Son's new (to him) truck.....he is in Texas for job training, lets hope his truck makes it back!
Locust Fork
Member Posts: 32,087 ✭✭✭✭
My son was working for Sterilite, a factory job, that paid pretty well....but was pure torture and he didn't fit in with anyone that he worked with. So, when he heard about a job someone recommended to him he jumped toward it. This job is working for a large overhead door company. They do 1099 type employment and you have to drive your own truck that they equip with the tools, ladders and such. So.....this meant he needed a truck. I thought it was going to be something he would work toward....but they wanted him to be in Texas for training this past weekend. He bought a work truck, a 2012 Dodge 1500 with 120k miles on it for $5000 from a small dealer that is local to our area. Of course we found a problem immediately with it, but its a minor thing and the dealer is going to fix it when he gets back from his trip. Its the TIPM that is telling the fuel pump to keep working when its turned off. Our mechanic says everything else is solid, so I felt ok with him driving it to Texas.
After dealing with the circus of the truck.....getting my son on the road and just plain worrying about him driving from B'ham to Ft Worth I was a frazzled mess. He was supposed to arrive sometime after 3am. I didn't get any calls through the night, so I figured he was ok. I sent a message at 6am when I got up to verify he was there. He said he got to the hotel and the doors were locked so he had been sleeping in the truck!!!
OMG!
I told him he should have called them because they probably just let people in......and I got on the phone. The girl I spoke to said it was exactly as I suspected and she was going out front to let him in. I prayed he wouldn't show his worst attitude to this poor girl and told him to go on in, they were there. Its Extended Stay America and has good reviews, so I didn't think anything crazy would be going on.
I haven't spoken to him today to see how the job is going. This boy needs to find a girlfriend that can take over for me.....I'm too tired for this rollercoaster ride!
Comments
Your apron strings reached all the way to Fort Worth? Impressive.
Finding a girl most likely isn't a problem for him. I'm sure that introducing that girl to you is what he's worried about. No matter who she is, all of us here already know that she won't be good enough for Momma McKay's little boy.
I'm going to drop my criteria way WAY down.....if it means I can catch a break from keeping up with this boy. I went with Larry to talk to the guy about the problem with the truck and see if he was going to fix it. Larry told the guy "this is HER baby boy's truck, so she is worried." I told the guy what was funny if it was one of the girls Larry would be the one going bonkers and I'd be telling them to figure things out.
you remind me of my departed mom ( in good way ) as I am sure most all moms are, there children could be 60 years old but there still moms kid and moms worry
my oldest son takes off at the drop of a hat cross country taking photos ( mostly of trains and scenery ) it drives my wife nuts if he does not let her know ahead of time ( oh he is 32)
My main issue with this child of mine is that he doesn't check in with me at all. I'll go several days without any response to my texts, phone calls and its pure torture sometimes. I've tried everything to get him to realize just a quick reply would do wonders....but he doesn't get it.
" Its the TIPM that is telling the fuel pump to keep working when its turned off. Our mechanic says everything else is solid, so I felt ok with him driving it to Texas."
If you mean that the fuel pump is running 100% of the time, then that is no " minor thing." IF you mean that, then the fuel pump is running the entire time the battery has a charge, this can cause the fuel pump to overheat and catch fire. OR at the very least it will cause the battery to drain and leave him stranded.
If you turn the truck off....it sounds like a small hairdryer is running under the bed of the truck. So, if you disconnect the battery it cuts the power off and it makes it stop...but the minute you connect the terminal back it starts back up. They were going to fix it that Monday, but he had to be in Texas to start his training. They are going to fix it when he gets back....but for now he has a little wrench in his pocket and he is disconnecting the battery every time he stops. I told him not to even leave it connected to run in the store and pay for gas....I think he understands.....I hope he does anyway. He likes the truck otherwise....its just a work truck, nothing fancy, but he likes it a lot compared to driving the Taurus he has been driving around.
