Perpetual Ruminations

Saturday

Pretty late getting in here tonight, but it's not my fault, honest. No, seriously, I could not get in here sooner, or at least not very much sooner. What's my excuse? None, it's fact, just the facts.

It's Saturday, a long day for my wife and I on our regular schedule, but today it was even longer. It was one of them crazy days that just don't want to end. I went in and opened, getting there about ten minutes to five this morning. That means I'm up between three in the morning and three thirty in the morning, depending on what time Rhonda comes in and wakes me up.

It was a typical Saturday morning up until about six, then I had a guest come through. The yard does not open for business until six thirty, but we open the doors at five for freight coming in. This person had purchased the lumber a few days before, but had not picked anything up. Today he shows up at six in the morning wanting help loading the lumber. Sorry, you can go in and pick it up but your not getting any help, there isn't any yard people working yet. In fact, receiving only had one person until six thirty and we did have freight in the yard.

The guy wasn't happy, but hey, not my fault. I explained the situation, and he got even more upset. "Why the hell would you open the doors up if the yard isn't open?"

"We start taking in freight at five o'clock." I answered. Then added, "But if you want to pick up your lumber, you can. There just won't be anyone here to help until six thirty."

He started to turn kind of red, "What the hell! I want to get my lumber, and if the doors are open, there should be someone here to load it!"

I just smiled, since I couldn't do anything else. "I'm sorry sir, this is a self serve lumber yard. If you need assistance, someone will be happy to help you, but not until after the yard opens for regular business, at six thirty."

He grumbled something and shook his invoice at me. I smiled again and replied, "I'm sorry sir, we are not open for business until six thirty, please come back then."

After I finished, I went back into the guard house and closed the door. He sat and stared for about five minutes, then got out and knocked on the sliding door. I opened it and asked I could help him -- as if he had not been there for ten minutes already. He got real tense, then in a very well controlled voice managed to ask, "I know I'm early, but can I enter the yard and pick up these items?"

"Sure." I answered, then added, "But there isn't anyone here yet to help load them."

"That's alright, I can load them myself, I'd just like to get them and get my project started."

I told him where he could find the items, opened the gate and let him in. He finally seemed to understand, I wasn't being rude, I was being very nice to even let him in. He was much more calm when he left the yard a few minutes later, and seemed to be more understanding that I was being nice to even let him in the yard that early. I don't know, I can only assume they don't read any of the stuff written on the sales agreement that they sign, they never seem to be aware of any of the policies.

That was how the day started, and it just progressed from there. It was busy, very busy. Maybe one of th busiest days yet. I don't know why it got so busy today, but it did. And, not only busy, but with the regular guests, there were at least an equal number of guests from outside the area, maybe even more than equal. On top of that, there was at least as many cooks out and about as there were competent people. I'm serious, it was as if the three surrounding states, as well as south Dakota had not only let out their inmates for the day, but had taken them all to Menards, shopping.

I was done work at four this afternoon. I was mistaken on my hours, and could have worked until five, but I clocked out at four. I was going to just hang out for a half hour, just in case Rhonda needed a hand, but the way things went today, I clocked out, then worked like I would when I'm on the clock. In fact, our closing guard came in at five, and we should have been able to leave then. But, it was busy enough that Rhonda and I did not leave until six, instead. Even then, it had not slowed completely, but enough he could handle it along.

I just hope now, that the next two days go a lot better.