The time had come for me to move up,
from a straight job to a tractor and pup.
I went to the place where you took your exam,
with an old cornbinder, and a 38 ft. van.
The weather was poor to say the least,
rain, snow and slush as deep as two feet.
My instructor and I, started real slow.
2nd high, 2nd low, the weather dictated
how the shifting would go.
The roads were as bad as you would think
I worried I’d skid, hit the ditch, and sink.
“Turn right, turn left” were options one and two.
I said “Not a chance!” and went straight through.
My instructor was impressed with my clear-thinking mind,
so we went back to the yard for the rest of our time.
“Park your rig over there, let me see you unhook.”
I did it too, all right by the book.
“That was smooth. Now, I want to see you back up,
so hook it up and go back to the loading dock.”
I cranked the wheel left but the back end went right,
I better figure this out or I’ll be here all night.
The instructor, now cold and wet from the rain
said, “Your backing up is really a pain.”
“You better practice, backing up is the key.”
I’d flunked, that much was clear to me.
What could I do? What could I say?
I had to think fast to save the day.
Well, he bought my story and passed me, too.
I just told him, “Where I work that’s not what we do.”
“We don’t use docks, or lifts, or ramps,
we don’t carry freight, just sofas and lamps.”
“I’m a furniture mover,” I said proud and bold.
“We don’t back up, we just park on the road.”
Copyright ©2004 Blair C. Weber
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