I worked in a warehouse, on the outskirts of a major city. Vehicles came up, from the South and delivered kilo packages of product to the warehouse. As long-haired, bearded Billy Jones, my job was to inspect the vehicles and to make sure that the delivery vehicles were in tip-top mechanical shape. I did a really good job of inspecting and maintaining the vehicles.
* * *
MANOLO ANSWERS THE phone; A voice asks, “Manolo, how goes the distribution?
“A few little problems compadre, but my crew irons things out quickly and then things run smoothly again, for the most part.”
“Manolo, we are getting a few complaints, from the delivery drivers about delays.”
Manolo chuckles, “Joaquin, how many vehicle breakdowns from or to this warehouse have been reported?”
Joaquin sighs and says, “None, none at all.”
Manolo lectures, “Joaquin, I got a mechanic here who’s a little fussy, maybe more than a little. No vehicle goes out, until it’s checked. By checked, I mean the engine oil the transmission oil and the differential oil are all checked for problems. If the chemical testing says problem, the vehicle stays until the problem is repaired, the right way. The cooling system, the belts and hoses, the steering, the wheel alignment, even the universal joints all gotta pass inspection. As they say, ‘A stitch in time saves your ass from jail.’ My mechanic always does a stitch in time.”
Joaquin sighs and says, “Manolo, that’s not exactly what they say about a stitch in time, but, yeah, it works.”
Manolo says, “We did have a little problem with our distribution system here. I send Jesse in and he gets the problems solved. After a rough start, mostly getting the problems solved now doesn’t even mean murder.”
Joaquin says, “Ah yes, Jesse. The one that they call pistolero.”
Manolo says, “Courtesy of the Mexican Army, Jesse is also an expert user of an assault rifle and, of course, a knife.”
Joaquin says, “Useful talents. By the way, another cartel had a delivery vehicle break down on its way into a warehouse and they lost the product.”
Manolo laughs, “Yes, I was able to take over the distribution outlets that the other cartel was using. That’s why I was pushing so hard for more product from you.”
