Like a Good Neighbor?

Water leak has been fixed. Now to get the floor and ceiling fixed, and everything else. My insurance agent is great at explaining why my problem isn't covered, but doesn't realize this isn't a good time to tell me about his overseas trips and weekly flights to see his son in school. His customer with the $10,000.00 plumbing problem – not covered by insurance – was already living paycheck to paycheck and not taking vacations. Not that I'm any better, but I wish people would talk less and listen more.

 

Several young guys at work are taking part in no-shave November. With the exception of two weeks a couple of Decembers ago, I have remained clean-shaven since my junior year at Tech. I shaved to work at Chickfila and never looked back. Never gave a beard a second thought. I certainly didn't want to be among the endless line of mostly middle-aged men wearing mostly grey goatees – what I like to call the Kenny Rogers look. No thanks. But for some reason over the busy Halloween weekend I decided to quit shaving for a month. I had just gotten a haircut, and thought the short hair with beard look was better than the shaggy haired/bearded look.

 

It wasn't the young guys at work or the two cool administrators at Matthew's school who were growing fall beards. And I haven't been to a cool place where I've seen someone that influenced me. I might have seen Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel with beards in passing, but gave them little thought. Maybe it was The Voice judges. Adam Levine's hair and beard look different every week. Blake Shelton has an on gain off again short beard. Had nothing to do with Will, who may be enjoying his last season of not shaving – nor Matthew with his Jesus look (though I did tell M that I was shoot for his look).

 

Only when the Sales Manager called me into his office did I notice his no-shave attempt. He has stuck with it, as has team member Jonathan. Both have spotty beards. Jonathan keeps asking me when I'm going to shave and if trimming is kosher. I haven't told him it wasn't cool to talk about it (I know, or to write about it). After two weeks my beard looks decent – kinda thin on the sides. My only goal is to keep it through Thanksgiving.  And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Monday was a typical night: worked til six, drove straight home. Cleaned up a little and changed into warm comfortable clothes. Ceil made a gourmet meal out of leftovers: baked chicken, green beans, red potatoes, black eyed peas, homemade applesauce, and salad. After supper M drove me to Kroger for bread for their lunch tomorrow. Also got cereal and jelly. Watched Jeopardy and The Voice. M seemed to be doing more homework last night. I hope that's the case.

Tuesday I stirred up a hornet's nest t work. My new bosses immediately took up my side. Left work at 6:25 pm. M called asking for a ride home later – Ceil was out driving him to the Alpharetta Bible study. The line at Wendy's was too long but I stopped by two Goodwill's. Found a pair of Vans for M but passed on a $15.00 pair of Nike turf shoe sneakers for me (above). Gassed up the Civic. Noelle had made tomato soup, and Ceil fixed a grilled cheese sandwich. Watched Jeopardy and The Voice. Left at 8:30 to get M and didn't get back until 9:50.  

 

Wednesday a white Kia Optima was tailgating me on Eves Road. As I turned onto Holcomb Bridge the Kia wheeled into the fast lane and roared past me – and promptly braked hard for the traffic light just a few hundred yards away. I coasted to a stop next to it. When the light turned green it roared away, changing lanes and weaving through cars as I poked along in my usual gas-saving manner. At every red light I would catch up. As we approached Spaulding the Kia was several cars ahead of me. I saw congestion in our left lane and maneuvered right – passing a long line of cars that included the Kia. After crossing Spaulding I returned to the left lane to avoid cars pulling out of side streets, as well as the usual long line of cars turning right onto Peachtree Corners Circle. By then the Kia was back on my tail. A check of my mirror showed a small Kia about to wiz past me on the right, so I didn't move over. Eventually the white Kia stopped to turn left at Holcomb Bridge as I continued straight on Jimmy Carter. What the Kia didn't know was that my left turn onto Peachtree Industrial was two fewer red lights than his route. Once again the tortoise beats the hare.

 

Thursday my company put the final touches on a new 3 year contract with the customer I work on. A little bit of job security. But no raise or pat on the back. With all the emergencies I resolve every day you think I work for FEMA.

 

Last month I ran into a Living Science dad whose good friend is on surgical staff at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. Now Will is in touch with him about a job between January and May. Anna has applied to be a summer counselor at Camp Highland in Ellijay. There is a chance my dad will get a newer car and give Matthew his old 1999 Buick aircraft carrier. It's not worth much, so it would be a perfect first car for M. Still looks great. Not sure, but this news might have M studying more than usual this week.

 

Joel Norman got a job as a barista in Brookhaven. His "album" debuts in December. The Hurts hit the Disney Wine & Food Festival last month. Oldest daughter Haley made the Top Ten in last weekend's Miss Alabama pageant. My bobblehead friend Kevin with the two young twins – his daughter is named Nola. My grandmother was named Nora (so is Margaret Ewing's daughter).