Our
meeting, however, isn't related to Top's military career, although after twenty
years of service, you could argue that everything afterwards is related because
the discipline, the dedication, the honor, the commitment, the grit gets into
the veteran's very DNA and influences the rest of his or her life. I had asked
Top to come early so we could talk about his second career as a big truck
driver. There had been a fair amount of talk lately on the internet about
truckers descending on the nation's capital to protest everything from the
government shutdown to Obamacare to the NSA eavesdropping on citizens or any
combination of a couple dozen other fiascos going on in DC. There was a couple
of Facebook sites - Truckers to Shutdown America and Truckers Ride for the
Constitution - that were pushing for a three day shutdown of their own from
October 11th to the 13th, and a protest in the capital with an army of trucks
bogging down the area. I told him what I'd read and asked him what he thought.
"It
ain't gonna happen," he drawled in his casual Alabama accent. "Ain't
no way they're let that many trucks get into DC, and they sure as heck ain't
gonna quit workin' all over the country for three days."
I
was a little taken aback. I'd never heard Top speak with such confidence about
something outside of the scripture. Elsie's eyes sparkled and she gave a little
smile as if telling me I'd better listen.
"First
of all," he continued, "there ain't anywhere near the same number of
truckers in unions as there was back in my day. Most drivers work in somebody
else's rig, and if they was to up and roll into DC with the company's truck, they
wouldn't have a job when they got back. Same thing'd happen if they set their
rigs down for three days. These fellas gotta work just to get food on their
family's table, and I don't mean 40 hours a week. Your average long haul
trucker is usually gone a week at a time, then they'd be lucky if they get 48
hours at home before they have to go out again. They ain't making a whole lot
of money, either. Never did."
He
knew I had been to the 2 Million Bikers to DC, and spoke to that. "These
bikers, they did a good thing, but tryin' to compare truckers to them is crazy.
Truckers' gotta work!" I asked him what it would take for the truckers to
make their unhappiness known to the government. Top sat back in his chair and
stuck his hands in his overalls with his thumbs exposed. "All they'd have
to do is stop haulin' fuel and produce for a week. That would get the
government's attention! That would get everyone's attention! Especially if
folks can't get their gas or perishables. That would do it."
"This
business of going to DC and cloggin' up traffic ain't gonna do nothin' but make
a lot of people mad. Most folks today don't realize how much their lives
depends on the trucking industry. Chances are, if you've got something, it was
hauled in a truck." He let me stew on that a few seconds as he took a swig
of his coffee. "There's only been a few strikes that's made any
difference. In '73 a bunch of independent truckers went on strike over fuel
costs, low pay and weigh stations. In '76 the Teamsters went on strike, but it
only took three days before they got what they wanted. In '79, though, they had
a strike for nine days, and that about broke the back of commerce. Food was
rottin' in stores, folks were lined up around the block for gas, it was a mess.
In '97 the Teamsters had a strike of UPS drivers for about two weeks, and that
had a big impact. Yep, if you want to make 'em squirm, hit 'em in their pockets."
Top
shifted in his chair. "But it ain't the government that's gonna suffer.
Business will, and the people will. Especially the drivers and their families.
Nah, things'd have to be pretty bad to make drivers around the country
strike."
"Things
are pretty bad," I answered. "You don't need me to tell you what's
going on, Top. We talk about it all the time."
"Yeah,
but truckers will need a good reason to strike. You let their taxes go up or
the price of gas to shoot through the roof, or-"
"Or
having to spend more money on their health insurance because of
Obamacare," I chided in.
"Yeah,
that'd do it,too. It's gotta be well organized, though, and it's gotta make an
impact, or it'll be for nothin'"
We
moved on to other subjects, but Top's words struck me deep. If truckers across
the country shut down, they would have to be willing to lose their jobs. It
would take an entity with the funds to back them legally and insure they get
their jobs back, and be willing to take care of their mortgages for as long as
it took. The whole thing smacked of lawyers, and that's a far cry from anything
I had imagined. I went home that night and began digging into the world of
another army of our nation's warriors, the truckers.
To
Be Continued...
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