General Motors Dispatcher

Now that you've read my writing, watched my videos, and listened to my audios, I'm hoping that you'll be able to assist me in my search.  I love ARG's.  I'm fairly new at them, but ever since I've discovered them I have found my calling.  I've created a blogspot for my quest.  Please post any suggestions that you may have in order to help me further my pursuit for happiness.  Thank you!

(In case you were wondering: My mother is alive and well.  She torments me for "killing her off" on a daily basis.  I told her she gave birth to a writer and she'd have to deal with the killings.)

     I was driving home tonight after another ridiculously-stressful day at the plant.  I had an itch on my driving foot.   It was one of those itches that make you swerve all over the road like a drunkard because you can't get your shoe off, steer correctly and press the gas at the same time.  You know what I'm talking about.  Anyhow, I drove the rest of the way home sweating because it wouldn't stop.  It was terrible.  After I pulled in my driveway and parked my car, I ripped my shoe off and scratched until I successfully removed my epidermis from my foot.  Sweet relief.

    I sat there in the driver's seat with one leg hanging out of the car, the other leg proped up on the "out of the car leg", my sock dangling from my toes and my head pressed against my car seat.  I started thinking about work.  I do it everyday.  I go there and I solve every problem necessary to keep the operation running correctly.  Everyday, there is a new issue that I'm supposed to miraculously resolve, so it seems.  

     The company I work for is running very lean right now and I know for a fact it is directly related to the fuel prices.  They had a huge pow-wow last month about them.  Ever since then, people within the company have been becoming more and more volitle.  I'll never forget about two weeks ago my boss told me, "Fuel is going up twenty cents a gallon tomorrow.  You make your drivers top off everyone of those tanks."   That's when I knew things were getting tight. 

     There's evidence of frustration that is intensifying by the day.  Just last week a driver manager sent an e-mail in all capital letters to my boss, basically screaming about the fact that we don't have enough drivers to cover our shift.  It's not our fault.  Driver's don't grow on trees and they certainly can't work if you don't hire them.  It looks like the company is spreading itself very thin to try and conserve some money.  They are creating nothing but chaos.  

     To be honest with you, I don't like my job.  There is a certain level of comfort there at this moment, but it's slowly diminishing by the day.  I guess it's because when I leave at 2 a.m. in the morning, I'm already thinking about having to be back at work at 3 p.m. that same day.  I have to try and fit everything I need to do into about four hours of free time.  I leave work with a headache every night. 

      So, I'm still sitting in my car, itching my foot and suddenly as I'm thinking all of this...I had an epiphany.   I really think that oil is ruling my life!!  Oil, gas, fuel, whatever you want to call it...is nothing but trouble.  It is a burden to our civilization.  It's worse than a drug addiction.  We HAVE to change our ways. 
 
      WWO has made me understand the pattern of this society of convience.  The higher the demand for convience, the higher the price.  Until society gets a grip on this factor,  it'll never change.  It's sad.

      WWO has also made me realize that I have abilities that I can utilize in order to earn a living that do not involve oil use at all.  I can write, I think.  If I could do WWO all over again...I'd change many things.  People tell me that I'm too critical of myself and I agree.  I just hope that you enjoyed my story.  I put a lot of thought into it and really worked to make it plausible and realistic.  If anything...it was real to me.

      I'm going to miss this excersize, but it's just the beginning of something great for me.  It's time that I went back to school, put my head to better use and stop letting "oil" rule my life.  Thanks again, friends.  You've changed my life.

And now I command you to keep on rockin' in the ARG world!  =)  

Sincerely,
Melissa Richards        

Current Mood: touched

     In the midst of the site going down, I figured I do couple quick searches and see what other information I could post to the site.  We need every tidbit of info we can find to create this permanent record of the oil crisis.  I'm finding all sorts of great stuff today.  This is an article on the 1973 oil crisis.  It's a little eerie reading that after what we just went through.

     I've never been "good" at goodbye's, especially after all this.   I guess the thought of losing something else at this point is hard to swallow.  But no matter how I try to avoid it, it's staring me in face.

    I look back at the events that have passed and wonder how I made it through.  I wasn't nearly as prepared for the challenges as I thought I was going to be.  Nor did I realize the obsticles I'd have to overcome in order to survive.

