Full Quad

Those box cars are getting popular out here because, on the freeway, headed out to pick up the new Instant Pot yesterday, I spied another one, this one recklessly speeding by me.

If I ever see one not in motion — parked on the streets or in a shopping mall lot, I’m going to ask the owner if I can see the inside.

On the other hand, that might not be a good idea. The owner might be a psycho who, when I bend over to look inside, push me all the way in, take off and make me a missing person.

At any rate, the Instant Pot Duo was hella heavy but, with the help of training on 50 pounds, I managed to get the box into the car.

Once back at the complex, I had to go upstairs, get the stair climbing dolly and cords to strap the box to the dolly and, just as I went downstairs to retrieve the box, a huge moving van parked at the end of the walkway. There was also a woman sitting in a car with a County of San Bernardino insignia, that looked like she was monitoring furnishings sealed in plastic coming in.

I've never seen the County do that before. Whoever is being moved in must be a special case to be getting such royal treatment, thought I.

I’d seen Head Maintenance Guy earlier in the day. He’s said the unit had been rented, that someone from the outside was coming in, but he didn’t say it was to happen that very day.

It was just a few days ago that the maintenance guys began going in to cursory clean and prep for a new tenant. Since then, there's been no painting, no new carpeting, so that answers the question of when does management paint and bring in new carpet after someone moves out.

What is …… when they damn well want to.

Since I’ve seen no one looking at the unit, I’m now believing the rumor to be true that residents moving in are no longer allowed to view the unit first.

Desperate people do desperate things, and will put up with whatever to get a roof over their heads.

At any rate, the unit is rented, we once again are full up in the quad.

By the time I’d strapped the box to the dolly, made it back to the stairs, and was just about to drag it up those stairs, I looked over and saw a woman standing around, watching the movers.

"Are you my new neighbor?" asked I.

"Why yes, I am" said she.

I introduced myself, got her name, welcomed her and went about my business.

Not the testosterone we need in the quad, but first impression …… she seems okay but, inasmuch as she's being cared for by the County in such a special way, I'm on guard her okay looks might be deceiving and will not open the door if she knocks to borrow a cup of sugar.

Not young, not all that old, thin, tattoos on her arm, looks like a biker chick, a bartender in a biker bar type, and she's sure to provide blog fodder because, when I later glanced out the patio window to see how the move was going, I saw Dream Lover walking away from her unit.

OH NO! Does he know her?

Is she part of his harem and he's somewhat instrumental in getting her a unit here?

Or did he spot her moving in, saw she wasn't bad looking and took the opportunity to make his own move?

And what was he doing on this side of the property anyway, unless he was heading for the unit of his latest, the Boebert character, who lives on the back side of the unit the new neighbor is moving into?

That would be three women in the same building with some sort of connection to Dream Lover …… Boebert on the back, new neighbor on the front, our Karen character that chased after him on the side.

When I'd been talking to Head Maintenance Guy earlier, he said there had been 27 vacant units.

I see a lot of new faces, so all those Now Leasing signs plastered out front must have paid off in getting new tenants in.

HMG also said he’s leaving …… transferring to another Corporate-Owned property.

He told me which, but it went in one ear out the other, so I can’t research if it’s a newer property or not. I also didn’t ask why he’s transferring. It was all I could do just to maintain, keep a straight face, not let him see how happy it felt to know we were soon to be rid of him.

I feel sorry for the folks on the property he transfers to, because he’s a fake maintenance man, can’t fix sh!t, often makes the problem worse, and I am not alone in this assessment.

I kinda sorta unintentionally insulted him when I asked if his leaving meant his Assistant moves up to Head.

"Yes", said he.

"Good because he does great work" said I. Which statement was a bit of a slap in HMG’s face.

Completely unintentional. It just slipped out, but HMG is somewhat dense, so maybe he didn’t get the insult.

Now that the old Instant Pot is off the counter, and I no longer need the Ninja Air Fryer, because the new Instant Pot Duo is those two appliances in one, I’m left with a lot more counter space.

Before

After

I'd better hold onto the old appliances a week or so, before dropping off at Goodwill, just in case the Duo doesn't live up to expectations.