Influence

“I assume so. We can’t change employers… we don’t control where we work… we don’t control when we work… we can’t go out on our own… and we can’t negotiate a better salary, benefits, or situation.”

“Has anyone tried?”

“I think so, but the results were similar to trying to form unions within Amazon or similar companies. It did not go well. I believe the leaders of those activities are not around anymore.”

“They aren’t still trying to unionize?”

“No… they aren’t doing anything anymore. People don’t appreciate undead who complain. We do not appear to have that right.”

INFLUENCE

December

I started driving for Hoyst at the end of Autumn.

There were several impetuses: I like driving quite a bit and am a decent navigator in the Bay Area; my vehicle is very comfortable for both the driver and to infirm passengers — I know the later because my sister, wife, and daughters would drive me around in it when I was first discharged; and finally, there were too few ‘paratransit’ drivers for the people that did dialysis with me. I was never an official paratransit driver and vehicle (no wheel chair lift, for example), but I understood the needs of infirm and post-dialysis patients. I also had nothing much to do early in the day, so I drove both early and afternoon (post-dialysis) shifts.

During one of the afternoon shifts, I encountered another ability. While I drove Timi home, I suggested she try a Mexican restaurant (“La Fonda de Los Carnalitos”) in Redwood City. It was an innocuous