The Laughing Wolf

Blogmeet With Tammi

The first part of the family business took me to Central Georgia, where I was able to meet up with Tammi, of Road Warrior Rules for Survival. The plans had been a bit iffy, to be polite, on my end because of all that is going on. For this reason, I had not mentioned it and was scared that anything I did might jinx it. In the end, it all worked out and we met for dinner at Polly’s Café in Macon last Thursday night. She herself is nice, her steak looked delicious (I declined to get my hands anywhere near for safety), and my fried oysters were delicious. We then proceeded to get her settled into the wonderful B&B she had found and me into a hotel room.

As a quick note to Momma Bear, since a swipe from an angry Momma Bear is something that even the most ferocious wolf cares to avoid, I tried to be very good about the arm. Just ask Tammi, I did try (am very trying?).

The next day we were off to explore, with plans to go to the Aviation Museum and then on an architectural/historical tour of Macon. We took Tammi’s car and all started well, until we were near the museum. Things suddenly felt a bit strange, and then they got really bad. For a moment, if felt as though the steering column had locked, but it was just the power steering going out, along with almost all other major systems. This was just as we hit a T-intersection, and with some effort I got the car turned and onto the side of the highway, rather than proceeding on into the fence around the Air Force base.

The problem was quickly identified after the hood was up: the brand new serpentine belt was off. The brand new belt that Pep Boys in Tampa had said was the problem. The brand new and expensive belt that was not the true cause of the squeal she had reported and asked them to check. Depending on the make and model of the car, there tend to be only two things that can cause this to happen, and both involve the same thing. The first is that the tension control, an idler pulley, is not adjusted properly on models where it can be adjusted. The second is that the idler pulley is not working in newer models, where it can’t be adjusted. In this case, the idler pulley was bad. It was obviously bad, and as someone who has done a bit of automotive repair/mechanic work, it really should have been detected when the belt was changed.

What was worse was that the wrecker called by Pep Boys to get us never showed up. We were stuck on the side of the road for several hours, but it did give us time to watch the C-5’s and other planes do touch and go’s at the base, which was right in front of us. I think we acted as moderating influences on each other, so that we were a lot nicer to the people allegedly working to help us than either might have been alone. I have a very short fuse about such situations after AAA left me stranded in high summer on the side of a highway for more than six hours. Their new computer system only worked for cities, and since I could not provide a street address, only a mile marker on an interstate, they apparently had no way to send a wrecker to me. Their new voice mail system made getting through a real challenge and once through I found them to be much less than interested in helping, which only made the $100 plus in cell phone bill that much more salt in the wound. I have never recommended them since, and still don’t recommend them.

Be that as it may, a new wrecker service was finally dispatched and he was great. He was laughing at us a good bit as we talked to him, talked on the phone, and at our comments on the first wrecker service. Note to all services: don’t claim to be stuck in traffic on the highway where the person is located when they can see for several miles in both directions. It makes the lie very obvious and the people more than slightly grumpy. The gentleman from Alan’s not only made us laugh, but was professional enough to decline a tip after getting us to the Pep Boys in Macon. Once the pulley was replaced and the belt back on, we did as much of an abbreviated tour as possible.

Macon is an interesting town on several levels, and it was nice to show things like only one of two English-Basement-Style homes in the U.S. (according to the history books 20 years ago, at any rate), along with a lot of other historical buildings. I also shared some personal history and took Tammi to the Howard Community and other areas that tourists don’t normally get to see. I then took her to dinner and gave her no choice but to try what I think are the best ribs in the world – Fresh Aire of Jackson, Georgia. She indicated that they are almost as good as the one’s she makes, which is high praise.

The next day we did get to the museum, where I was able to show her quite a few interesting planes, including a Puff (AC-130 Spectre) that operated in Persian Gulf I, and best of all a P-40N done up as the plane flown by then Col. Scott in the Flying Tigers. General Scott is from Macon, and was one of my heroes growing up. I don’t know how many times I have read God is My Copilot but it is a few, and a real treat in my life was getting to meet him a few years ago and take part in his 90th birthday party at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins. He has done a lot for the museum, both directly and by the challenge he poses just by being himself. Tammi was kind enough to overlook my getting choked up a time or two, and not laughing at how bad I did on a flight game (still can’t believe I did that stupid newbie that made me quite the SAM target).

We then went antiquing and had a very enjoyable time wandering around. I felt bad having to leave on Saturday, but taking care of the family business required me to go on to North Georgia. We had a final meal together of some very good country fried steak, and then went our separate ways. It was a real pleasure to meet her, and to get to talk about so many things. So, I will close by saying just that it was a real pleasure to meet her in person, and to get to spend some time with her. I do hope to do so again soon. Just without the rolled up newspaper she was carrying, and used to swat me anytime I got out of line or tried to do too much with the arm. She can leave that at home, I'll be good, promise *innocent look*

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