We got our preloaded trailer and we’re throwing straps at about 2 AM. We were in a “drop lot” and there were five trucks next to and across from us. I wanted to be quiet as there are people asleep in those trucks.

Well, as we all may or may not know, of all the things Freckles is…. quiet is not one of them. So, I administer one of my patented dad lectures about respecting these folks sleeping by being vewwwwwy vewwwwy quiet. Freckles gave her patented “are you done?” look which pissed me off and I stormed to the cab of the truck to start it and get the trailer airlines air built up.

Well, there is an alarm code I have to punch in correctly or the horn starts it’s song loud and repeatedly. I serenaded said sleeping truckers for a solid minute before I could get it to stop. Freckles is laughing so hard I am concerned for her oxygen needs, I am not laughing. I hear an unhappy voice say wtf?!?!? From somewhere I didn’t look because I am now devoted to setting a new strap and roll speed record, visions of 6 or 7 grouchy truckers circle kicking me dancing in my head.

I grab a 12’ piece of rebar they have there and start quickly feeding a strap through the middle of this cast iron pipe, called a “belly strap”, and go to snatch it back and it keeps going, lands on top of the iron of one of said sleeping truckers load, and clanks every pipe on the way down lands end over end slamming into my pipe. Car accidents have made less noise. I now hear a different voice from a different direction say, “Jesus Christ!” I try to convince my self they are just having a late night prayer…. but probably not so much. There will come a time in the future I will forget and try to tell this crazy ass redhead to be quiet, but not for looooong time.