CELESTIAL EXPRESS IS HIRING
No need to fill out an application--you're already on file
On February 8, 2004 Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III was driving north from Florida with a load of tomatoes for Garden State Farms in Philadelphia, PA when the Call came in to him:
"Ponch," said the Voice. "How ya been?"
"I'm cool," said Poncho. "A little tired, but I'm ok. I'm running a little late right now...damn Florida traffic...but I'll be there on time. I'll be in Philly when they open. Captain Jack's ahead of me. He'll keep me going."
"The Captain's got a nice truck," said the Voice.
"Damn sure of that," said Poncho. "1987 Pete 359. Old, but she's mint. Not quite ready for show, but it could be quite easily. It turns some heads going down the road...Just like I want my boss to buy. Not old, like Jack's, but nice."
"Yeah, your boss is a tough sell," said the Voice. "You've worked him hard all these years."
"You know," said Poncho. "I've been with him for most of twenty-seven years. He taught me how to drive when I was twenty...Well, he taught me enough to pass the test. You don't really learn how to drive until you're out on the road by yourself...Anyway, I've tried and tried to get him to buy big trucks...show trucks...triple-digit trucks. When he would order a new one I told him to put chicken lights and chrome on it...and a big motor in it...Don't get me wrong. I'm driving a nice truck. But black tanks don't cut it when you're out here for a living. And I tell him so! I'm not afraid. He listens...Hey, I just want a nice ride."
"This isn't a bad ride," said the Voice.
"No, it's not," said Ponch. "But it needs more chrome...Boss says chrome don't make him another nickel. And I tell him, 'Like hell it don't! It makes me proud to drive a show truck.' And that'll translate into more dollars and cents, if you know what I'm saying."
Poncho pulled his CB microphone off its hanger and yelled to Jack. "Ain't that right, Captain. Tweak that beast of yours a little and she's ready for show!"
"I just put a new sound system in this girl," said Jack. "We'll stop at the truck stop up ahead...I got to clean these windows...and you can listen to it. Sounds like you're front row, center stage."
"Yeah, I'll bet it does," replied Poncho. "And I need to stop for a few minutes. Get some coffee. I'm a little tired."
"I can't stand dirty windows!" said Jack.
"See what I mean," said Poncho. "Jack's proud of that truck. He's GOT to stop just to clean his windows. Me, I've been having trouble making my deliveries much less keeping this girl clean."
"I know," said the Voice.
"I'm not happy with my on-time record lately. Boss isn't happy either. But he knows me pretty good. He knows I'm not late on purpose."
"I know that too," said the Voice.
"Tell you the truth," said Poncho, "I don't know how much longer I can do this. I mean, I love driving truck...but I don't know how much longer I can do this. I don't know. I guess I'm just...tired."
"Maybe I can help," said the Voice. "Why don't you come to work for me?"
"What's it pay?" asked Poncho.
"Pays pretty good," said the Voice.
"Truck?" said Poncho.
"Any make and model you want to drive," said the Voice.
"Where do I get an application?" asked Poncho. "Just in case I decide to make a change."
"No need to fill out an application," said the Voice. "You're already on file."
"Probably got my info out of some data base, right?" asked Ponch.
"Something like that," said the Voice.
"Amazing...If I say yes, when can I start?"
"You're starting right now," said the Voice.
"I can't do that!" said Poncho. "I can't do that to my boss. Just leave the truck right here and go to work for you. No! I'm not one of those yahoos who get ticked off and quit just because they have to work on their wife's birthday. What would the guys say about me? I mean, how would it look? 'Where's Ponch? I heard he quit...Yeah, he left the truck in Raleigh, North Carolina and went to work for somebody else.' No, I can't do that."
"You have no choice," said the Voice.
Just then Captain Jack's voice came over the CB. "Ponch," said Jack, "let's pull into this truck stop. I've got to clean these damn windows!"
"Yeah," said Poncho. "I need some coffee. And I want to hear that system!"
"What do you say?" said the Voice.
Ponch flipped on his right signal light and eased his foot off the accelerator. "I'm going to pull into this truck stop," he said. "I've gone twenty-seven years without an accident. Almost five million miles...and you're not going to ruin my record now!"
"No," said the Voice. "I won't sully your record. Celestial Express needs drivers like you."
Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III paused for a moment as he followed Captain Jack into the truck stop. "Just let me hear a tune on Jack's system," he said. "And then I'm yours."
Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III: August 27, 1956--February 8, 2004
The Highway Reporter
On February 8, 2004 Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III was driving north from Florida with a load of tomatoes for Garden State Farms in Philadelphia, PA when the Call came in to him:
"Ponch," said the Voice. "How ya been?"
"I'm cool," said Poncho. "A little tired, but I'm ok. I'm running a little late right now...damn Florida traffic...but I'll be there on time. I'll be in Philly when they open. Captain Jack's ahead of me. He'll keep me going."
"The Captain's got a nice truck," said the Voice.
"Damn sure of that," said Poncho. "1987 Pete 359. Old, but she's mint. Not quite ready for show, but it could be quite easily. It turns some heads going down the road...Just like I want my boss to buy. Not old, like Jack's, but nice."
"Yeah, your boss is a tough sell," said the Voice. "You've worked him hard all these years."
"You know," said Poncho. "I've been with him for most of twenty-seven years. He taught me how to drive when I was twenty...Well, he taught me enough to pass the test. You don't really learn how to drive until you're out on the road by yourself...Anyway, I've tried and tried to get him to buy big trucks...show trucks...triple-digit trucks. When he would order a new one I told him to put chicken lights and chrome on it...and a big motor in it...Don't get me wrong. I'm driving a nice truck. But black tanks don't cut it when you're out here for a living. And I tell him so! I'm not afraid. He listens...Hey, I just want a nice ride."
"This isn't a bad ride," said the Voice.
"No, it's not," said Ponch. "But it needs more chrome...Boss says chrome don't make him another nickel. And I tell him, 'Like hell it don't! It makes me proud to drive a show truck.' And that'll translate into more dollars and cents, if you know what I'm saying."
Poncho pulled his CB microphone off its hanger and yelled to Jack. "Ain't that right, Captain. Tweak that beast of yours a little and she's ready for show!"
"I just put a new sound system in this girl," said Jack. "We'll stop at the truck stop up ahead...I got to clean these windows...and you can listen to it. Sounds like you're front row, center stage."
"Yeah, I'll bet it does," replied Poncho. "And I need to stop for a few minutes. Get some coffee. I'm a little tired."
"I can't stand dirty windows!" said Jack.
"See what I mean," said Poncho. "Jack's proud of that truck. He's GOT to stop just to clean his windows. Me, I've been having trouble making my deliveries much less keeping this girl clean."
"I know," said the Voice.
"I'm not happy with my on-time record lately. Boss isn't happy either. But he knows me pretty good. He knows I'm not late on purpose."
"I know that too," said the Voice.
"Tell you the truth," said Poncho, "I don't know how much longer I can do this. I mean, I love driving truck...but I don't know how much longer I can do this. I don't know. I guess I'm just...tired."
"Maybe I can help," said the Voice. "Why don't you come to work for me?"
"What's it pay?" asked Poncho.
"Pays pretty good," said the Voice.
"Truck?" said Poncho.
"Any make and model you want to drive," said the Voice.
"Where do I get an application?" asked Poncho. "Just in case I decide to make a change."
"No need to fill out an application," said the Voice. "You're already on file."
"Probably got my info out of some data base, right?" asked Ponch.
"Something like that," said the Voice.
"Amazing...If I say yes, when can I start?"
"You're starting right now," said the Voice.
"I can't do that!" said Poncho. "I can't do that to my boss. Just leave the truck right here and go to work for you. No! I'm not one of those yahoos who get ticked off and quit just because they have to work on their wife's birthday. What would the guys say about me? I mean, how would it look? 'Where's Ponch? I heard he quit...Yeah, he left the truck in Raleigh, North Carolina and went to work for somebody else.' No, I can't do that."
"You have no choice," said the Voice.
Just then Captain Jack's voice came over the CB. "Ponch," said Jack, "let's pull into this truck stop. I've got to clean these damn windows!"
"Yeah," said Poncho. "I need some coffee. And I want to hear that system!"
"What do you say?" said the Voice.
Ponch flipped on his right signal light and eased his foot off the accelerator. "I'm going to pull into this truck stop," he said. "I've gone twenty-seven years without an accident. Almost five million miles...and you're not going to ruin my record now!"
"No," said the Voice. "I won't sully your record. Celestial Express needs drivers like you."
Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III paused for a moment as he followed Captain Jack into the truck stop. "Just let me hear a tune on Jack's system," he said. "And then I'm yours."
Albert "Poncho" DePasquale III: August 27, 1956--February 8, 2004
The Highway Reporter
posted by The Highway Reporter at 9:59 PM
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