    The one element that kept me going day in and day out was my friends.  I never saw them except for in videos or pictures.  The only time I ever really "heard" their voices was in an MP3 file.  But when they put pen to paper...their voices screamed loudly and proudly along with mine.  They comforted me when everything had gone wrong and made sure to guide me in the right direction when I'd lost my way.  Yes Netizens, I'm talking about you.

    I've learned so much in the last 31 weeks.  This mess that they call a "crisis" is merely a test of civilization.  It's a test to see if we help each other out or if turn our backs on one another.  We've chosen to help each other and because of that we've become smarter, more self-sufficient, and less dependent on oil.  We've infected each other with ideas and developed communities.  We've learned to live together in order to survive.  There are so many things that I'd have loved to document, video and explore, which I will still do even after the site goes down, but I would've loved to have shared them with all of you.

     I know this won't be the last time this happens and next time will be far worse than this episode.  When it does, we will be ready for it.  Our losses won't be as heavy and we'll be way ahead of everyone else.  We already have the winning-edge.  We need to continue our efforts of creating more scaled down collectives of people such as neighborhood's and small towns, so that when the shock happens again, when can laugh in it's face.

     As for what's in my future after the oil shock, I'm sure work will pick up again at G.M.  This time around I bet we'll see the first full line of ethanol combusting cars.  I'll be glad to go back to see Pam and Frank, if they decide to continue working there.  I do miss them a lot.  We really had a great time working together.  I wouldn't trade them for the world.

     I'm not sure what Dad is going to do.  He's taken a liking to Branden and his wood cutting business.  They spend most of the day outside in the woods, just chopping away.  They laugh and joke like father and son.  It's funny to watch them pick on each other.  I'm glad they've bonded like they have.

    Pauly has grown up quickly, so it seems.  He's much more responsible since this whole crisis kicked in.  I never have to ask him to do anything because he's either already done it or in the process of getting it done.  He's become quite the young adult.  I am proud of him for being so strong.  Since Dad has come home, he has relaxed a bit more as well.  See, he's adopted, so he's afraid he's going to lose another set of parents altogether.  He's a good boy and smart too!

     Right now, I'm sitting in my room.  My Father is tucked safely into his bed.  My brother is watching T.V., Branden is sleeping on my floor with a pillow tucked neatly under his chin and I'm smiling with tears slowly streaming down my cheeks.  This is the first time in a long time that I've smiled because right now, despite the fact that I miss my Mother terribley and I'm losing all my friends, I am happy.  As happy as I'm going to be I suppose.  Everything's not lost.

     I'm going to miss you all very much.  In all my life I don't think I'll ever find as good a friend as all of you.  Thanks for everything.  Take care of yourselves.

Current Mood: thankful

     I was so excited when I called that I don't even remember what I said.  Anyhow, I received a phone call from the company he works for and they told me that one of his co-workers, who is also a driver, contiually drove the route where Dad's truck was found.  He didn't want to give up on him.  Apparently, it paid off.  He saw my Dad slowly walking down the side of the road in the dark.  

     Dad said the computer in his truck stopped working and he dropped his cell phone in a puddle just after he lost communication with dispatch.  There wasn't any payphone's at the diner he'd stopped at, so he figured if he continued driving that he'd come across a payphone sooner or later.  

     His truck sprung a fuel leak while driving throught the desert and eventually broke down.  He packed up some rations, which he had plenty of, and abandoned the truck when the sun came up to seek out shelter in the shade.  He found a large cave that had fresh water in it so he stayed in there during the day.  While he was in the cave...the fuel leaking from the truck caught fire in the desert sun, which is why his truck was burnt to a crisp!  He continued this pattern in an attempt to make his way to civilization.  He heard the search and rescue helicopters, but none were near him.  He was almost 15 miles away from the area the truck was found when the driver picked him up.  He's home now and I am thankful that he's ok.  He's not taking the news about Mom well at all, but he still tries to smile and make us laugh.  

    Well, there's the skinny on my Dad.  I have to get going, we've got some work to do today.  I'll be back later.

Current Mood: happy

I called in with an update when I got the news that Dad was alive!

Current Mood: happy

   I woke up today in a terrible mood.  I had a nightmare, which I choose not to tell you about, and it jolted me awake.  I looked out the window only to see dark clouds looming overhead and small snowflakes falling from the sky.  I hate snow.  

