by Tom Molnar

Duke pulls up in front of the terminal, negotiates the turn into the yard, and pulls up just far enough so he can stop in at dispatch and sign in. No matter that the back of his trailer is blocking entrance or exit to anyone else trying to do either. After all, he's just going to be a minute.

* * * * * * *

Ed has just hooked up, done his pre-trip, and is pulling around the building from out back where he's been working. He's all signed out and ready to hit the road. As he rounds the corner he sees Duke's truck - blocking the gate.

What the.....? Now who's this moron blocking the gate?

Ed gets closer and sees the number on the tractor. He recognizes it as Duke's.

I should have known.

* * * * * * *

Robert comes tooling down the street, glad his day is almost over. He's ahead of schedule. He cut out his usual lunch with the boys at Winslow's Truck Stop just so he could get back early. He and his wife are leaving on vacation tomorrow and he's anxious to get an early start. He begins to make the left turn into the yard. Just as he's halfway blocking the oncoming lane he spots another truck in the yard, blocking the gate with its trailer. Rob is now half into the terminal parking lot and half out in the moving lane of traffic. He can't pull in any more, and he can't back out. So he stops, puts his four ways on, and begins blowing his horn.

Who the hell is this idiot? Can you believe this?!

"C'MON YOU JERK!", Rob yells out the window to anyone who might enjoy the comment. He yanks on the horn cord again and again.

* * * * * * *

Duke is leaning into the dispatch window telling any available ears about some sweet young thing that just started waitressing at some truck stop.

"Aw man, this is one sweet mama. I'll bet she doesn't last a week. Them boys are going to tear her apart. She looks far too innocent to be serving truck drivers. She needs to be working at Denny's or Sizzler", Duke continues.

He takes his cowboy hat off, holds it in one hand balancing it on one extended finger, and proceeds to twirl it with the other hand. All the while he continues his story.

"Yessir, I'm gonna have to act fast if I intend to ask her out. I warned her about all those other drivers and how you just can't believe a one of 'em. They all have a line of crap a mile long. I told her she can count on me. Yeah, I think I'll ask her out for this weekend." Duke uses his free hand to 'flick' a piece of dirt off the brim of his fancy hat.

He hears a horn blowing outside. Glancing toward the window, he comments.. "I wonder what that's all about."

Duke turns to walk out but decides to hit the bathroom first. Just as he's inside the facility the front door bursts open and in storms Ed.

"Where the hell is that damned Slade!?", he yells as he bends over to talk under the glass in the dispatch.

"He was just here a second ago. A second ago! He just left. I don't know where he is if he didn't go outside", one of the dispatchers says.

"This guy is an absolute moron!", Ed yells. He's got the entire yard blocked up. I can't get out, and poor old Rob is stuck out in front trying to get in. You should see it. He's got half the street blocked off because he can't get in here, and he can't back out. And it's all that damned moron Slade's fault. Where is he?" Ed is fuming.

One of the dispatchers cranes his neck to look out a window. Sure enough, there's Rob blocking the street out front, and blowing his horn constantly. This sort of thing makes B.S. Trucking look bad. It wasn't all that long ago the city cited them for parking their trailers out on the street, taking up valuable parking used by other nearby businesses. This sort of thing is frowned upon by the home office. They were not happy with the huge parking ticket. Now it looked like either 'disturbing the peace' or 'obstructing traffic' could be possibilities. Maybe even both! He grabs the microphone that accesses the building-wide PA system and firmly speaks into it.

"ATTENTION DUKE SLADE. MR. SLADE, YOUR EQUIPMENT IS BLOCKING THE GATE AND CAUSING A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF COMPANY BUSINESS AND PRESENTING A HAZARD. PLEASE MOVE IT - IMMEDIATELY!!"

* * * * * * *

Duke is standing in front of the mirror, combing his hair. He's been listening to the horn blowing and has dismissed it as some idiot.... The door bursts open and Ed storms in.

"What the hell are you doing? Can't you hear? They want you to get your stuff out of the way! You've got everyone shut down! We can't get out! We can't get in! We can't do anything! And it's all because of you! Who the hell do you think you are?! C'mon Duke, let's GO!!!

Duke, who now has both his hands on the brim of his hat as he adjusts it just perfectly, turns and faces Ed, still holding on to his hat.

"Howdy Ed", he says matter-of-factly. "What cha all upset about? I'll be done in a sec. Jeez, don't get all in a tizzy."

Duke pulls the front of his hat down 'just so', turns to Ed and asks, "What do ya think? Like my new hat?"

"Screw your new hat!", Ed yells. "You don't have a clue do you? Your inconsiderate self-centeredness has shut down the yard. You're in here primping like some cheap street corner whore while the rest of us, who'd love to either GO to work, or come HOME from work, can't do anything until YOU'RE done. Get your ass out of here, move your stuff, and let the rest of the world function! What an idiot!"

Ed turns on his heel and storms back out the door. He would have slammed it but it has one of those automatic closer things.

* * * * * * *

Boy, everyone thinks they're so important, Duke thinks. They're all in such a hurry......