Having A Little Fun With A Flat-bed Load

Three or four days ago I was in the port at New Orleans picking up some aluminum billets. I was going to contact Roadkill and buy him a nice steak dinner, but alas when I checked the Trucker Tracker he was down in the Caribbean. So I settled for some raw oysters all alone. Okay, back to my story (sorry I got sidetracked) about this flat-bed load. Usually when I get aluminum billets they look like 8 inch pipe only they are solid instead of hollow. Well this set looked quite unusual and they were bundled together in stacks so that they kind of nestled in together so that they would ride down the road without un-stacking and getting spread all over the highway. Here's what they looked like.

I had to drive through some of the parts of New Orleans where most of the folks eek out a living by being a sponge on the government dole. If you've been through there you are familiar with the folks on street corners holding various signs with sayings that are geared to hopefully move some benevolent souls to part with their hard earned money and give it to someone who did nothing for it but stand by the side of the road watching the cars go by. Well, I got stopped by a traffic light and there right beside my truck was a young lady who was dressed as if she were stuck in a 1960's time warp and her sign was not asking for money, but rather said "Save our Mother - turn off your cars and walk" and it had a drawing of the earth on it. I was giving my best effort at trying to act like I hadn't noticed her when I realized she was yelling something at me. I kind of assumed she was griping about my carbon footprint or something asinine like that, so I rolled down my window to let her know what I thought about it, when I realized she was asking me "What are those things on your truck?" I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself, and without any premeditation came this response "They're radioactive uranium fuel cells for a nuclear power plant." I said it with a grin on my face and I thought she might get a kick out of my response. What happened next caused me such a fit of laughter that I missed my green light and had the folks behind me honking their horns at me to get rolling. Her jaw dropped and she never said a thing, but she clutched her sign to her stomach and turned and ran - she was still running when I got my next green light! I guess she was afraid she might start glowing in the dark or something - I don't know, but I sure had a good giggle over that. Y'all be safe out there, but try and have a little fun while you're at it too.

Shame on you, Old School.......she's probably signing into the nunnery as we speak !!!

Old School, that falls into the category of "I wish I had said that."

You know, I might seriously have to reconsider intentions and go flat bed instead!!!

Old School, I live in metro NOLA, and I've seen many, many flatbeds loaded with those aluminum billits. There must be a lot of them coming into the port.

Do you try the chargrilled oysters? Its where they grill the oyster still on the half shell over an open flame while brushing on a butter, garlic sauce. I hardly ever eat them raw anymore and just get the grilled.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I've kept up with your adventures/ misadventures and I've always wondered about that.

That was a GREAT story, buddy...hope to be up North is a few weeks and then onto Springfield for the 11th of March.

The other funny thing is I know EXACTLY where you were when you took that picture and I know EXACTLY where you were stopped when you saw that girl with the sign..let me guess, you were stopped waiting to turn left to go onto US 90 West...

Old School that is funny.....I think it's a wonderful service you did for the other motorists,,,,,Getting rid of her...

Double Cutter, there were tens of thousands of those billets piled up where I got that load, so I'm sure that is why you've seen plenty of them rolling through town. I also enjoy the char-grilled oysters, in fact I've yet to discover an oyster that I didn't like, but still my favorite is a freshly cracked open nice cold raw oyster with some lemon juice on it and plenty of horseradish - man I'm getting hungry just typing about it.

Oh, and even though Daniel B is convinced I'm pushing 90, I'm actually a young and vigorous 54, perhaps it's all those oysters I've eaten, but I still enjoy all the physical aspects of being a flat-bedder, and don't plan on slowing down anytime soon.

Roadkill, you are correct about where I saw the girl at, but she probably won't be hanging around there too much more because every time she sees a flat-bed loaded with those radioactive fuel cells she's going to be hightailing it out of that neighborhood.

PJ, it really was a funny moment, funnier than I could have even anticipated. Poor girl is going to be paranoid now every time she sees a load of innocent cast aluminum.