     I went downstairs and made myself a cup of tea.  Things have been slowly improving over the last couple weeks.  Stores are starting to receive goods, some people are starting to work again, and gasoline is becoming more available.  People are still committed to riding their bikes to work, or the store, or wherever it is that they want to go.  I, on the other hand, do not have steady work.  As a matter of fact, Tom (my boss) called me at the beginning of the week to inform me that I wasn't even able to work the three days a month that GM scheduled.  I was bumped off the schedule due to seniorty.

     Branden and Pauly are still asleep right now.  It doesn't look like we will get to raking the leaves today, especially if the snow continues to fall.  I guess I could work on my windmills.  The income from them has been nice.  I did spend a little bit on parts finally.  I'm still making a nice chunk of change, though.  

     Someone is knocking on my door.  It looks like my neighbor Steve.  He probably has a windmill payment.  He likes to talk so I'll just end this post now.  
    

Current Mood: cold

     Branden has taken to cutting wood from our woods outback in preparation for the coming winter.  We've decided to use wood burning stoves to heat the downstairs and small electric heaters upstairs.  The neighbor's saw him cutting the wood one day last week and wanted to buy a stack of it from us.  He built a cart out of wood and old tractor wheels.  He's charging $80 a cart load and believe me when I tell you it's about a month's worth of wood burning all day and all night.  It's much cheaper than oil or natural gas.  

     Lately, a few people of the neighborhood have also offered to pay me to build windmills for them so I've been outside in the garage quite a bit over the last few days.  I started charging $300 dollars a windmill.  I think that I'm underselling my work but it's not like people have a lot of money to throw around.  I even offer a sort of lay away progam for folks.  As they're paying me...I'm building their windmill.  The best part is that I'm not spending a dime on parts right now.  I have enough material to build three more windmills and that's $900 profit.  

     We've been scraping by with what little money Branden and I had in our savings accounts.  There's only two more house payments left and we're in the clear.  It'll be all ours.  The bank has been lienient on us about the payments because like us, others aren't able to make steady payments either due to the crisis.  

     I guess the government is feeling the blow, too.  We still haven't gotten any mail as of yet.  I haven't heard anything lately about the sort center idea.  I suppose they're still crunching numbers.

     My friend Jon called just a little bit ago.  He said his parents are moving to the mountains to get away from the city.  It seems everyone is running for the hills these days.  Branden's Mom hasn't contacted him at all since she left.  When I asked him about it he said, "She never cared about me before so why would she start now?"  Pauly and  I care about him and truthfully, I think that's all that matters to him.  Since he's moved in here, he's the happiest I've ever seen him.
 
     It's time for dinner now so I have to be moving along.  I'll be back first chance I get.

Current Mood: calm

     I received a phone call from the Nevada State Police today.  They found the remains of what they believe to be my Dad's truck.  They found it while doing a routine flyover of the highways by helicopter yesterday.  I asked the officer on the phone if they had any pictures of the truck because I might be able to identify it.  He said he could e-mail them to me, but they wouldn't be very helpful.  I didn't ask him why.  I didn't want him to tell me...I wanted to see for myself.  

    I waited twenty minutes and the e-mails finally arrived.  I hesitated to open them for fear of what they contained.  I wasn't ready for what I saw.

    This is my Dad's truck...



    and his trailer...



     We really are alone...

     The little flame of hope I had protected so sacredly within me has just been blown out.  I haven't showed Pauly the pictures yet.  I'm not even sure that I should at this point.  He's been doing so well lately and I think that him not knowing would be a good thing for the time being.

      It's time to change the subject.

      In other news, I received a letter from the Postmaster General two days ago.  They said they love my idea and were already kicking it around when I sent the e-mail.  They said that I would be the first to know when this plan goes into effect because they will contact me about my offer of building a small sort center out in the backyard.  Delivering mail by horseback would be so cool.

      In the meantime, I am still kicking around my options so keep the ideas coming.  We need all the help we can get right now.  Thanks for all your ideas thus far, they are appreciated!

Current Mood: thankful

      Things have been going really well recently.  Branden has been a big help around the house.  He's into gardening and loves taking care of the yard.  We've got a whole truckload of tomatoes growing in our little greenhouse.  He spends most of his time on the internet reading peakprophet's posts and watching his videos.  The information he's aquired is amazing.

