I decided to buy firewood. That means finding someone in my sparsely populated rural area that will work for money. Trees are coming out of our ears up here. The resource is plentiful. But it’s just plan tough to process it and a lot of our modern world is wrapped up in not doing dirty outdoor work.
I miss the classifieds, but they’re gone so no luck with that approach. Nothing posted at the local feed store or gas station. Everything here is word of mouth and I don’t know anybody.
Craigslist turned up what might be Frank’s forest based underworld lair. (If you don’t know about Frank pour a drink and begin reading Firewood Saga: Part 0. You’ll love the story.) I stayed the hell away from that mess! Aside from Frank, the rest was from far away. (Firewood is heavy, it doesn’t pay to truck it far.)
Then, miracle of miracles, I found a business card of a dude who collects Model Ts and (on the side?) sells firewood. I’ve kept that business card for years! I’ve bought firewood from him before and he’s a good egg. He always brings 2 cords in a hydraulic dump box. It is usually good wood (if split a little chunkier than I’d like) and he has never stiffed me. Every time I stack a cord of wood from him it’s the equivalent of 4′ x 4′ x 8′. It ‘aint cheap but he usually shows up with actual wood.
I set the card on my workbench, made a call using my landline. It’s a novelty using a landline. I never get to make a local call. For me it’s a local call to virtually nobody. Except the wood guy!
Annnnnd… he didn’t answer.
I left a message, but I had a feeling he never checks them. (I don’t check mine either.)
Three days later I decided to give it another shot. The bench was cleared. I’d cleaned up and the card was long gone. I’d saved that business card for years and then tossed it when I actually needed it. What a dumbass!
I fiddled with my phone and deduced the outgoing landline number. I called again. And again. And again.
And again.
And again.
The business card had a cell phone number too. I so very dearly wish I’d retained the cell number. I suspect he only answers his cell.
But I didn’t have the number. I suck.