Back in the early 90’s I was driving for “Cook Transport” out of Birmingham Alabama and one of our accounts was hauling “Fire Hydrants” out of Albertville. Me and another Driver “CheeseBurger” had just got loaded and we were both going to “South Florida” with our loads. We were on the south side of the “285 Loop” down there in Atlanta getting ready to get on “I-75 South”.
We were just crusin’ along in the far right lane and there was this “Schneider Truck” to the left of us a couple lanes over. We were runnin’ along and O’ Schneider was trying to keep a little ahead of us when I looked over there and I saw him looking up in the air. He was looking at this “Big 727” that was coming in to land and it was going to be crossing over the freeway right in front of us.
Now this was back before they built that “Big Tunnel” down there on the Loop where the runways now go over the Freeway. At this time there was just “A Big Hill” where the runway started right up against the Loop and these planes would fly over the freeway to catch the start of the runway.
“O’ Schneider” had his seat scooted all the way up, with his seat belt and shoulder strap on, and his hands at the “10-2” position. He was looking over there at this “Big Plane” and I always had a “loud radio” and I grabbed my mic and said;
“Eagle To Tower”,
“Eagle To Tower”.
“Request Permission To Land Runway Three Eight Seven”.
I then covered my mic up a little bit and said;
“Permission Granted”.
“O’ Schneider” has really got his eyes fixed on the plane at this time.
I then said;
“Ladies And Gentleman” If you look out both sides of the plane you can see the “South Side Of The Loop” that goes around Atlanta and “Look at all those “Truck Drivers” down there”.
Now at this time ”Schneider” was really looking up there as this Plane was fixin’ to cross over the freeway ”right in front of us”
You could see the Captain up there in the cockpit and all the Passengers looking around and just at the right time I said,
“Schneider what are you doing lookin’ up here”? “Keep your eyes on the road down there”.
That “Schneider Driver” swerved over towards my truck. Put me and “CheeseBurger” both on the shoulder, ”Damn near in the ditch”
We couldn’t say anything because we were both laughing so hard we couldn’t even breathe.
-Found this in my text message “in-box” the other day and thought I’d share.
—@QBall45
