RECCE ROOM

My dad is still in the hospital after having half his lower leg removed. He is now awake and seems to be in good spirits. Anybody who knows my dad will find the following story interesting: In the hospital yesterday, the nurse asks him his height. Reply: "I'm 6'3" on the left, but I don't know yet how tall I am on my right side." Yep - his sense of humor & sarcasm is back, too! I'm glad he's feeling better. I still hope this was the right decision.

OK - time for another one. Setting: same as last time, I was the assistant manager of the largest branch of Enterprise in all of Tennessee on Covington Pike in Memphis, TN. The repo was fairly straight - forward. Renter had his car in the shop, and refused to come pick it up when it was finished. I figured he did not have his $1000 deductible. So I took a veteran MT (Management Trainee - read: slave-boy), whose name I cannot remember (sorry!). His nickname was "The Leprechaun." I never really understood why. We pull up to the renter's place of employment. A little research that day had let me in on when he came in to work and where (this company was large and had multiple entryways). I speak for a while with "the Leprechaun." Surprisingly, the renter does two things I'd never have expected. 1. He showed up early to work. I mean like 30 minutes early. Sure, he still had some fried chicken to eat, but he was that early, but wouldn't return our calls. Give ...

It seems that Michael Jackson passed yesterday. Thus concludes a lifetime of late night comedy fodder. The more people I talk to, the more I realize I am not alone in feeling ambivalent about his passing. I do not rejoice in the death of anyone, save mass murderers and the like (i.e.- Saddam Hussein). However, MJ was pretty close to that level for me. Why? Glad you asked. 1. Child molester. Yeah, I know, the whole innocent until proven guilty thing. But right after escaping from the last litigation involving his weird preferences when it came to children, the man (and I use the word loosely) moves to one of the only nations on earth that allows sex with minors. This is no coincidence. 2. Over-rated. Yes, he had some catchy songs. Yes, he was the master of getting attention. But that does not elevate him, in my eyes, above performers of more talent. Give me some AC/DC, Metallica, G'N'R, or the like. 3. Attention -hound. There was nothing the man (again, I use the term loosely) w...

If you are reading this blog, I would like you to let me know with your comment below, the answer to some questions. All of these are in regards to folks who have concealed carry permits, also known as "Handgun Carry Permits" here in TN. 1. Would you be OK with me carrying (concealed of course, as I always carry) when I come to visit you at your house? (Assume I'm your friend, if I am not already) 2. Would you feel more safe, or less safe, knowing that if we happened to have lunch or dinner somewhere, I am probably carrying (definitely carrying after July 14)? 3. Are you uncomfortable at the sight of a gun? 4. Are some guns more scary looking to you than others? 5. Does the fact that you now know I carry change your opinion of me? If so, why?

So I'm here in the Holiday Inn in Valdosta, GA, and I think I scared the living poop out of the poor girl up at the front desk. See, we arrived late after visiting my dad in the hospital this afternoon. It was after 1 am when I checked in. The nice lady, who looks to be in her mid-twenties, asked me for my ID and credit card. Meanwhile, she wanted my initials and signature on the rental agreement. I absentmindedly gave her the ID and credit card, whilst focused on signing my name on the other sheet of paper. I hear her say: "Okayyyy," in a somewhat hesitant voice. I look up to see the poor girl with a look on her face that I would expect if when had just accidentally swallowed a bug. She quickly wiped the look off her face and stared at my ID and credit card as she handed them back. I looked at them, too, to make sure I got both cards back. Then I realized my mistake. I had handed this poor girl my Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit, not my driver's license. Sure, it was ...

Setting: Summer 2001. I was working at what was then the largest branch of Enterprise Rent A Car in the state of Tennessee. I was the assistant manager (read: I got to do all the dirty work). This position - assistant manager at a large branch - was usually the launching point to get promoted to Branch Manager. I wanted that promotion. That day, I was to make some sales calls with a new employee. His name was Mike. I do not give his last name for two reasons: I don't know if he would want me to do so, AND, I don't remember it. Mike was the All-American looking guy: blond hair, not too big, not too small, etc. I am not female, but I would imagine he did well with the ladies. Mike was fairly new to the company - having been employed less than thirty days at the time. I knew that some of the calls would take us near the residence of a renter who at that time owed the company about $150. We could not reach her via phone. I had a spare key to the car in my pocket that whole day. So ...

When I speak with different people out there about my past employment and interesting things I've done, one of the most common "fan favorites" is from my days with Enterprise Rent a Car in Memphis, TN. I say "fan favorites because a part of my duties there included repossessing cars in situations where renters were behind on the rental fees. To clear some things up, repo's happen in in the car rental business for numerous reasons. Sometimes people's credit cards would max out or decline for some other reason. Sometimes people were getting a car through an insurance company (who was footing the bill) and they were delayed several days in getting their car out of the shop. The insurance company would naturally stop paying for the car, and the renter often would not have left a credit card on file (or it maxed out, or declined). Sometimes the delay was the person did not have the $500 for the deductible to get their car out of the shop. Sometimes people just mis...