7/10/05

8:22 a.m. I met my new Investigator yesterday. He was younger than I thought he'd be considering he was a 14 year veteran cop. Really sharp, too. I hardly had to make any corrections on his first report. And he got good video of the Subject. He also said he wants to work full-time. This is good news. Polly might actually be able to work human hours for once.

I drive up and note he's got a beige pick-up truck. No tint. We are chatting. He's friendly enough. As we talk a cop rolls up on us. Of course, he'd been called about a suspicious vehicle in the area. I tell him we are PIs and he asks that we call in our location next time we're in the area so they don't blow our cover. I thank him and he leaves. "Yeah. Call the cops before you start your surveillance, Tony." He says he thought about it but he didn't have his credentials from the company yet and was afraid they'd as for it. Makes sense. I'll get on Corporate about getting his ID to him.

After I spend an hour or so answering questions, I leave Tony to his work. I drive home and decide to take a run. I haven't gone jogging in way too long. The path along the lake goes on for miles and miles. The water is so blue today that it takes my breath away. After 20 minutes I decide I'm done running and I climb down the rocks to the beach, take off my shoes and jump into the water. Yeah. I know. I'm not in a swimsuit. I don't care. It's HOT!

I am dripping wet when I walk into the house. And I hit the deck when I see several giant wasps buzzing around. How'd they get in here?! I run over to the other side of the room and open the screen door on the balcony. Then I hide in my bedroom until they all fly out. I peek out the door. They're gone. I check the vents. Maybe they built a nest in here while I was in Puerto Rico. I turn on the AC and when a swarm of wasps don't fly out I forget about it for a while.

I go take a shower. I wrap myself in a towel and step back into my bedroom. I look at the mountain of laundry on the floor and I gingerly step over it, deciding to pretend it's not there. I need a housekeeper. I look at my messy case files spread on the bed and computer desk. I also need a secretary. Or maybe a nanny. Do they have nannies for adults?

I get dressed in relatively clean clothes and go to the store to pick up a few things. After a few minutes of browsing, I notice that an old man is following me. I turn into the feminine hygiene aisle because I figure no man is brave enough to venture down that way. But he does. I study the rows of boxes in front of me. Hmmm. Wings or no wings? The old man stops right next to me and just looks at me. He is about 5'9" and 140 lbs. Bald. Gnarled like an old tree branch. I look over at him. "Just lovely," he says. And then he walks away. I smile. I think he's talking about the tampons.

I finally get home and sigh. Back to work. I spend the rest of the evening assigning cases, finishing reports, correcting investigator reports, fielding questions... I have to get it all done now because I leave Sunday for Minnesota.

I have two cases in Minnesota that I need to take care of. And since that is where I grew up, I'll be meeting up with a couple of friends from high school in the later part of the week. Should be fun. One, Judy, I haven't seen since the 10 year reunion. Judy was always plain, a bit awkward, loud, angry, and rude. She also has a lazy eye that gets "lazier" when she's upset or tired. Many a time I would have an argument with her and her eye would take off...swirling around the room on its own accord. I think that it could have been fixed when she was a girl but her parents didn't care enough to pursue it. Judy is one of those people that says exactly what she's thinking. It's like the filter (commonly known as tact) that most of the rest of us possess is just not there. For this reason I find her highly amusing...and sometimes hurtful. I think that the "differentness" about her is what has kept me in contact with her all of these years.

But you shouldn't underestimate Judy. In addition to the above, she is one of the most gifted pianists I've ever heard. It was incredible to see how someone so...not graceful...could play with such amazing skill and feeling. After high school she got full-ride scholarships based on her musical talent. And though Judy gives you the impression she's flighty and simple, she is quite the opposite. I don't know many people that are so spot-on when it comes to reading others. Her intuition is great. And she's a meticulous business woman. And if she decides to do something, she will. While I was training for my first marathon, Judy decided that she would join me. And she kicked my butt. She gained probably 100 lbs on her 5'4" frame when she was pregnant with her oldest son. But she lost it all and then some and has been able to keep it off for almost 10 years. Judy works harder than anybody I know to achieve her goals and I am so proud of her for it. She has morphed since high school into something nobody would have imagined. She's even gotten better at keeping her mouth shut when she needs to. Sometimes.

Anyway, I will talk about Olga, my Swedish friend, later. She was my best friend in high school and we still get into trouble from time to time. I need to get on the road if I want to get to Minnesota before dark...doncha know.