapy five-in-a-package blades. They worked wonders. A 5 X 8 inch hole was cut, evidence removed, and all was good. I still don't know how much they charged for that job, but I want to thank the American tax payers for helping to keep the company going and me employed.
The second job was nothing special, except in the way it affected me. It was about 9 P.M. I get off at 10. I get a call to open a car. Not a big deal. EXCEPT this job was in a place called Lake City. That is 40 minutes north of me if I'm on the interstate. So that is over an hour in travel time, both ways, alone. Not to mention the time needed to open the car and take payment. I was supposed to get off at 10. I got back to Gainesville somewhere around 10:50. I then had to pick up the boss's son and he had to give me a ride back to my place. I finally got home close to 11:30. If you notice the time difference, that can be explained. As I left the job and was headed home, when I got close to the onramp for I-75, I noticed traffic on I-75 has become a parking lot. This means finding a different route home taking back roads and dealing with numerous speed zones and traffic lights. I called the son and asked what he wanted to do. The van I'm driving doesn't go on-line until 10 A.M. It is possible for me to go home and have the son pick up the van in the morning. That way we both get to bed at a decent hour. Nope. It seems the son doesn't actually own a car. He drives the company van. That leaves no other choice, I have to pick him up and get him to drive me home.
Sometimes the fun and joy of this job do seem to be far, far away.