Views

I backed the Pete into a warehouse to get the two oilfield service valves. They are sandwiched between two rails destined for Minneapolis MN while the valves went to the border near Canada.









I was parked at a small strip mall across from the Wal-Mart in Pensacola FL. This beauty showed up in the parking lot. I grabbed my camera. It is a 29 roadster.







I got this HUMMVEE at Ft. Bliss, San Antonio TX. It belongs to a unit being deployed to Afghanistan. I took it to Ft. Knox TN. Keep our sons and daughters of the military in your prayers.







Another load for the Army. This time I got these at the Red River Arsenal near Texarkana TX and took them to the 10th Mountain Division in New York State. They are an elite and proud group of soldiers and I'm glad to have been of service to them.






Not everything involved work. I spent a weekend on this great 41' Morgan with my old Navy friend and his friends in the Florida Keys.








A setting Sun in a rain shower in East Texas.











Visiting my friends, Donnie and Erin, at their home in Rhode Island.









Parked at home in Fillmore CA to make a delivery of one loan tractor to a farm implement company in Bakersfield CA.








I really enjoyed my time on the road.


(All photos by Jim Rieves)

The Gumshoe

"Hey!" "Stop!" Run more. Breathe hard. "Dammit!" "Stop!"

The man turns the corner ahead down a dark alley. Must be a block ahead of me at least. No way I'm gonna go in there. Besides, he has a big lead and will no doubt be gone by the time I arrive at the alley. Might as well go back to the shop.

I fumble around in my right jean pocket for the keys. After removing the large key ring holding the keys to my life, some of which I have long ago forgotten what they opened, much less what they protected, I find the door key. Reaching towards the door lock with the key the door is yanked open.

And there stands the man I was chasing. "What the hell?!"

He grabs me by the hand still holding the door key in position to unlock the door. Roughly I might add and I'm pulled through the door jamb and into the sparse room.

"Are you surprised?"

I nod my head yes.

"Good. Or not. Thought I taught you better."

I don't nod, keeping a sheepish look instead.

"Well, let's sit and have a drink. Your office?"

I nod yes. We go into my 'office' consisting of a well used desk bought at a yard sale and a roller chair bought at Good Will. Sitting on the desk is a lamp salvaged from the dumpster. I crudely repaired the shade with construction paper of near the right shade and gorilla glue. Kinda works. No dial phone graces the surface to complete the 40's scene of a gumshoe, hell, no manual Olivetti typewriter either. Cell phones and laptops are so much more convenient. In front of the desk sits a folding chair (OK, what would you expect? It's cushioned, sorta, with a folded towel. Green towel).

My guest takes the folding chair while I sit behind my desk. I reach into the bottom right drawer and remove the bottle of Jack with two paper cups. I pour each of us a drink. I hand my guest his cup.

"OK, now that you have embarrassed me again what is this all about?"

My friend picks up his cup and takes a long sip. He looks at me above the rim of the cup.

"I need you to kill someone."