This months mission was a very interesting one – sourcing a tow truck ..
Coming from a white collar background and working in the corporate sector for most my working career, shifting gears into a blue collar environment had my hair frazzled a little if I’m to be completely honest. Some days it was due to the humidity, though for most part, it was the lack of red tape process which I had become accustomed to, especially when working with any government departments.
If you’ve never experienced working for the government at a corporate level, let me set the scene for you. When calling a meeting, you had an initial meeting for the purposes of arranging the actual meeting. At the actual meeting, there were agendas, minute takers, partakers regulated by red tape whereby no final decisions or resolutions were generally ever finalised. All “interim” decisions had to be approved by the ”powers above” which was as painful as watching a turtle meander a 1km walk on a 42 degree day without a hint of a breeze. Then, if that wasn’t arduous enough, there was a follow up meeting to discuss how the initial meeting went. Please god, what did I do to deserve this !!
I’m not sure if it’s the Taurean sign, my old-school work ethic, having lived through a recession, survived keeping a mortgage at
19% interest rate or my (self diagnosed google search) ADD that has me hyped up; all I know is that I thrive in an environment where problems are resolved, decisions made and tasks completed as quickly as possible – and not just in the same year.
I would describe my work ethic as a red Ferrari in seventh gear in the right lane; not a third gear yellow Corolla in the farleft lane. Ironically though my mood through frustration dealing with yellow Corolla’s was constantly hitting 8000rpms and my temperature gauge sitting on holy crap is that steam bellowing from underneath my car bonnet. In saying that, imagine my ultimate and most welcoming surprise, when I get a request in person to do a task. No meeting arranged or held, no agendas or minutes, no ping-pong emails – just a straight out request .. sitting bewildered wondering if this is some sort of hidden heaven ? Lets do this !
This month’s mission was to source and obtain quotes in adding additional towing trucks to our list of assets. I engaged one of our tow truck drivers to advise me on what I had to ask for when calling the trucks sales companies.
Things were going pretty well. The sales guys were very understanding of my non-intellectual jargon when it came to building a truck. Yes building !! You can’t just go and buy a truck like you do a car; these monsters get built to your preferred specifications. How cool !!
I found out that the tray is actually referred to as a body. Those things had to be built too. I also found out sales tax is charged on the chassis, then sales tax charged on the body. Kar-ching .. taxes taxes taxes .. back to the government – there’s just no escaping. Which brings me to what in the flaming Lamborghini is a rolling chassis ? I mean was Mr Salesman trying to impress me by fancy talk? He had me at ‘chassis’. I find this word extraordinarily sexy; it sounds so French and reminds me of champagne.
Well thanks to google, I worked out what the rolling component meant and yes Mr Salesman, we definitely want a sexy French
rolling chassis. I’m definitely expecting this monster to have wheels, transmission and drivers seat.
Who would have thought the towing industry would be so glamorous? I’m in my freakin’ element !
Quote: “If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments”.
Stay Safe
CK xx