Stories from the Road: Tony

[Droopy]

This story is about a guy who I'll call Tony. He is my second student. Tony came to my company straight out of truck driving school so I knew that training him would be more of a challenge than training my first student who already had a little experience. I just didn't know how quickly he would pick up on things.

When we got out on the road I was impressed with Tony's shifting ability. He was really good for someone just out of school and shifting is one of the more difficult aspects of learning how to drive a truck. I soon found out that Tony's dad was a truck driver and he had given him some pointers. But that was the only part of driving a truck that Tony was good at to start. As much as he was ahead of the game when it came to shifting, his skills were woefully inadequate when it came to the rest of the job. He needed major help on logging, trip planning (he could barely read a map), and backing. So we worked on Tony's weaknesses.

At three weeks into training Tony had improved on his logging and trip planning skills, but he was still way behind the curve when it came to backing. When we would come to a place where we needed to back, I would let Tony try it on his own while I was on the ground making sure that he didn't hit anything. I would let him go for about ten minutes and then I would have to guide him back in. He could do it fine when I was under the door telling him how to do it. He just wasn't making the connection with what I was telling him and applying it to when he had to back on his own. I began to wonder if he was going to make it.

As a trainer, I have the last word on when a student gets released to drive team or if he/she gets released from the company. I guess I have a lot of power. The training course is supposed to last four weeks. More time can be added to the training course, but I was getting the feeling that Tony wouldn't be able to back safely no matter how much time I had with him.

Here's where I was having a moral dilemma. Tony had financed the truck driving school on his own. He owed them $7800 for the schooling. Tony also has a wife and five kids at home even though he is only 27 years old. And finally, Tony is a convicted felon. He did two years for drug dealing when he was younger. His opportunities for decent employment are seriously limited especially in the trucking field.

As luck would have it for me I did not have to make a decision on whether Tony got to work for my company or not. After three weeks with him I had home time coming to me. I had been out on the road for two months. They gave him a bus ticket to the nearest terminal and set him up with a new trainer for his final week of training.

Good luck and best wishes, Tony. I hope you make it.

[skygazer]

1. Droopy!!!

:loveya: How ya doing, man? Good to see you.

I hope Tony makes it, too, by the way. I have a lot of compassion for people who are trying to make things right after a conviction - they've got a lot of odds against them.

[Droopy]

2. It's good to see you, too!

I'm doing well. I'm making good money and I've got my little S-10 paid for. Only $17,000 to go and I will be debt free. I then plan on taking a local job. It will probably take me another year to get things all squared away.

[skygazer]

3. That's great

I'm glad to hear things are working for you.

[trof]

4. Sometimes you're glad to lose a student.

I had one in Army Aviation who just could not fly instruments.
He was OK in VFR, but just dangerous in the gurk.
Same deal. I had vacation coming up and turned him over to another instructor.
That guy got to wash him out.
I'm such a wuss.

[Droopy]

5. That's a horrible feeling isn't it?

I might have been ok if the guy didn't have that family at home and so much money already invested. The other 2 guys I have trained were 22 and 21, didn't have no bills or a mouth to feed. I think I could have cut one of them if it was necessary. But this guy might have put an end to my career as a truck driving teacher if I would have had to do that to him.

[trof]

6. Yeah. This was during Viet Nam.

I had a talk with him before I turned him over to the other instructor.
Basically said not everyone can fly instruments. Doesn't make you a bad person. Maybe you'd be better suited to armor. Tanks & stuff.

When he told me he was in aviation for the flight pay I wanted to kick his ass.
:shrug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. My dear Droopy.........

How great to see you! I love love love your stories......

This is another good one.....I really feel for the guy. Hope something clicked in his head, and he made it!

If you have a chance, and feel like it, trot over to the Writer's forum, and have a look at my newest story..."Summer Squall."

This one isn't erotic, though......:shrug:

It does involve the same two people who were in "The Game."

:hi:

:hug:

[Droopy]

8. Thanks, Peggy

I will check out your story and give you my input.

Hey, I heard oneighty died. Do you know anything about that? If so please send me a PM. The news saddened me. He was my hero.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Yes, he did..........

I'll PM you........

Thanks for reading my story, whenever you get to it......:hi:

[Droopy]

10. Kick

To try to milk a few posts from the night crowd.