Today was really hard. Naturally, I didn't want to go but had to, but that's the same every day.
I couldn't shake the pissy-bitchy feeling. It was unseasonably cool. And my back started out tight and got worse and worse. I had to keep squatting down to rest, or just bending over to stretch. I kept thinking about Julio and what a bitch he was. Suzie, our new crew boss, is completely different. No Trash-Nazi nonsense. And remember just before New Year's when it poured and Julio said we weren't aloud to get under an overhang when it came down so heavy and made us work? This morning Raymond said exactly the opposite.
I think that's as much punishment as the actual work - dealing with the people. People who's only authority in life will be supervising misdemeanor crooks. To say nothing of my co-workers.
There is still this one guy coming that I can't stand. He tried to say hello, but I can't even stand the way he talks.

mmmk

Let me try to stay current - but this was one day last week.
"I think I've seen you here before, right?" I nod. "Yeah. I remember thinking that I hoped they didn't put me with you because you seem so, I don't know, serious or something." Didn't even faze me - I laughed. "Yeah, I know," I say. "Raymond always laughs at me."
He's a youngish Latino guy, says he's 31 but who knows. For some reason, I'm very nice and tolerant of him. He says he's really hungover and needs a beer.
We are doing the southside of Santa Monica Blvd. Its early when we get back to the corner where we started, heading east this time. He wanders into 'the City's Best Burger' or whatever its called and I figure he's 'doing the needful and keep sweeping.
Eventually, he tells me he got a beer back at the burger place. I really had no idea.
"I didn't mean to be discourteous by not offering you a drink back there." He says he's trying to expand his English vocab and 'discourteous' is a big word for him. I let him know I'm fine.
We begin to discuss why people drink alcohol. He finds another place to grab a beer.
He doesn't want to walk past his place of employment, so we ending up wearing down the pavement over the same few blocks, since there was no Julio on our ass.
Towards the end of our shift he introduces himself as Leo. I introduce myself. He asks if thats my christian name like his christian name is Juan but he tells people to call him Leo. I say no, its not quite the same.

So, Julio got a better job w/the City of Glendale and our new 'crew chief'' is a young-ish woman named Susie. The first time I meet/work w/her, I am not in the mood to deal w/her
newness. There are only three of us that day, me & two guys, one of them a fresh newbie, and
I get sent out alone. Yay. I don't want to teach anyone this job I hate. Not today, anyway.
After I screw around w/my clothes and my coffee and don't even make it down to Doheny to turn back, she picks me up to go 'somewhere else'. On the way, we pull-over so she can watch the other two for a minute. Once we start cruising, I feel the need to get some info.
"So, is this your new full-time job?" I ask. The answer is yes. We start talking about the difficulty in finding a job right now and, as we pass destination Fairfax, she asks what I do. I'm in the fitness biz. Oh, she really wants to get in shape. She just had a baby. Has three kids. We pass
La Brea, then Highland. How much do I charge? Where?
By the time we turn around at Vine St., I have a new client for my bootcamp class. Finally, something positive.