       Pauly takes care of the dogs and does his schoolwork diligently.  He's been maturing more and more with each passing day.  I can see the weight of the world sitting on his shoulders and I wish I could alleviate this stress from him.  I suppose it will subside in time.

       As for myself, I've been doing odds and ends like laundry, dishes, cooking.  I also take care of the bills and paperwork.  I'm the only one who has any idea where my parents stood financially so I inadvertantly had to take on this challenge.

      After I read the post Illianaspeedster left suggesting I review my skills and think of what our community is in need of,  I had a great idea this evening as I watched the birds who were perched atop our mailbox out front.  The mail hasn't come in weeks now and it just doesn't seem right.  I began to think of Paul Revere and the Pony Express.  That's when it hit me.  Just for kicks, I sent an e-mail to the Postmaster General tonight.  I asked them if they thought about delivering mail via horseback.   I even mapped out an entire relay system for our area as well as surrounding areas.  It's a simple network that could easily be set up.  This would generate income for the post office and create jobs for a lot of people.  Excitement is growing inside me as I type because I would LOVE to deliver mail via horseback.  I hope that they respond.

        I have to go now.  I'm having a candle light ceremony for both of my parents tonight.  We miss them so much.  There isn't a second that doesn't go by that I don't think of them.  I hope that they're proud of the progress we're making.

        One last thing...I want to thank everyone for their concerns during this time of my life.  It makes me feel good that someone is listening while I go through all these trials in life.  Your support has given me the strength to continue on.   

       

Current Mood: content

          It's been over a week now since my Mom passed away and yesterday was the last day they searched for my Dad.  The Nevada State Police called in the evening to let me know they had exhausted all their resources.  I took it easier than I had expected I would, although I really gave up all hope on finding him shortly after Mom had died..    

          We've been managing well considering the circumstances.  My friend Branden came to live with us a couple days ago.  His house got torched in a riot last week and he'd been living with his cousin along with five other individuals.  I think between the three of us, we can establish a "green" household. 

          Last night, we sat down to see if we could think of successful ways to generate money.  My measely $300 a month from work isn't going to cut it here and Branden was a cook at a restaurant, that is, until they closed three weeks ago.  We tossed a few ideas around...then I had an epiphany.  

         MISSION

         We need your help.  We need to generate enough income to cover an $800 a month house payment.  I want all of your ideas.  Not only will you help us survive this difficult time in the world, but the most suitable and realisticly possible idea will receive a fancy-schmancy WWO Magnet for their fridge, or car or whatever you feel like putting it on.  Just post your idea in the form of a reply.  

         Please help us.  I don't want to move.  

Current Mood: rushed

     My alarm went off around 10 this morning.  I just laid there staring up at my ceiling as it screeched annoyingly for three or four minutes, before I got out of bed and turned it off.  I immediately wondered if all of the happenings yesterday were just a bad dream.  I turned around walk towards the closet and there was my little brother, sleeping on my couch.  Right then, I knew it was a reality.

     I skipped over changing for the moment and headed downstairs to the fridge, where I found an almost empty coffee container.  There was enough for one more pot.  I cried as I made the coffee.  Her and I always had coffee in the morning.  God, I'm gonna miss that.  As the coffee was brewing, I looked into the living room at the blood stains on the floor.  My stomach wrenched and I began to feel nauseaous.  

     I took a few deep breaths, and told myself that I had to keep it together.  I had a lot of responsibility now.  This house, my little brother, and surviving the oil crisis.  How are we going to make it?  I have no idea how to even start to answer that question at this time.

    After the coffee had finished brewing, I poured two cups.  One for me and one for my Mother.  I took them out on the front porch.  The sun was shining and there was a warm breeze dancing across my skin.  I sat down in the chair and drank some of my coffee while contemplating this new day.  I remembered a phone call that one of the Netizens, Kelly, had made yesterday.  I closed my eyes and envisioned my Mother sitting there in the chair across from me.  As I took a breath in, I felt her presence and as I exhaled, I could see her face clearly in my mind.  I could feel myself smiling as her and I talked over coffee.  I felt an inner peace because even though she wasn't living physically anymore, she still lives on in spirit and in my mind.  I guess people never really "die", just their bodies do.

