Eleven O’Clock

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I get up and out early.

Construction work starts at 7:00 so I like to get a few sites under my belt by 9:00.

It’s usually quiet during those hours as I’m hustling while people are waking up slowly.

There are a few downsides to that.

1). I like to try and finish visiting sites by 2:00 so I have a couple of hours to do office work and write reports.

I also don’t have much patience with people who call me after 4:00, but that happens every damn day. I fielded my last call around 6:15 last night.

Long day.

2). I have found that my phone goes absolutely insane around 11:00 every day.

That hour from 11:00 to 12:00 isn’t a good one.

Yesterday I counted the calls and texts I received in that 60-minute window.

Five voice calls.

Seven texts.

A dozen emails.

Most of that happened in a 15-minute span, and as the calls were beeping in as I was talking to someone else…

…let’s just say that I grew a tad frustrated.

Kathy called in the middle of it all.

“What?”

“Isn’t that a wonderful greeting,” she said. “Are you busy?”

I took a deep breath.

“What’s up?”

Of course, it was about the wedding that is still about a dozen days away.

Yet, I surprised myself by staying in the conversation and listening.

Then I stepped away from all of it.

I pulled into Mighty Taco, set the phone aside and listened to the guys on MLB.com talk about the Yankees and Juan Soto.

I’m in a business where things need to happen “Right-Freaking-Now!” and while the pace is usually something I enjoy it becomes a tad troublesome when all the calls come at once.

And my work day ends the same way each day…

…I push the keyboard away and the cat and dog come running because they know what that sound means.

“He’s done!”

“That’s enough!” I announce and Ollie drops the ball at my feet.

“Let’s go!”

If 11 o’clock is the worst part of the day, the ball in the air in the backyard is usually the best.

If you need to reach me…

…try before 11 or after 12:30…

…I’ll be in a better mood.

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