Adventures in dentistry

I'm typing this between frantic bouts of packing. I'm supposed to go out tomorrow, for the first time in two weeks.

Two weeks ago was the day I got up to enjoy my first day of home time and discovered that one of my teeth was coming apart. The next day I got a dentist to look at it. A week ago they finally took it out.

I believe I talked a while back about truckers and drugs. Painkillers and Commercial Driver's Licenses don't mix. So I had to spend a few more days getting to where aspirin and/or reasonable facsimiles thereof were enough to make me feel good. And a few more days waiting until they could put me back in a rotation for a truck.

Two weeks. With no money coming in.

Over-the-road truckers, in general, don't get paid vacations. Or paid sick time.* The assumption is, you're basically a contractor, getting paid by the job. No salary as such. No vacation time as such. No sick time, as such.**

Because of the way my particular division of the company is set up, I do get a guaranteed minimum salary. Sort of. But not when I'm not working. I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do.

Just so you know. If this is a career you want to pursue, try to have a little bit of savings on hand.
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*Some companies offer it. They tend to be picky about who they hire. They can afford to be.

**I do have health insurance. This is not an anti-capitalist screed. Just so you know.