Dave and his Truck

I’m not too sure I can tell this story and give it the justice it deserves.  I will do my best but, this will definitely be a story best told by Dave over a beer and campfire someday in the future.  I will hear it many times and laugh with tears each and every time.  My favorite part of the story relates back to another blog, “It is a Man’s world around here…” and Dave must hold the reigns on many tasks now, including this one. Teehee
It begins back in Fallon when we chose to ship our vehicles.  Dave’s truck haul was postponed and I was all moved out of the house and ready to drive away into the dark heading for Tulare.  My only option was to beg Dear ole Kenny to drive the truck and store it until the shipping yard came to get it for shipment.   Kenny held that truck for nearly four weeks, when it was disclosed to me that someone had dropped the ball and the truck was forgotten.  It finally made its way onto a freight line and into the water and the Title to it was overnighted to me the day before I left for the UAE.  That was load off of my mind for the minute.
Now in the UAE, we were awaiting the arrival of his truck scheduled for April 23.  Calls are made, things are arranged and seemingly everything is in order, ship arrived on schedule.  April 29, Dave gets a call asking for the color of his truck, they can’t seem to find it.  He says white.  No more calls until May 1. Truck is found.  Meanwhile, here in the UAE there is no mail system and an “interesting” courier delivery thing.  You must have vehicle insurance and it must be original and on a stamped and embossed sheet.  We ordered these April 27 to be Delivered on the 29.   Shipping company is now frantic in the later hours of May 1 and want to deliver the truck somewhere.  We are calling the Courier (now on the third days of calls) for the paperwork to no avail. We can not have it towed to the “DMV” as we have not received the  Insurance cards.   The truck is delivered to our parking garage but, can not be driven… it is against the law.  In this Country, against the law means,  Jail in no uncertain terms.  We must have it towed to the “DMV, someday after the Insurance cards arrive.  May 2, Courier promises (3^rd day of promises) that the cards will be here today.  The cards did arrive.  Poor courier delivery guy. In his defense, the address was written wrong and the phone number for contact was missing a digit.  Anyway, I hear Dave on the phone with the DMV making sure he has all the required letters and documents, all of which need official seals and stamps and super-shiny glitter.  Then I hear him ordering a tow truck and driver, “Yes, the truck needs to be registered and we will need to put fuel while loaded as it’s below empty from shipping.”  He thinks he has it all figured and orderly.  He tells me he will handle this and I can stay home with the kids’ as it would be fiasco at the DMV with our little circus show.  Off he goes to do “a mans job.”
I take the kids for an ice cream.  Dave calls 1.5 hours later and says, “I am home.  You aren’t going to believe this story.”
First let me state, in Dubai anything in the World can be done for a fee.  This includes registering your vehicle….just not initial registration.
My best attempt to retell Dave’s story as he told me…  
Says Exuberant Dave, “I am standing downstairs at the entrance of the Parking Garage for an hour and finally get annoyed and call the company to ask where is the truck.  The guy answers and tells me he is parked right out front on the center divider.  I look over and see a motorcycle.  I am thinking, ‘wow, these guys are really on their stuff in the densely populated area.  They sent out a Motorcycle scout to scope things out to park a big rig down here.’  I tell him I am standing right here and wave.  He scooters his way over to me and parks his motorcycle.  I ask, “Where’s the Tow truck?”  He says, ‘Me, I drive.”  Guy walks around our truck, inspects the tires and says he will see me in a while.  I said, ‘You can’t go with out me.’  So, I hop in and he takes off towards the DMV.  I am thinking, this doesn’t make sense… why can he drive my unregistered truck but I can’t.  So, I ask him as he is driving into traffic, “Why can you drive this truck with no plates but, American registration and I can’t?’  Guy starts freaking out that, ‘We are going to Jail, Jail, Jail!  No plates is ILLEGAL!’  He stops dead in traffic and I have to tell him to drive us back to the parking garage.”  He thought he was being paid to take care of my renewal.  No wonder he looked at me funny when I said I was going with. This truck is on fumes.   Thank God we didn’t run out dead in traffic.”

Poor kid.  Poor Dave.  Me, I am almost in tears laughing at Dave’s story.  By this time the Company is now calling back to send a Tow truck.  Dave is trying to explain that the DMV is closing and that it is too late.  No one can communicate at this point because they are all worked up.  Dave yells, “Don’t come!” and hangs up.  Bahahahahaaaaa!
He then calls the office and tells them to reschedule the Driver for the early morning.  Lady is upset and says that Dave just cancelled the Tow.  He does his best to explain what had happened and asks if the tow truck driver can bring a small bit of fuel, as the truck may not perform after using the last bit.  She understands, that Dave is making accusations of fuel theft by the driver.  I am laughing hysterically mainly out of nervous energy.  At this point, I thought Dave’s head was going to explode

Anyhow… to end a much longer story because I am tired of writing.  Dave was barely able to register the truck and they took an original receipt for a lot of money that we need in the future for a refund.  That will be another story later… much, much later.

My van arrives on May 13.  Wish us luck :)