My episodes usually take time to deal with. For once it was not that way even though it was a what the heck moment to begin with.
About three weeks ago I was up at 7 am on a Sunday morning and did what I do first thing, I took Ziggy our three-year-old Terroir, Poodle plus whatever mix for his morning constitutional. We walk to the tool truck to do this first walk of the day to make sure no cretin was there doing what cretin's do.

As we rounded the corner for the block where Ethyl THE Tool Truck is parked, I saw laying flush in the middle of the sidewalk about three feet of old red colored 3/8 air hose just sitting there. I thought I know what that/s used for...thats a siphon hose....I left it sitting there. We continued down the block about the length of a football field to where my truck was parked across the street. I did my walk around starting with the drivers rear to see if the police had marked the tire. The truck had been parked thee a week already. Nope no yellow chalk. I walked up to the drivers door. No sign of any issue. I went around the front, my cable and lock securing the hood are just as I left them. Continuing the passenger door was unmolested. Then there was my big 45 gallon gas tank with the big 4 inch cap hanging there...what hanging there? Yup gone was about 40 gallons of Premium.

In the Communist Republic of California, Premium gasoline costs $6.36 per gallon here in beautiful but expensive San Diego. We have taxes that add more than a buck to what you all pay. Additionally we pay to change from "Winter Blend" to Summer Blend" We pay every time the refineries have some hick up and they seem good about making sure these monkey biz hick ups happen often. ..So about $240 left me between Saturday night at 9pm and Sunday morning at about 7am.
.
We walked back and I picked up that piece of hose and yes it smelled like gasoline. My wife a day or so earlier mentioned to me that there was a rash of gasoline thefts, The cretins that were doing this were drilling holes in tanks to have the gas drain into a receptacle New gas tank necks are not conducive to running a siphon hose down..

I was thankful Mr Cretin did not drill my gas tank. Obviously Mr Cretin was prepared bringing a piece of old air hose. Its my guess he has a car not a truck. He likely threw the hose out the window as he approached the corner to turn right or to the left to leave the area. I bet that hose was stinking up his car. Two days later in the bushes I found his five gallon drain bucket. Further having me believe this was a car or Suv of some type he was driving. If it was a truck he would have just left that stuff in the bed. I wonder how he took 40 gallons. Must have set the siphon left and returned to empty the five gallons.and repeated the process.

I reported it to the police but you know they have no time(interest) in this type of crime. There is a camera on that corner where the hose was discarded but to my knowledge there isnt anyone looking into this...
I left the truck. I went about my business for the rest of the day trying not to think about it.

For whatever reason, I awoke Monday with back spasms that kept house bound for 10 days. Probably my emotions helped me just break down here....dont know....actually I do know. I was bummed. I also havent done my Maintenace exercises and gym work out that are upkeep for my now twenty five year old back surgery that repaired the broken back I suffered in a work related accident back then. I have been off of my program for more than 90 days. I usually get a less severe reminder that I am off my program and can circumvent the major pain by getting back into swimming and some weight work but this time it just layed me out for my lack of discipline.

Yesterday I finally felt strong enough to deal with the weight and dexterity a jug of gas with 5 gallons in it requires. I used the shaker siphon hose and 3 minutes later the 5 gallons was moved from the big red jug to the gas tank. Still not too limber, I climbed up into the cab to start the truck. It fired up, then died. I cranked it again it sounded like it caught for a second, but no dice.

I could hear my year old electric fuel pump chattering there on the frame. Even so, there wasnt any gas present in the in line glass gas filter there at the fuel line outlet for the tank. I pulled the other end of the hose that leads from the fuel pump to the inlet side of my adjustable pressure regulator mounted on the inner passenger fender. With it removed from the regulator I found air puffing from the disconnected hose.. So something fuel pump wise was happening.

I removed the brass pipe threaded 90 degree fitting that the hose barb and exit hose all screws into that leads to the inline filter. This fitting has the gas tank downtube extending from it. With the down tube now in my hands, I blew on it while blocking the open end that would be immersed in gas....It did not leak.I put it all back together. My back felt tight and I did not want a relapse so I quit for the rest of the day.

