Gizmo's blog: "Trucking"

"FINDING A PLACE TO PARK".

THE NEXT TIME YOU DRIVERS PULL INTO A TRUCK STOP LATE AT NIGHT AND YOU CAN'T SEEM TO FIND A PARKING SPOT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO.

1. GET ON THE RADIO AND SAY THAT YOU JUST DROPPED THIS LITTLE BLOND OFF AND SHE IS STANDING ON THE ON RAMP. TELL THEM SHE IS NOT FAMILAR WITH THE TRUCKS AND SHE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ON THE RADIO. IF A DRIVER COMES BACK AND SAYS HE JUST WENT BY THERE AND DIDN'T SEE HER. JUST SAY WHEN YOU DROPPED HER OFF SHE WAS HEADED FOR THE TREES TO USE THE RESTROOM.

2. JUST PULL YOUR TRUCK UP ON THE LAST FUEL ISLAND, POP YOUR HOOD, GO INSIDE AND TELL THEM YOUR SPLITTER BROKE ON YOUR TRANSMISSION AND THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY CALLED THE OFFICE BUT THEY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT 3 OR 4 HOURS UNTIL THE MECHANIC GETS THERE. "NO PROBLEM"!
YOU JUST GO BACK TO YOUR TRUCK AND GO TO BED. WHEN YOU WAKE UP, JUST GET OUT AND CLOSE YOUR HOOD AND THEN DRIVE OFF. THEY ARE JUST GLAD TO SEE YOU LEAVE. ONE TIME AT THE PETRO IN KINGMAN THEY LET ME SLEEP 8 HOURS BEFORE THEY EVEN CAME TO THE TRUCK AND WOKE ME UP. I WAS SURE GLAD THEY FINALLY WOKE ME UP BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GET GOING.

3. IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE THERE VERY LONG YOU CAN JUST PULL UP ON ONE OF THE MANY "DISABLE PARKING SPOTS". WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THE TRUCK, JUST "LIMP" INTO THE TRUCK STOP AND NOBODY WILL SAY ANYTHING. I USE TO CARRY A "CANE" WITH ME. DON'T FEEL BAD EIGTHER BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE TRUCK STOPS HAVE 5 OR 6 "DISABLE PARKING SPOTS" AND HAVE YOU EVER SEEN MORE THAN 1 OR 2 ( AT THE MOST ) DISABLE DRIVERS PARKING THERE AT THE SAME TIME. IT JUST DON'T HAPPEN.

4. IF YOU WORK A LOT AROUND THE MID WEST DO THIS. YOU KNOW HOW ALL THESE DRIVERS PUT THEM "TRAIN HORNS" ON THEIR TRUCKS. WELL I LIVE IN OKLAHOMA AND I PUT ME A "TORNADO SIREN" ON MY TRUCK. WHEN I PULL INTO A TRUCK STOP IN THE EVENING AND KICK THAT "TORNADO SIREN" ON, I GET A FRONT ROW PARKING SPOT EVERY TIME.

A FEW YEARS AGO I PULLED INTO THE PETRO IN KNOXVILLE AND I HAD JUST LEFT THE FUEL ISLAND WHEN THIS DRIVER CAME OVER THE RADIO AND SAID THEY WERE CHECKING PAPERWORK UP ON TOP THE HILL. WELL IT WAS ABOUT 2:30 IN THE MORNING SO I DROVE AROUND BEHIND THE "IDLE AIR" ON THE BACK ROW AND I WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PARK TO DO SOME PAPERWORK REAL QUICK. I ENDED UP PULLING ALONG SIDE THE CURB BESIDE THE ENTRANCE TO "BLUE BEACONS" DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE A FEW TRUCKS IN LINE TO GET THEIR TRUCKS WASHED AND WHILE I WAS SITTIN' THERE DOING MY PAPERWORK THESE DRIVERS WOULD PULL UP THERE AND SAY,

"HOW ABOUT THAT BLACK PETE"!
"ARE YOU IN LINE TO GET YOUR TRUCK WASHED"?

I'D SAY, "YES I AM DRIVER BUT I CAN SAVE YOU SOME TIME IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A COUPLE DOLLARS I'LL LET YOU GO IN FRONT OF ME".

I MADE $16.00 JUST SITTIN' THERE DOING MY PAPERWORK!