Stories from the Road: The Secret

[Tobin S.]

I've written before about the trucker's version of Taxi Cab Confessional. It usually occurs when two drivers are riding together and one feels the need to talk about some private matter, but I've heard it over the CB as well.

One such incident happened to me in January of 2007. I was new to that job then, I'd been there about a week, and I was riding with a guy because I was going to have to fill in on his route for three or four days and I had to learn it. I'll call the guy Ben, but, of course, that's not his real name.

We had finished the route and we were on our way back to our home terminal when Ben cut loose about a problem he had. He had a vacation home in another state and some time last year he invited one of his friends to it for a weekend of drinking beer and goofing off in general, or so he claimed. It turned out that this friend of his was a cocaine dealer. Ben said he knew about it and didn't have a problem with it as long as the guy did not bring the stuff around him and his home. Well, the drug dealer friend turned up at Ben's vacation home with enough dope on him to keep Jim Morrison happy for a year. The really bad news was that the drug dealer had been followed to Ben's place by the cops who raided the place not long after he entered it. Ben was looking at years of prison time. He was still working, though, while awaiting trial.

Then Ben asked me not to tell anybody about it. He said he hadn't told anyone about it at work, not even the management. That was about mid-January of 2007, and I kept my mouth shut until August of 2007. I was also aware that there were some curious aspects to Ben's story. The same night of the confession he was telling me all about his vacation home, and the hot rod he was building, and his extensive music library along with his collection of vintage guitars. That guy was making $140 a night on his job and he was single. I make quite a bit more than that now and I still can't afford one house let alone a vacation home. I'm sure you see what I'm insinuating.

Well, Ben went AWOL from his job one night. It was found out that he was in jail in a different state and he naturally lost his job. But Ben knew it was coming. He told a guy who had been riding with him the night before he was to go to jail the same story that he told me. That rider told everyone about it when Ben went missing. I was going to spill the beans, too, but I was going to wait until I knew for sure that Ben would not be back. Three no-call-no-shows in a row and you were automatically history.

I can gossip with the best of them, but I won't say anything to anybody that another person wouldn't tell anyone else. When it comes to secrets I'm like that German guard on Hogan's Heroes- I know nothing.

[ceveritt]

1. Stories from the Road

That's a pretty good story, mate. A bit more detail, a proper intro and some polishing, and you're there.

Thing is, based on your profession, I'd hazard a guess you have dozens, if not hundreds of stories. I don't know if you have or not, but write them all down. You can make them proper stories later. With enough of them, you'd have a book more than equal to "Taxi Cab Confessional." Of course, and you seem already to know this, you'll have to use different names, perhaps dates. Such things will not make your stories ring less true.

Some here will try to point you toward writing fiction. If that truly floats your boat, have at it. But, from what you've written here, on this post, your own stories are more worthwhile.

One last thing I've forgotten to mention, and I apologize for not doing so previously: Any advice you get from me is worth precisely what it has cost you: nothing.

You just sound like a nice chap who wants to write, and seem, from this post, to have at least some facility for it.

I will now stop proselytizing, and let you choose to follow your own path. Again, bon chance, mate.

[Tobin S.]

2. I appreciate the compliment

I do have a bunch of these stories together, most of them first drafts. I intend to make them into a novel, but I can see a long, hard road in front of me in that regard. But like you said, writing is not easy. Especially if you are looking to create publishable work. I've only submitted one of my stories for publication and I was turned down. I thought it was a damned good story, too.

You mentioned polishing and that's a word that I like to use as well. That's where I think I'm at right now. I need to polish up on my skills. Some people like the raw feel of some of my stories, but I know I need to temper it with a little shine. :)

[ceveritt]

3. You are, of course, most welcome.

I apologize. I should have been more specific about what I meant by polishing.

Raw can be great. And, again, from the sound of it, you have many such stories. Do not lose that raw, directness. Don't pull punches, do not sugar-coat.

What I meant by polishing was simply one of the most difficult parts of writing, the self-editing process. That's about paring away all the non-essential stuff, so you're left with a spare, lean, striking—and, yes, raw—story; the type of story (which you seem capable of writing) that will ring true to the reader, and make then feel the emotion(s) you're trying to get across.

You sound like you have good stuff. I would urge you not to hold back in writing it. But, again, cut it to the bone.

I've bothered you enough, mate. Sorry about for your first rejection. My suggestion is you keep every one you get, so that when you make your bones, so to speak, you can re-read them and have a big-ass laugh.

CE