Tuesday, May 24, 2005

After getting back with the car I hang around at the apartment as we have a lunch for all the field employees at an Indian restaurant that I know is somewhere nearby on the El Camino Real (sounds better when you say it in a latino accent).
Drive around for 20 mins up and down the road looking for the restaurant. Get lots of practice at lefthand U-turns. Finally find it in the opposite side of the street to where I thought it was. Go in - I am 15 mins late but I can't find anyone! The front desk says he only has a booking for two companies which definitely aren't mine. I walk through the restaurant but can't see anyone I know. So I go up the street to try to find a payphone (or anyone kind enough to offer any other phone). I walk into a hairdresser. Conversation with female latino desk clerk follows:
Mashy: Can you please tell me where I can find a payphone?
Clerk: [blank stare. almost panick]
Mashy: I need to find a payphone.
Clerk: phone?
Mashy: Yes a phone. Where can I find one?
clerk: eerrrrrr..
Then she rudely answers her phone and ignores me hoping I go away. I do.

200m down the road in the opposite direction. I find a payphone. Proceed to call Hammer using 50c change only to find he is not at the lunch. He gives me his calling card details so that I can make more phone calls for nothing. Call Ryan but he is not answering. Wait five minutes by walking back up the the restaurant to take a look. Still no-one I know. Backat the payphone I now have to wait 5 minutes for some scary looking dude to finish with it.
Then call Ryan again. No answer. Then call Milan who I thought would not be at the lunch. Wow! Aparently they are inside in a back room and have been for 1 hour. FUCK. So I'm only 1 hour late, lucky they booked for two hours. The only small consolation is that lunch is paid for on bigwig managers card. Didn't know they did that anymore as corporate lunches back home have been long gone. Together with the donuts, bbq, having no breakfast etc I haven't had to pay for too many meals so far.
Follow Milan back to the customer site. First time I have driven there.

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