Drinking with Dirty Al

Dirty Al appears in many blog entries, because he is both a good friend and a character. He resembles the late actor Lionel Jefferies (Grandpa Potts - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNpWBMNyC0w

When we started working together, he was a widower so I never knew him as anything but a single man quite interested in women. Lets see, there was “the widder”, Joanne, Lisa (a subject of a past blog), and others.

He was back in the car business after a spell as a bail bondsman. One night, after closing, he invited me out for a beer. Off we go to the various places around Auburn, WA. Each place presented a problem. In the parking lot he would recognize a vehicle. Oops, someone’s husband’s car - can’t go in there. Enter a place. No, there are two brothers over there playing pool; revoked bonds on both of them, can’t stay here. This happens about five times. Finally I tell him to find a 7-11, I will get a six pack and we’ll drink in the parking lot. Please understand Al wasn’t afraid of a fight. He is ex Special Forces and was a very good light heavyweight boxer. Our employer was intolerant about salesmen’s extra curricular activities becoming public knowledge (also looking down his wife’s shirts). Ended up that evening without a beer.

Since Al is tired of reading about politics, I guess I could blog about his renting from a daughter’s ex mother in law, hot tubs, the mother in law’s daughter, the mother in law’s male friends, Christmas parties, and large cut glass ashtrays. Maybe not. Probably no general interest in those subjects. We could cover his commercial fisherman days; rescuing people too dumb to turn their fuel spigots on. Perhaps a tattoo, “Marche ou creve” is blog fodder.

Fall is approaching so he will soon, health permitting, be headed South in his Prevost. Should make for some good blogging entries. “Stuff” happens to Al; it is like he is a magnet. I just worry about “Princess”. He works that poor dog night and day. You can see her here

http://wellseasonedfool.blogspot.com/search?q=princess

Car salesmen spend a great deal of time busting each other. As an example, I was recognized by the staff in a grocery store I hadn’t shopped for several years, having moved from the area. Al pipes up, “You mean they still let you in here after being a shoplifter”? My reply, “Al, quit stalling. We still need to get you register as a Sex Offender today”. That shut him up for a few minutes!

Al is fun to be around. Don’t know if he ever met a stranger. Go into any bar or restaurant with him and watch the energy level start rising. He is a good friend, deeply kind and caring, and the best car salesman I’ve ever known. Al sold over 400 Subaru Justy’s, a wretched little shoe box with a three cylinder engine. Seeing his 6’4” frame shoehorned into the back seat of a two door Justy was like something in a clown circus. Didn’t matter the customer had come in looking for a ¾ ton pickup. Subaru paid a tidy bonus directly to the salespeople (bypassing pesky IRS liens and wage garnishments; W-4’s to be dealt with next year). Al was a fan.

So, I am picking on him. Larn him not to have a blog. Hope he has a winter free of propane purchases.

The picture isn’t random; wonder who will pick up on it.