Eighteen Wheeler Philosophy

Original Chat Rooms

By Mel Hansen, The Eighteen Wheeler Philosopher

I pass this little country town cafe, The Eagles Nest, in Meadsville, Miszery...most times twice in a week's time. I've yet to pass it in the year and a half I've been driving southbound that at least 4 vehicles aren't parked there...most times the parking lot is full...and I can see the ol boys seated at the counter or in the booths through the big front windows.

As you'd most likely expect, nestled in a agricultural area, thousands of acres of corn and beans, it's full of ol boys in bib overalls, big straw hats or baseball caps, for this time of year  They either start, or end, their day with a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever goes down smooth to quench one's thirst.

I keep wanting to stop but the parking lot not big enough for Long Legs Lenoir with trailer.  It might be, but then there wouldn't be room for the"regulars" and then there might be, as one of my favorite songs is titled,  Hell to Pay! and being Missouri and Long Legs Lenoir having Utah Plates on her...I'm fairly certain the.."regulars" would put two and four together and assume, correctly, that I'm a..."Mormon"and run me out of town, or reinstate the "Mormon Extermination Order"

But I'd like to stop and just sit at a booth in the corner and sip on a cold lemonade and just observe and listen to the ol boys that still come to a place to actually socialize face to face...instead of over the phone, computer, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

I still remember well when Pulleys Motor Lodge Cafe at home was the gathering place for morning, noon, and evening conversation with the ol boys of the town. I, as a youngster, at times couldn't wait until I too would be one of the ol boys sitting at the counter, drinking a cup of coffee or soda with the other ol boys discussing articles in the newspapers, being arm chair quarterbacks/coaches about the sporting events in the school, if there was

enough water for the crops, the weather holding off long enough to get the crops in before snowed under, and of course about that...Big Sumbitchn' Buck/Bull Elk that was kilt or missed during the hunting season!

Never did get to participate with the ol boys at home...but I did get to participate with the ol boys when I worked on my Weston brothers' ranches over in Randolph. I'd drive to Laketown where I'd get a ride with Burt, Sim and Plumber (Dave) to ride over to the JF/JW Ranches. Of course we'd have to stop at Dee's Super Service every morning to Pepsi up!  And buy a box of Hostess, strawberry filled, powdered doughnuts...and of course bullshit with the morning crowd there before heading over the hill to the ranch.

Then after the morning work was done at the JF we headed for lunch at the bunkhouse on the JW. We'd get to the top of the lane... and as Seth would say if he was driving, or even if he wasn't.."damn truck won't turn to the left for some reason!" So we'd have to travel on into Randolph and either stop at Flora's...or the Maverick...where we'd have to Pepsi up..etc...and of course bullshit with the other ol boys who seemed to have the same problems with their trucks not turning right or left unless they went into Randolph, where miraculously the trucks seemed to fix themselves!  Then at the end of the day working on the JW, heading back to the JF...I'll be damned if that truck didn't develop the same problem again at the head of the lane...only this time it wouldn't turn right!...only left!...so back into Randolph!...where once again we'd stop most likely at the Maverick to...you guessed it!...Pepsi up!..and pick out a VCR movie for the evening entertainment!  And of course share with others there picking out movies that this one..was/wasn't..good and that Sieskel & Ebert didn't know what the hell they were talking about!...cause this is/isn't a damn good/bad show!

I miss those days! I'm mostly confined to the inside of my truck, with only my own thoughts, and trust me, I get mighty tired of my thoughts! I confess, I have some fun with this FB garb because in some small way it provides me with the opportunity to...Bullshit!

But!  Let's not forget to put technology aside i.e. FB etc...I...can't actually hear you laugh, at/with, me when ya tell me I'm full of bullshit!...or see that you really mean something unless I see it in your eyes. So let's get into that damn truck that won't turn left or right until it takes us to a place to Pepsi/Coffee...up!...and actually socialize face to face with others.