Today was my 4th day of my return to my exercise program. I did an 8 lap swim in our condo's 50 foot pool followed by a nice dip in the 100 degree spa. When Im in shape I swim 30 laps 4 times a week until some distraction derails me then the cycle repeats

I went back to my ETTT not convinced there was not something wrong with the down tube, I removed the hose coming from that down tube fitting again to drop it into a 2 gallon gas jug to by pass the gas tank and down tube. While doing this I saw the hose leading to the in line filter actually turn.....The inline gas filter was loose, its ends where not tight against its glass center....I found my air leak. With that inline filter loose, the suction the down tube needs to draw up fuel there inside the tank was not going to happen .Im not sure why that filter assembly was loose. The truck ran before Mr Cretin was on the scene who knows he may have messed with the hose....

Ill climb back in ETTT tomorrow and move her to a different parking spot. It was too late in the day to get a space I would want and my battery was too low to get her started. Ill bring a jump starter tomorrow...
I should have a suitable safe place to park ETTT so she is off the street each night soon.....
...

the ends of inline gas filter were not screwed together tightly against its glass tube center. Looseness wasn't allowing an airtight condition

 

Horance Greeley's famous advice at the end of the Civil War, "Go West young man", has a hollow ring these days. Fighting for parking space--wealth sapping energy prices--a broken criminal justice system that allows "cretins" to roam around freely, certainly isn't my idea of the American dream. I'd move if I could, and I'd do it tomorrow. The weather in San Diego may be great, but there are nicer places.

Jim

 

Sorry to hear that Gary...

 

That really sucks!! I wonder if you could just leave a note on top of your gas filler. "Tank is empty, you sumbiches!!" might work. 40 gal of $6 gal is a huge draw!

 

I had a filter like that on my hot rod and it was constantly in need of tightening or I could smell the gas that was dripping on my manifold . It's on the garbage now . Just for comparison roughly converted L/us gallon C$/US$ premium here is about $8.80/gal

 

Jim, I know you mean well...1st this is still my home. I dont want to give it up. Ill fight the cretin's. More importantly my children and THEIR children (Grand kiddos) live within the county except for one child who would like to live here but couldnt find a suitable way to economically do so like the other three of my kids have. My youngest recently took my beater Tundra with him and his wife and two beautiful little girls on their move to Virginia where he found a job that will give him a good middle class type living situation. He would have lived in the poverty class here in San Diego. My other children conversely have done VERY well financially here in San Diego.....

So unless I dont want my family around I guess I will stay put. Additionally my siblings and my 90 year old mother still are here in the county also....Then there is the weather and my history here. I am also not really that excited at my advancing age to pick up and start over again somewhere else....

My neighborhood is looking out for me the best they can presently....That's why no police have marked tires etc. This truck hasnt moved for more than a month now....72 hours is the law....There was a period about a year and a half ago where someone was bugged by 30 foot of truck taking up prime parking here in the hood. I got a computer printed nasty letter attached to my window with all the vehicle and other codes that I was breaking listed and was informed he was going to have the police do their job....Which was a chicken stuff way to handle it...my name and phone number is clearly displayed as part of the decorative Stars and Stripes wrap all over the box. He could have phoned me to talk...

That parking harassment stopped when I went door to door to "apologize' for inconveniencing everyone and then asking everyone if they had a lead on a more suitable parking situation for me so I could do that instead. I also moved where it was parked so that not quite as prime parking was being used....I know who that person was just from having met them during my door to door thing and how they reacted to my apology etc. He has since sold his place for a HUGE financial win and moved away and no such tire marking etc has happened in a long time...but it was a thing for that period so it made its impression on me...

My neighborhood knows me..I learned back then on my door to door campaign how much they like ETTT also. Those that didnt know also learned that Im the guy who also played the trumpet and did the "Taps across America" thing for memorial day where I stood in the driveway of our neighborhood school and bugled TAPs. I also earlier that day played a whole montage of other patriotic music for like 30 minutes. Some of that was mentioned when I met folks...It seems they knew of me and were happy to have met me. I also suggested we watch out for each other...this was absolutely agreed upon.

. Im also the guy who fixes their cars when they need simple things done quickly, like a jump start or help doing their brakes or hand holding the newly separated mother of kids who did so to end her soon to be marriage to an abusive husband who had fallen into the booze bottle. She needed guidance so she did not ruin her vehicle . Her ride had the rumble and squeal coming from under its hood that indicated impending death to this particular vehicle was probable if she kept going...she has a Toyota Suv with an "interference" engine and I was hearing the noise a water pump makes before it gives up the ghost. This vehicle also slips its timing belt when that water pump fails. I was very clear with her about what that was and directed her to one of my customers who is a very good guy and a heck of a tech.. She was so grateful for this guidance and my then and now babysitting her car maintenance and repair situation...Its no skin off of my nose to do this stuff.....so

My community is aware of my plight with ETTT we are going to get this(these) Ahole....we will DRIVE HIM OUT. The other things like high taxes etc are on my radar also....

