July 29, 2006
The phone rang, and it was my cousin Bobby.
I never know when I may hear from him next. Years could go by or maybe just a few months, but eventually my cell phone will ring, and it will be Bobby passing through and wanting to say hello.
I should probably call Bobby ‘Bob’, but you know how childhood names stick.
Bobby is an over-the-road trucker, free spirit, philosopher, highly-decorated Vietnam helicopter pilot, a commercial pilot who once flew dangerous missions into Central America, and an ‘always ready to learn something knew’, all-round interesting guy with an optimistic outlook on life.
Bobby drives a truck crisscrossing America, and as he does he philosophizes about truck driving and about living.
He loves to do both, and as he says, “Besides, I get to see MY beautiful country.”
I do not want to miss talking to Bobby.
“How about a cup of coffee at your junction?” he might say. “I’ll be coming from North Carolina on my way to Kansas City and on to Denver, say 4 o’clock.”
That could turn out to be 7, but no matter. If I am in the area, I’ll meet him.
Bobby always has wisdom to impart, gleaned from his sixty-something fascinating years of living.
First words out of his mouth, true to form, were these: “Remember, Kay Jean (as I was saying, no one escapes childhood names), no matter how late you are you are no longer in a hurry.”
Bobby expanded on his trucker philosophy for me.
“If you are already late, you cannot change that. You are late. Being 10 minutes late or 30 minutes late does not matter. Ten minutes is no different than 30. Slow down and stay alive. If I am late, I know my load will not be on time, but at least, I’ll be there.”
Bobby’s trucker wisdom, in my way of thinking, is much like that of Robert Fulghum, author of “All I need to know I learned in kindergarten.”
I’ll bet you remember some of Fulghum’s words just as I do, “And it is still true—no matter how old you are when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.” Fulghum is the author who wrote that we should all have cookies and milk and take a nap every afternoon. Bobby agrees.
Before Bobby drove off into the sunset, I quickly wrote down some more gems from what I call my “Cousin Bobby’ Trucker’s Guide for Driving Well and Living Well”:
Stay in the right lane because that is slow and steady. Let everyone in a hurry go on by.
When you come to an area where traffic is merging toward you, remember that you are the merger not the mergee. The mergee needs to adjust his/her speed according to the flow of traffic. (Never let anyone run you off your path.)
You always have two decisions to make in trucking and in life; you have two pedals to push. You can accelerate to go or brake to whoa! (Make a timely decision to go with the flow or speed up and get out of the way.)
If you go too fast or too slow, you could be in trouble.
Always drive seven seconds behind those in front of you; otherwise you are in the ‘crunch zone.’ If something unexpected happens, you are crunched along with them.
Those guys that are zooming all around you let them zoom.
Always drive five miles per hour less than the flow of traffic, but do not stay in the pack.
When kids pump their arms wanting trucker’s to blow the air horn, truckers will almost always blow the horn for them, as long they are under the age of 13 or so.
After age 13, kids do not want to hear the horn just for the pure joy of its blare anymore. They are more interested in annoying a driver or playing a prank. That is when it is a good time not to honk your horn.
Before he left, Bobby also imparted knowledge on healthy eating habits, vitamins, herbs, and essential oils for any number of ailments.
Bobby has time to think.
He is in that truck for five weeks in a row before he gets to go home to Texas for some ‘R & R’.
Next time, Bobby rolls through my junction and stops for a cup of coffee, I will have my notebook ready to take better notes.
I remarked to him as he prepared to leave, “You are so good at communicating. You should have your own website.”
Miles ahead of me, he replied, “Oh, I do, it will be up and running soon. You can catch me there, America.”
Stay tuned readers.
