Keep America Running

I am the blood pumping through the veins of America. Without me the American economy wouldn’t exist. Every pleasure and convenience of modern life that you enjoy and take for granted is dependent on me.

In spite of that, I am very unappreciated and sometimes even hated.

Who am I? I am the American truck driver.

Unless you are completely self-sufficient, every single thing you buy, use, and consume is transported by me at one time or another. I bring the goods of the world to your doorstep and give you the ability to be a consumer.

I’m the one you get mad at when you come down the freeway onramp and don’t look at traffic until the last minute, and I’m there. I’m the one you shake your head at and complain to yourself that I must think I own the road. I’m also the one who pays more road taxes in a single year than most people will pay in decades. While you go to your little offices and cubicles to work, you get there by driving through my office. My office has yellow and white stripes and speed limit signs.

I’m the one that the environmentalist whackos complain about because my truck burns SO much diesel. Amazingly enough, I’m also the one who hauls all their clever little bumper stickers that they seem to love so much.

I’m the one you try desperately to not be behind when coming to a red light. Even though I weigh more than six Hummers when I’m empty, I’m the one you will do anything to get in front of and as long as there is enough room between me and the car in front of me you think it’s a good idea for you to hop in there.

Even though I’m the one who is up at all hours of the day and night making sure everything keeps moving and I keep things running, at best I usually only make enough to qualify as “middle income.” I’m just an obstruction in your way that you have to speed around so you can get to that very important place you need to be at.

I’m the one you have to hurry up and get in front of so then you can slow down. I’m the one you try and scurry in front of when coming to a red light and you assume that I’ll still be able to stop in time even though you cut the distance that I have to safely brake. I’m the one who will be “at fault” nine times out of ten in any accident whether it’s really my fault or not. I’m the one who has the lowest accident rate per number of miles driven than any other group of people in the country.

The next time you go to the store and buy things that you want or need, remember that it was me, the guy in the semi that you were mad at, who brought that stuff for you to buy. When you go to your nice home, remember it was me who brought everything to what was once just a hole so it could be built into a house. When you walk outside and don’t see a mountain of garbage in your lawn, remember that it’s because of me that your garbage gets to the landfill.

It may sound cliché and you may have heard it before, but it’s true; without trucks, America stops.

*****
Yeah, I know this is retarded and all. But I spent 14+ hours on the road today going from Minnesota to South Dakota and back. It sounded a lot better in my head.

Anywhose, Thanksgiving was cool. Here’s some pics from when I was in Illinois.

Amanda, Jen, Me, Allie, Tina

Me and Allie

Me and Jen

Me and Tina

Me and Allie again

Allie, me, and Tina