selling out........

i'm tired, and tired of it. last friday i found myself showing off my old freightliner to a guy so maybe he would buy the thing. i'm pretty sure i'll miss the old truck, but not much else.

i'm tired of being a criminal. although i haven't done anything wrong ecept safely do my job for over 30 years with no accidents and a speeding ticket 12 years ago, i keep waiting for either indiana or ohio cops to explain to me what crime i commited so they can raise some revenue for the state. i'm old enough to remember when cops enforced laws, and weren't ######. these days i think every state cop should be issued a mini skirt and red lipstick. if you're gonna act like one, you oughta look the part.

i'm pretty tired of a complex and completely confusing set of rules and regulations that change for day to day and state to state, and of course, the taxes, the endless paperwork, and the hassle. i'm tired of CIVILIANS with limited police powers having the ability to chase me down with red and blue EMERGENCY lights going for a "routine" check. what part of "emergency" goes with "routine", and when did the 4th amendment suddenly not apply to only one segment of the population?

i'm tired of companies telling me my tractor is too old, but with only 345,000 on an out of frame overhaul and nearly 4 grand in improved brakes all the way around and upgrades to the braking system as well as the clutch and driveline, it's in better shape than most 3 year old trucks. thses morons actually expect me to spend 50 grand on something that will qualify for the .95 per mile they pay. no thanks. i'm not going to pay 2010 prices to make 1967 wages. i've kept my equipment up and maintained, and i'm not about to practically give it away to buy some thing i may not even like. part of the reason i've kept an old truck is, it has metal in it, and not plastic.

i'm tired of being tired, and putting up with people who don't have a clue what i've done telling me how to do it. i paid my dues a long time ago, and sort of figured out how things work about the time i turned my first million. that was about a million ago.

so, it's time to move on. time for the younger guys and gals to take over, and time for me to play with my grandkids and street rods. time to watch you folks go and do it........... at least until the mexicans get here. until it sells, i'm still running, but not nearly as hard. i got a load in chicago to pick up sunday night for monday in southern ohio, but i would really rather one of you go and do it. i would rather sleep in that day.

 

i quit long haul some time ago and started pulling rail cans out of chicago so i could be home more. about 10 of us gather at the crazy d's on 65 just north of remington. (that would be the 10 of us who speak english). more guys are getting out and walking away and it's a shame to see guys who have honestly been there and done that and did it safely leaving a profession that needs all the help it can get right now.

but i don't make the rules. i put the tractor in craigslist in indy last night, so we'll see if anyone has the money. in the meantime, i'll still be out there runnin' chicago to ohio mostly at night like i have for years. if one of you sees an old condo shaker with "u.f.o." on the doors, say howdy. the coffee is on me.

and thanks for the "flowers". it's appreciated.