Murphy's World

Frozen Follies Up North

Dear Murphy,

I was just short of my first delivery of the day when my tires started spinning while going up a hill. An ice storm the night before had turned the road into a skating rink. I couldn’t go backwards because of the hill, angle and curve. I got on the cell phone, and oops, no signal. I ended up walking to the customer’s place and using his cell phone to call HQ for a tow. The tow trucks were already busy with a jackknifed rig. They told it might take awhile.

Eight hours later, I was off and running again.

When I got back to the office, dispatch said that one of our drivers was hurt in Minnesota. Would I go and cover for him? I said sure since I needed to try to recoup my losses. So, off I

went to Minnesota where everything went fine. I finished my deliveries and was heading for home when suddenly the engine sputtered and died. Did I mention that it was 20 degrees below zero? My fuel gelled, even though I had the correct amount of anti-gel in the tank.

I called HQ again, and they sent out another tow truck. Two hours later, it arrived and took us somewhere warm. Seven hours after that, my truck was running again. I called my dispatcher and he suggested that I stay up north for another week. Well, since I was already there, why not? I finished the week without another incident, and yes, I did get home.

Nathan V.

Crystal Lake, IL

Dear Nathan,

Here it is nearly summer and you have to remind us all about the joys of driving a big rig in the winter. Spinning tires. Gelling fuel. Freezing our backsides off while waiting for the cavalry to arrive. I figured I wouldn’t have to think about that little slice of life on the road for another six months. Thanks for ruining our day.

I hope you have a cell phone plan with unlimited minutes because it seems like you spend more time talking on the horn than my teenage daughter. You also gave the tow truck boys a pretty good workout.

I have just one question for you: After going through all of that, anyone in his or her right mind would have gotten out of Dodge as fast as possible. Yet, when dispatch asks if you would spend another week in the Frozen North, you say “sure.” What were you thinking? Never mind. I just remembered. You’re a trucker, just like the rest of us rolling around in Murphy's World.

Regards,

Murphy and Lucky Dog