The Phone Call

Most of our customers have an idea of what they want to buy. Machine shops and larger companies. Every now and then we’ll get people off the street needing metal for a deer stand or some small project. Friday morning a guy called in needing a piece of aluminum for his car. When our salesman didn’t know exactly what the guy needed, the customer got mad and asked to speak to someone else. He talked to three other people, complaining and not listening to the help we were trying to give. He said he’d been buying metal for years. When asked what grade of aluminum he needed (1100, 3003, 5052, 6061, 6063), he said he’d never heard of grades of metal. He finally hung up and never called back.

From time to time I have to walk around the corner to ask the transactional sales group a question, so now when I appear they know what to expect. I rarely go over there just to talk or shoot the breeze. Today I walked over during a quiet time – no one was on the phone. I said “I got a guy on the phone. He wants to know what kind of aluminum he needs for his car.”

The entire group roared with laughter.

My plan to improve the Falcons: schedule a 7 am practice in the Georgia Dome on November 20th (at 7:30 am the Georgia Dome will be blown up).

Some say the UGA/Auburn game is a toss-up. The Dawgs were able to shut down Nick Fitzgerald, but Auburn has a similar QB and a good running back. Not sure why UGA doesn’t rush the passer more. Instead they tend to drop back into coverage.

The Clemson/Miami game for the ACC Championship will be good. Clemson doesn’t appear to be as dominant as they were last year, especially on defense. Then again, NC State is a good team. Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in practice, spoiling his fine rookie season. He tore one in college as well.

Bama is number one in both the AP and Coaches polls, and UGA is number two. They played a good LSU team. Can’t win them all 50-0. That may be the difference between Kirby Smart and Mark Richt. Richt’s teams (and Paul Johnson’s?) play more to the level of the opponent. So far Kirby, like Saban, hasn’t let his team not play at their best.

Thursday: worked until 6:30. Drove straight home. M shaved his beard this week. He was headed out to hang out with friends. Before leaving he grabbed a ziplock bag and put some leftover Halloween candy in it to take with him. I didn’t think much of it because he had a bunch left over. I always buy the candy I like to eat: Snickers, Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, M&M’s, Peanut M&Ms, $100,000 Bars, Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. Never Milky Way or 3 Musketeers. Later I walked by the basket of candy – it was practically empty! M had wiped us out. Didn’t need it anyway.

Typical evening: played on my laptop. Watched Designated Survivor, then found Kevin Probably Saves the World on Apple TV. Also Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon. Spotted a good movie to watch later. C made a chicken pasta dish for supper. Usually she cooks too much but not last night. Friday I had leftover stew from Tuesday night.

Friday: was out of cereal so I treated myself to a McDonalds bacon egg & cheese biscuit. Had to pack for the trip and later stop for gas, so I didn’t get to work until 7:45.

Ceil’s lunch in Cartersville Friday afternoon went longer than expected, so at five I drove home to pick her up. Left home at 6:30. Traffic bad. All eastbound lanes were blocked on 20 east, so we took surface streets from 285 to Evans Mill Road in Lithonia. Stopped at Chickfila in Madison, and didn’t get to Augusta until after ten. Ceil had originally wanted to eat supper with Will in Augusta.

Will has completed his surgical clinicals in Cartersville. Friday he took an important test in Augusta and did well. Later he took Okie for a run down by the canal, and made dough for bagels. Saturday morning he baked the bagels, and cooked eggs and bacon as well (above). Then he left for the game in Athens. I watched ESPN College Gameday while Ceil went to buy plants at a nursery. Both Will and Anna went to the SC/UGA game, as well as their cousin Jordan, a Clemson student.

Noelle’s father’s funeral was at the Lutheran Church downtown. Though he had passed away in late October, the funeral couldn’t be scheduled until Saturday because of the previous week’s Reformation celebration. Nice memorial by the pastor, who’d known him for years. At least eight of us had made the drive from Atlanta. Didn’t get back to our car until 3:40, and we had to stop by to get Barney before hitting the road. Didn’t get home to East Cobb until after seven. Ceil whipped up some Chinese food and we watched Miami/Virginia Tech.

Had to miss my 40th high school reunion. The group that attends were close friends in high school. I knew them and had classes with them, and they are good people who post good things on social media. It was Ceil’s birthday weekend and I knew we’d be on the go for that.

JFBC Sunday School, then Moes. We took M lunch and hung out at Whole Foods while he ate. Napped during the Falcon game, then went for ice cream for Ceil’s birthday. Ceil watched the Hallmark Channel and PBS. When I went to bed my battery was 100%. When I woke up it was 35%. Got to work and it died. Might be time for a new phone.    

Monday: Anna surprised Ceil by showing up at the Avalon in Alpharetta. Ceil went straight over there after school and they shopped. M was supposed to drive over to meet us, but he convinced C to pick him up. I found this out as I was walking up to the restaurant at 5:50 pm. Then I had to wait for over an hour for them to get back. Was able to keep my emails current. Eventually I got a table at El Felix, and ate chips and salsa and drank Coke Zero while waiting. C, M, and A all ordered soft chicken tacos. I ordered hard shell chicken tacos, and they were good. Walked around some afterwards, then gassed up Anna’s Jeep. Was after nine before I got home. 

After Christmas (in early January?) W&MC are taking a trip to Seattle. Will plans on working at the Masters again next year. They will rent out their townhouse and house-sit another friend’s house, who will have renters in bedrooms.

We’re about to enter the season of weddings:

Dec 30 East Cobb friend Josh Watkins

February: Charles Norman and Annie Blass

April: Nephew Zane and fiancé Laura.

June: MC’s sister Anna and fiancé Zach.

Joel Norman is headed to Memphis to play a gig. Will’s old roommate could be moving to Nashville to pursue a music career. He plays the drums.

Passion doesn’t do a good job directing traffic. Not sure if anything was going on special this weekend. I think Louie was still over in the Holy Land.