1:22pm Kenai, AK
So i accidentally got the prize for the most overtime for the last two weeks. My bad. Now i am going out of my way to avoid the burn out that Bobbie is afraid i am approaching. I may already be there. These people are jamaican me crazy. So i've been taking long lunches when the days allow and now i am going to watch a movie and take a nap. There are no fish today so i don't feel any pressure to stay on the clock right now.
Last night I went to the bar after work with my book. People always want to talk to you when you are reading...and that is exactly what you don't want. It's not like Kenai Landing is this crazy scene so reading at the bar isn't out of the realm of possibility. So this drunk man sits down and orders some wine. 'Awesome. I'll sit here and read you stay there and fall deeper into the bag.' Reading, reading, reading, happily not talking to anyone. "Excuse me, i don't mean to interrupt..." 'yes you do. otherwise you wouldn't talk to me.' I look up from my book. "but I love to read and i was just wondering what you are reading." I tell him and go back to my book. A few pages later: "I really don't mean to be bothersome..." 'yeah right.' "but can you tell me about your book." Then he goes on to tell me that i look like a tourist but it's so great that people are coming to Alaska and that he is a fourth generation Alaskan he was born in Washington but his family has been here since '98...1898 (ha ha ha...he was so amused with himself) and now he lives here and has two kids and asks me what i do and then proceeds to tell me that he is a civil engineer and does land surveying. I sneak in a few words...being polite and all. "I don't want to be rude..." 'well now we both know you are going to be so hit me.' "but why would anyone do what you do? I mean i know people like to go to concerts but that's it." "Actually the arts are really wonderful. They help people express themselves and they are great for kids development and growth. There are so many reasons i do what i do." I discovered a while ago that trying to be logical with illogical people is fruitless. "Who goes to see these things?" I size him up taking in his numerous wrinkles and head of grey hair and say, "Actually, lots of old people are patrons of the arts. It gives them something to do with all of that time." He pauses and then continues to babble, "well i'm a surveyor...blah, blah, blah..." Then he turns in his chair and says, "You're a woman. I'm going to explain business to you." 'Oh that's it old man. I'll break your hip. I just wanted to have a few beers and read and now you're pissing me off.' "Blah, blah, blah...i make so much money I'm so awesome. You can't understand." He winds up buying me a beer for my troubles, insulting me some more and then finally finishing his wine and leaving. Peace at last. I soon finish my beer and leave as well, I'm pretty beat. After i get back to camp (2 successful passes through the marsh) Molly comes and knocks on my door. She has a twenty in her hand and a smile on her face. "Jesse gave me twenty bucks and told me to take you to the bar for a shot of Jager on him. He said you were having a rough day." I look at her. I look at my bed. 'Sorry old friend. I will miss you long time." I put my coat back on and head out the door. We are joined by the two New Hampshire girls - Sarah and Kelly. We take the long way to the bar because it's a nice walk on a nice night. By the time we get there they are closing up. It's 9:40...that means last call at Kenai Landing. The bartender, Jonas, looks at me...i was just there...and he waves us over. Molly and i get our shots and a beer each while the other two get their beers and the basket of Andies mints to munch on. We sit there and laugh for a bit but decide to leave after one beer - we are after all the only ones in there and the staff wants to go home. On the way out they spot a group of young guys playing beer pong in one of the housing units at Kenai Landing. They want to make friends. I do too...with my pillow not some dumb boys who probably don't even have chest hair yet. So we walk inside. There are some holes in the plan. Two minutes later we are walking out and laughing. They were a baseball team from California in town playing in an under 19 tournament. The only thing in those cups was pink lemonade. Right. Mmmhmm..."I told you they were young!" Pink lemonade...get real. We headed back to camp taking the scenic route again. Then Molly and I walked to the dock to thank Jesse and then I called it a night. It's hard out there for a pimp.