    I finished my coffee, came upstairs, woke Pauly up and we took care of the dogs together.  I decided to take a break so I could write this post.  Pauly's downstairs watching TV at the moment.  I just got off the phone with the authorities in charge of my Dad's search and rescue.  There hasn't been any developments in the search.  I'm starting to think that it's just going to me and Pauly from now on.  

    Well, I have a few phone calls to make today to various friends.  Maybe see how they're doing and how they're coping with the changes.  I haven't talked to anyone in a couple weeks.  I'll get back to you later.  I've got to get some work done.

Current Mood: shocked

     I don't even know where to start.  I can't even focus right now.  I just know that I have to get this out.  I have to talk to someone.  I hope you're all listening, even for a moment.

    My post earlier today was cut short because my Mom was yelling for me.  I grabbed my gun then hurried downstairs.  She was standing there with her arms and hands held out to her sides...covered in blood.

"Oh my god...", I said as I ran over to her.  She had a huge gash in the side of her head where blood was seeping out.  (God, this is so hard.)  

"What happened?", I said.  She was breathing so erratically that she couldn't even speak.  She looked out the front window and there was a man with an armload of our things running down the street.  I put my hands on her face and looked into her tear filled eyes.  I began to tear up.  "Mom, just relax.  We have to go to the hospital right now.  Where is Pauly?".  Just as I said that...she fell to the floor.  Everything seemed like it was in slow motion.  I screamed for my little brother who was in his room listening to his stereo rather loudly at the time.  He dashed down the stairs.  

   "Aww god...what is going on?!", he asked.
   
   "Listen to me.  Call an ambulance, now!", I handed him my cell phone.  I was raging inside.  That guy must have been out rumaging through our buildings in the middle of the day and my Mom probably startled him.  I don't remember much about what happened next, but I do remember wanting to shed his blood for shedding my mothers.

    The next thing I know, I'm standing in the middle of our road down by Belmont Avenue over top of the man who hurt my mother as he's bleeding profusely from his chest.  I spit on him.  Just then, the police pulled up and hand cuffed me.

    After a couple of hours at the police station...they let me go.  They don't have any room at the jail right now.  I have to go to court in two months.  I can't believe they let me go.  

    I went straight to the hospital and when I got there I discovered that my Mother...was gone.  I am at a loss for words at this point.  I don't even know what to think.  I never thought that this would happen.  Things were going so good lately.  First Dad...now Mom.  I'm so far gone I can't think.  I really can't write much more at this moment.  My eyes feel like they're going to wither up from crying and staring at this screen.  

   I'm sorry to dump all this on you guys.  Everyone's got their own issues to deal with right now, but I really needed to vent.  I have to go.  I will write more after I get some sleep.  

Current Mood: crushed

     The last couple days haven't been too good. We still haven't heard anything from Dad at all. We called the company the works for and they haven't heard from him either. We've notified the authorities and they're out looking for him as I type. I'm trying to keep positive about his situation, although it has been rather difficult to do so. I feel so helpless because there isn't anything I can do about it. I can't even attempt to look for him myself because there's no gas in this area at all right now.

     On top of that issue, I haven't been feeling well lately. My wisdom teeth are shifting and pressing on my other teeth. The pain is unbearable. It defineltly isn't helping my stress levels. I've been calling our dentist for three days now and I keep getting the answering machine. I think I'm going to have to make a trip to the hospital, but I'm afraid to drive my car (which does have a quarter of a tank of gas) because it's too dangerous to be seen driving. Thieves believe that you have money and are ready to car jack you as soon as they get the right opportunity. I'm not sure what I'm going to at this moment. I might just call an ambulance. It would be much safer that way.

     I can't help but comment on a news story I saw yesterday about gas prices and refineries.   Refineries claim that gas prices go up because "they can't meet the demand of the American market", yet they haven't built a refinery since the '70's.  This is ridiculous.  I can see them not being able to meet the demand of the market at this point because they don't have the oil, but not before the crisis.  It's absurd.  They're robbing from the poor to fill the pockets of the rich and our government isn't doing anything about it because they're cashing in on it.  

They're all crooked.

Sorry to cut this short but I've gotta go...my Mom is yelling for me from outside and it doesn't sound good.


 

Current Mood: distressed

      It's been fairly quiet this week in my little corner of the world.  There's still violence and fighing going on around me, but it's seems to have subsided a little bit.  The people of the neighborhood appear to have settled down somewhat and we've been spending time outside more and more each day.  I think that people are starting to realize that there isn't any reason to be upset about this crisis.  It's out of our hands.

