Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Big Trucks and Bud Light

I love meeting different people and I have had a diverse enough life to the extent that I can relate to a little bit about everybody. I've been talking with my neighbor Ben lately, or more accurately the son of my neighbor. I first met him when I noticed him standing inside the engine compartment of his 1979 Ford Pickup 4x4. "Gonna hafta pull 'er," he said, referring the clutch assembly.
The other day he helped pull my car out of the driveway after a snowstorm. The damn city apparently feels our taxes are inadequate and neglected the plow our alley. After a lot of loud engine revving and spinning tires, we succeeded. I invited him over to check out pictures of my 1968 Bronco and shoot the shit. Then he asked me, "Hey, what kind of beer do you like?" I told him I liked light beer, and lagers, then I realized what he really meant was do I prefer Budweiser or Miller. "I like Bud Light," he told me and I said I was down with that.
Ben is a truck driver and after running long hauls for years, he now runs coal locally. Gets paid by the ton he said and on a good week can clear $750. I told him that's comparable to what I make and I have a master's degree. He got a real kick out of that.
He wears a "redneck by choice" hat and used the expression, "it was like shitting in a field of tall cotton," referring I assume to something pleasurable. I thought it was hilarious. And I am far enough south that the real locals have a slight southern drawl and I think that makes it sound even funnier. Just like people laugh when I say "Minnesota."

1 comment:

John Galayda said...

i though miller high life was your beer.