We had to be in at 8:30 this morning for a pre-work meeting. We were told one of the companies we deal with was closing a paper mill in Idaho or somewhere thereabouts, and we were probably going to be getting a lot of angry calls from account holders.

I must have taken 10 calls from them in the first hour. Half of them made some reference to NAFTA.

One guy got real mad at me and say he was going to come down to Chicago so he could talk to me in person. I told him I thought that was a good idea.

I'm not even in Chicago.

Gerald decided to take calls this morning, and said someone told him he was going to "put a cap in his ass" after hearing he wouldn't be able to get a check for his account for 5 to 10 business days. I'm unsure what would prompt someone to make such a statement. Gerald was the only one out of the two of them with the other's address.

Around 1:00 someone sent out an e-mail letting everyone know they were towing from the lot. Sue sent an e-mail right after telling people they were not supposed to park in the office lot to begin with, and would not be allowed to leave their desks if they did.

A few people made it out before Sue's e-mail, but a couple people had to watch helplessly as the trucks drove around and hope they didn't stop at their car. Everyone else stood up and looked out to see if anyone would start arguing with one of the drivers.

One guy made it out just as his car was being hitched up. I could see him handing the truck driver cash and the driver lowering the car down afterwards.

I heard a couple people groan to see him get off so easy.

Gerald sat in his cube the whole time playing online mini-putt. I didn't see him at the remote lot this morning, so I was sure he had parked at the office, but, then again, I didn't see him at the meeting either.

Today I counted three new coffee cups on the car Gerald started the trash pile on, along with some ketchup packets and a few empty bottles of Zima. I hope whoever owns that car gets back soon. It's starting to become a real eyesore.