     I put together a makeshift greenhouse in the old truck garage out back.  I've been caring for it the past couple of days.  We have enough food to last us for about two months right now.  Hopefully we'll be able to stretch our supply out for a little longer than that or until we can establish a connection with a farming community in Vienna.  I know it's a few miles up the road, but it would be worth the trip once a week via my bike and the little cart I fashioned to tow behind it.

     Mom told me that Dad didn't called today.  He calls at least twice a day and for him to not call at all is not a good sign.  He was running trucks for the government the last I had heard and they had him driving to Nevada the last couple days.  I know this may sound cliche-ish, but ever since he started working for the government...there have been a couple odd looking vehicles cruising the neighborhood.  Believe me when I tell you that there aren't many vehicles that drive through our part of town randomly, especially at this point in the crisis.

      Ever since I watched kalwithoutoil's "Bike Theft" video...I decided that I should rig our outside with alarms.  I'm sure I can find a few items that would be great noise-makers from unused "windmill" parts.  I figure tomorrow will be a good day to do that.

      I've been watching the news on television lately.  The local stations aren't even going on location for the local news.  All the news clips I've been seeing are from CNN, MSNBC, etc.  You know, the news stations that have the money to send people out on location.  I'm not sure how long that will last with the price of airline tickets and gasoline.  It's getting too expensive to breathe, so it seems.

      I've also noticed that it looks like Netizens are burning out.  The past two or three weeks have really been difficult and it appears to have taken a substantial toll on people.  Defending your house, feeding your family, and keeping the faith can be tiring, but we need to know how you are doing.  I need to know how you are doing.  Please, speak up and we will do what we can to help.

     I'm hoping that this lull in my life isn't just the calm before the storm.  Everything has been pretty good this last week.  I am worried about my Dad though.  Maybe he's just having trouble getting a signal because of a rolling blackout or something of that nature.  He told my Mom he'd be home tomorrow night.  I'll check back in to let you know what's going on. 

Current Mood: calm

      Since this crisis began, I have rediscovered a passion that I held dearly to me for so many years of my life.  Writing is what I love.  I have always found solitude in creating or conveying information through writing.  I used to write stories, poetry, short scripts, short films and anything else that required creativity.  Before the oil shock, I hadn't written anything in almost two years. 

      I spend almost all of my free time on WWO.  I read all the blogs I can.  I watch all the new videos.  I listen to the audios and look at the pictures.  I love reading everyone's stories.  I do it everyday because even though there's fighing, looting, and sadness outside my window, I am connected to those who keep me strong despite it all.

     This has been my "Whatever Without Oil" since the very start.  I can't express exactly how it makes me feel when I know that I have been enlightened by this experience and   take pride in documenting this crisis.  I am proud to part of such an awesome community of people who really want to make a difference in the world.  

     
     
     

Current Mood: ecstatic

     Yesterday was pure insanity at it's finest.  In the wake of the cut-backs, I had one driver walk out and another get arrested shortly after my phone post for unruly conduct.  It hurts me to see them so upset because we are a team and I care about how they feel.  They're a part of my family. 

    A few have listened to what I've been telling them all along.  They're keeping up with WWO as well as learning to deal with this crisis through us.  It's good to know that I've managed to help a few of them.  

    I really didn't know what to tell them, but I went to the big boss and asked him what else they had in store for us.  He told me that the drivers with the higher seniority would get work and the others would be laid off until further notice.

   The mouse peeked his head around the corner just after I had the meeting with Tom.  He said, "GM made a deal with the devil to get us a steady fuel tanker to fill up the tractors right after the three days we shipped parts with the cargo vans.  On top of that, GM is paying for our fuel because they want to finish the '07 line.  After they're done with the '07's, they'll be shut down for an unestimated amount of time.  They have to decide what type of vehicle they're going to produce in the wake of the crisis."  

    Well, I'm trying to gear up for one last day of work this week.  TGI freakin' F.  I didn't get my paycheck yet.  Fedex had some problems with moving freight so we're all biting our nails, hoping that's true.  I don't want to work for free. 

Current Mood: awake

    I was at a loss for answers...and words while drivers continue to spout off about the GM production cut-backs.