On my way to Camp Pendelton

Well T-Money dropped me off at the airport and we say our goodbyes. It was sad to me but I didn't let on you have to stay calm and in control when you lose control of your emotions mistakes happen. So anyways I meet my partner in the airport and we get to chatting about Iraq all willy-nilly then I look around. I move up close to her and casually mention that we it maybe it would be a good idea if we not talk about going to Iraq so cavalierly. She agrees and we try talking about other stuff but, we have been working together for the past month getting ready to go to Iraq so what else is there to talk about.

Well we arrive at San Diego and she tries to get us our vehicle. For some reason she is super concerned about paying for this vehicle. I'm thinking what's the problem? Number one the company has paid for what we need and number two I'm not going to be stranded anywhere so this is a non-issue to me. See the thing is she just got married and was in the process of changing her surname it wasn't done everywhere so she got lost in the system. So the car they had for us wasn't in her name so she was like they don't have a car for us. Again I'm like whatever, the guy working at the Hertz was a real ass so he wasn't helping. So then he finds our reservation and then says you all have rented a mid-size.

I say, "We need to upgrade to a small SUV.” a mid-size is a standard for travel but, we are coming to Pendleton to get over 150lbs of gear a piece and I have no idea how much space we need for two of us so I made an executive decision to get a SUV that would be better for us to get our gear in and get out of.

The Hertz Assmaster smugly says, "Sir it will cost another 20 dollars a day to upgrade to an SUV." it wasn't the what he said that pissed me off it was the way he said it and the stare he gave me.

"So." I respond firmly, "I know what the itinerary says. I'm telling you what we need. Can you get that for me or do I need someone else to do it? You have the card to put it on now then do you not have any SUV's available or just problem doing that? Now then if you do I can ask someone else to help us. Is this going to be a problem?"

The Assmaster begrudgingly says, "No, it won't be a problem sir, I'll have the SUV you request."

I smile politely and say, "Thank you for your help sir."

He saw the look in my eyes that said I wasn't fucking playing today. That smile was more about the fact that I know the exchange just knocked 3 years off his life in stress. I have to tell you something about older white guys in service industry jobs. They hate and I mean hate serving young black men and most times they will do what they can to make it difficult on you.

Me personally I don't give a fuck. When I’m in the right I like fucking with them. Hell, you can hate me if you want to but you will serve me and you will respect me. Make it easy on yourself and do your fucking job without the sass next time ok?

Well that was danger averted then my partner is like they don’t have my reservations at the hotel. I’m like, "This is crazy of course they have your reservation."

I call the hotel and they have mine so I say to her we are going to the hotel they wouldn’t have my reservations and not yours they were made at the same time. We get to the hotel and as I already knew our reservations were in the system and everyone was cool. The lady at the desk was kinda cute but she was an ass as well. I don’t know it may just be a San Diego thing. This apparent rebuffing of the Hustle charm as well confused my partner as well.

She was said, “I saw you putting the charm on. If I was her age and you were talking to me I would have been flattered.”

I said, “This I already know, but I can’t speak for these women today I don’t know if they are just young and dumb or if it’s just the west coast. I don’t even talk to them anymore for results I just do it for practice. I stopped expecting women to respond to compliments years ago.”

She said, “Really, that’s too bad you are a catch.”

I think to myself, “Yeah maybe so but, only to those that know how to fish.”

So anyways I head to the room and call my folks. I put out my clothes and then I head to the bar for a drink and some dinner before I lay it down for the night. I got a long week ahead of me.