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I knew I was the logical substitute since Jake is so busy he doesn't know if he's going or coming.  Doc is not experienced in survey work and Perk is very much in Kroner disfavor and Kroner in his.  So when Rudy asked me if I wanted the job, I told him I was about cleaned up on my old work and had to do something.  Later Rudy told me he had suggested it to Maurice and it was all lined up.  So I felt rather good about it since it means getting to new Orleans, Alabama, Georgia and maybe Florida, all of which I have never visited and should like to.

So later in the afternoon, I heard Kroner dictating a telegram which indicated Jake was going and I surmised he had insisted on Jake instead of me as he is always very fussy about who goes into his territory.  Well, I was rather disappointed but not hurt because Frank doesn't know me and probably simply balked on a stranger.  As a matter of fact, Jake is supposed to be in his disfavor too, and Frank and Perk are like cat and dog since Perk's six weeks sojourn with him several years ago when Perk's insistence on being near a big city on weekends so he could go to church, rubbed Rank,, who evidently isn't fond of the Catholics.  Perk is rabid about him.  I understand that Doc also is on the taboo list.  So apparently anyone who can get along with Frank is a wizard;  I flatter myself to think I could but I really have seen few people I couldn't hit it off with okay.

Well, at any rate, after having given up the idea of the trip, Maurice asks me last thing before leaving the office, if I wasn't about cleaned up on my work.  So now I begin to think Jake is going next week on a special job and I may yet go for the surveys, a three weeks job.