HOT CHOCOLATE...Another Two-fer Pt18
My last stories reminded me of another two-fer. Yes there are also flashing stories of female pedestrians flashing truckers. You know, while standing in front yards, along the curb, beside the road, and on overpasses.
I remember a few of all of those. In fact way before I started trailer truckin I convinced my own young wife to do most of those flashie games. We loved the overpass flashin. Dollie got honked at and lights flashed as she leaned over the rail and hung her boobies out for drivers to see.
Well this pedestrian truck flashin story is slightly different. That's why I decided to add it.
First off please don't think I am prejudice or anti-colored. Several of my best friends and co-workers were black. Yea BLACK. I am from an all white little mid-western town and back then there were other colors, plus black and white.
In fact we often called those people over in Peoria Negros, plus that other name many didn't like. My buddy Ernie, a black man, explained the differences between White Trash and Niggers. After that things were easier to understand. Okay we got that splained. Now for the story.
Back then I drove a Freightliner long nose. This was before the anteaters. I loved a conventional tractor because I love old cars with a long hood and bulging fenders.
Our company came a long way since I started driving. This Freightliner had an overhead radio with built in CB, good working AC/heater and the reason I'm telling this, power windows and power door locks.
I was on the north bound run and started at the ungodly hour of 4AM. That's what being on the bottom of the totem pole got. No one else wanted that shift and it was an overtime run. Being company our runs were set up for eight hour shifts. But with longer runs and several drops, this one and some others were ten hour runs.
Okay more crap out of the way. Also the company was into what was called "just in time" production. Often my load going north was not ready just in time! Go figure. I often had to take a load the 20 miles to where my van would be loaded, drop and hook, then head north. I sorta wrote this in another story.
We also had two ways to get across the river and north. Most drivers stayed on the east bank and drove north to the last bridge. I like people watchin and there are three bridges close to our terminal that crossed over into Peoria. There is a northbound two lane and a block west the south bound two lane, both right through the lower part of town.
Got the picture? When going north I had to pass the PROJECTS. These were the low income housing projects nearly down town. 99% of those living in the projects were young unemployed healthy black people. Since they were unemployed and July in central Illinois was hot and humid many of them wandered the sidewalks, front yards, and curbs along a three block area of the projects. Also since it was hot and humid many of the feminine type black ladies wore few items of clothing.
Now ya see why I went the west route rather than the country route. Driving along the east bank of the river there were deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. But I enjoyed starin at the wildlife near the projects.
Another thing I might add, I drove in the left lane along the projects because there were often young black people stepping between cars, leaning and laying on cars, throwing bottles and cans, and just loitering along the right lane. Yes male and female were often topless or nearly so. Often cops with red lights flashin in this area.
Another thing to visualize, there was a traffic light at every city block intersection. But they were timed so at 30MPH you could ht most on green.
Well I was headin up past the projects, windows down, doors unlocked. As always in that area I locked the doors and hit the power window buttons. No offense, it just felt safer that way. I'm not profiling, this is the real world!
I remember it well, Friday around 4:30AM, my last work day, night, before the two week summer vacation shutdown. Had my paycheck in my pocket, at home the RV was hooked up, and plans had been made to go camping. I was happy!