While I was hurt I decided to handle some of that...I am going to get very politically active to fix some of this other BS

More on the hurt part... I usually am the poster child for a serious back repair that has gone right.....I have had 4 such bed ridden episodes like what I experienced recently in 25 years. Not too bad....I seriously broke my back. In my injury. The locks were sheared off the vertebrae of L4 L5 S1. I have two titanium plates, 4 bolts and a piece of my hip welded in to accomplish this repair.

So if I go off my exercise program and get even the slightest sign of "jelly" belly (90 days is the limit) then i usually get soreness and stiffness...if I ignore that I get the big bitch slap I just experienced....my own arrogance...stupidity aka rock headedness.....Its not a bad trade an hour of exercise each day and then go about my business that includes being able to repair a 1955 Ford C600 and we all know some of those things needed on that truck are heavy and require some contorting to reach and pull etc...When in shape its no real issue...I do get a little sore for a day or two if I do some of that bigger stuff..but some stretching and a few anti-inflammatories do the trick when that is an issue.

..Im going to go swim some laps then go move ETTT

 

its ok Charlie...Im much better....My neighborhood is fed up...we are going to get it handled.

 

I was going to run a tank inside the box for my gas supply and FILL THIS TANK WITH a sugar water solution that I put some dye in to resemble gas....give it some gas so it smells correct.......we are going to get this gang of "S" heads....that are ganking cat converters and draining gas tanks....they have woken this neighborhood up....

 

Ill be watching that filter now for sure....I think where it is sitting on top of my gas tank is different than yours was being under the hood where there is engine heat and vibration...we shall see...What was leaking certainly had me scratching my head. My next step was to find the hole in the feed lines that would suck air...Im glad I found it fast.... having been dry for so long there was no sign of a leak etc.....

Yes $8.80 is a bunch! did it go up 40 percent from a year ago to get to that price like ours did or was this high price you pay a "gradual get used to it" over years type of thing?

 

Gary, I can certainly appreciate your loyalty and reluctance to leave your family and friends. For you, I guess, the helpful little phrase, "Bloom where you are planted", applies. From what you have shared, you are are trying to be that positive example and leader that is so needed in our society, in the midst of all the negatives that have befallen your little part of the world. Your part in, "Taps across American", is but one beautiful example.

Blessings on all the challenges you face--

Jim

 

That lousy corksucker, he has violated your farking rights.

We haven’t had a rash of gas thefts, but catalytic converters are getting stolen like crazy.

That sucks

 

Jim thanks... A little visual of my participation in CBS TV's Sunday Morning & Steve Hartman's plea for those that could & would to bugle "TAPS" @ 3PM on Memorial day. That's my bride and "Ziggy" the family dog along with my daily driver.. My father's military bronze star and other documents were on display on the truck's hood.. We only found out my Dad was a Bronze Star recipient after he passed while dealing with his possessions etc. He passed in 2008. Shortly after this past Memorial Day my brother was repairing damage a rodent did to my moms garage door opener's wiring and found a two drawer file cabinet in the garage rafters...the long unanswered question of what that Bronze Star was awarded for was finally answered..My Dad was really exceptional..Everyone including the Lt Colonel who petitioned The Bronze Star for himl thought so. The documents in that file clearly stated this Superior Officers's appreciation and admiration for the Valor his Private showed.

All through high school, while the rest of the school took a day off , a group of us who formed our school's"Pep Band" (about 15 of us) played appropriate patriotic and religious hymns type music for the Memorial Day Ceremonies at two National Burial grounds here in San Diego.

Doing stuff to honor our Service folks especially those that "gave it all" is something I can and will continue to do...Covid put the kabash on those Memorial Day at the Cemetery Ceremonies so Taps across America was born...This year my Father's Army file will accompany his Bronze Star for all the neighborhood to see when I do my 30 minute montage of patriotic music tribute to America at 11Am and for the 3pm Taps Across America.

Taps Across America 2021

 

That is cool Gary, that you do that.

Isn't your Dad typical of WWII veterans. They don't brag about their accomplishments. "Just doing our job."

 

I LOVE that idea,

 

We, some of my buddies and I, when ask about the reliability of our old trucks, used to say "I wouldn't be afraid to drive it to California". Quite a statement considering we live in NC. I don't say that anymore because I would NOT set foot, or tire, in CA.