I think I'll end up being the size of that bear if I don't get a handle on things soon.
GOOD, disconnecting the battery will alleviate any of the issues I mentioned. Just make sure the dealer fixes it, might get expensive. I have seen the computer short out on a tundra and would keep a solenoid in the transmission always on. Sounded a humming noise. Only recourse was to get a new CPU and have it programmed, VERY expensive. The dealer had to fix this Tundra, they did a complimentary detail job. Dingus "mechanic" sprayed under the hood with a pressure washer and shorted the CPU. The truck ran fine, no issues except the sound and it killed the battery overnight. I imagine it would burn up the transmission solenoid eventually.
One of the main problems with our country is that "parents won't their children grow up".
Marines are available to help. Just sign here and there.
Locust Fork ............. will you be my mama bear too? .............😀 [joke font] but seriously ??????????? .......lol
I suggest the meatloaf!
Word is that he arrived safely in Fort Worth:
LF, I love what you've done with your hair.
Now if that Momma Bear had dreads ... Glad he got there safe. Come see us next time you are in the 'ATL
He finally called....I swear, nothing like having one of your children drive 700 miles away in a vehicle that has an issue and not hear from them for three days. He said he is hitting it out of the park on the training and he is doing good. He sounded happy, so I finally got some sleep last night....whew!
The guy that owns the body shop that fixed my bumper last week came in yesterday to pick up a transfer. We were talking about our sons and how crazy things are these days with the young "adults" sometimes. His wife was currently chewing out their son for losing (another) really good job. I'm going to start a mama bear company and give out chest ribbons to moms that get their kids past certain goals.....we are going to have meetings where a lot of drinking occurs.
😂
One never quits being a parent.
I love this!! It takes me back many years to all the drama that was involved with all three of your kids and your life in general!! Larry has an interesting life!!
I allways kinda figured he just stared at the ground, closed his eyes, and shook his head a lot.......
I hope the job goes well for him.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
He just checked in...he is pretty upset. He is being told by one of the guys that they don't hire people under 25 years old. So, he thinks they are not going to keep him even though he has been able to do all of the work in record time and has been better at the work than some of the other guys that he knows have been hired on. He doesn't understand that the sales end of things is more important to the owner than just being able to do the work. He said they are keeping the people that are "like dads"....which tells me its about the aesthetics more than the work skills.
Doing quality work is great, but if he can't be "like dads" he won't succeed in customer facing jobs like the one you described, I am pretty sure I have used the company you spoke about and they are very big on their people being able to not just fix the doors but also fixing the customers.... I wish him well, but people skills or lack there of, hurt a lot of young folks trying to start out on careers.
Next time he calls or texts wait a few days before replying.
No way you could ever do that, I know.
He hasn't been sent home yet.....so its still up in the air. He sent me a picture of his hands and they are pretty beat up. He is trying hard to win a chance to work for them. I really hope it works out so he can.
Wishing him the best of luck,
+1...
Combat Vet VN
D.A.V Life Member
He said he picked up some steaks, cooked and he is playing video games with some of the other guys that are there doing the same thing. It is snowing and he is staying in the room just to be safe. Today was a day off, but I'm sure they will be back at it tomorrow. He said he was told he "has a spot" so he isn't as worried as he was. He keeps falling into his own thoughts and worries every once in a while that its all going to fall away. I think he will have some paranoia until he is actually going on jobs and sees how it all actually works.
👍️
Latest update......work training is going good, looks like he will learn what he needs to and get the rack fitted to his truck sometime this week, but he saw a homeless guy toss some trash on the ground and made the mistake of saying "hey buddy, you going to pick that up" to him and now he thinks he is getting the stink eye from a crew of homeless people in the area. I think its just his mind working overtime with how tired he is and its not helping that he is pretty much stranded in a strange place. He called them the "homeless mafia". I told him if he didn't stay in his hotel room I was going to drive out there and become their leader.
That's very rude. The correct term is "Urban Outdoorsmen."