When I get into any truck (or very large car for that matter) I sit there and say to myself (most of the time quite audibly) “Truck Truck Truck Truck Truck”. Specifically in the voice of an old flash website character called Strong Bad (theres a reference for you young-ins), and it gives me for some reason such a strong sense of confidence.
This started when I was working for a theatre fabrication and props company out in Chicago, and the few times I was charged with driving a 24 foot moving truck, or a couple times something larger, through the thin and narrow streets and alleyways of downtown Chicago’s theatre district. I needed some form of confidence boost because in all honesty that shit was terrifying. I have always been a confident driver; however, sitting behind the wheel of a truck thats 8 feet, 6 inches wide, going down a 9 foot wide alleyway to a buildings back entrance, all while on the drive to the hard part of the alley ways, avoiding other cars whose care for the color of the traffic lights was optional at best, or the stray trash can left out, or whatever may find itself in the busy streets of one of the US’s largest cities, it was anything but a simple drive. On top of it, I had to do this with the overall looming notion that I was only a contractor for the company (making about $17 an hour) and any damage done to the vehicle was MY responsibility. As you can imagine my first run at this sent my nuts into my throat with pure anxiety.
So instead of freezing in the moment or not being able to do the work I had been hired to do, I found a way to make it work.
I found a way I could add some “levity” to the situation.
And what better way then to act like I was an experienced truck driver; because sure, in my mind, ALL truck drivers say “Truck truck truck truck” over and over in their gruffly voices when driving trucks. No? Tell me I am wrong. Cause so far thats a well known fact.
And it works for me.
but the laughter of a friend one day made me remember this was in fact not a normal thing. It was some time after the summer, years later, when I was helping them move in Denver. He had rented a 16 foot box truck and was moving from outside the city to inside the city, and mentioned to me once nearing his downtown place that he was going to park down the road because he did not think the truck could make the ‘narrow’ alley way to the back apartments garage. I looked at him with confusion, as I was all for helping him move, but carrying his couch X many blocks plus other items because he thought he could not make the back alley way in a 16 foot vehicle gave me serious pause. I asked him how big he thought the garbage trucks were that did those streets daily and after a little more prying he made mention that he just “didn’t feel like trying”. So I said we could switch and I would take care of it. We switched and I proceeded to say my words entering the drivers side, and then flawlessly got that truck into the honestly fairly tiny garage for an apartment building and designated parking space for “movers”. Sure he laughed at me when I got in but once he saw that we were right next to the thankfully large service elevator, I think the appreciation was felt. We unloaded his truck, and again entering the vehicle and repeating my motto to take the truck to drop it off at the rental service lot, once on the road comfortably cruising he asked me why i say it.
And I let him know. It gives me confidence because in a way it gives a sense of laughter to a situation that can be intense or difficult. Like, how could it not make you feel like a kid with Tonka trucks. And when you were that kid, could you not think anything cooler than driving a big trucks while driving one of those yellow and black dump trucks around? Sure, life has real world ramifications. That in the real world I am no longer a kid and with this moving truck I cant just send it off some nearby dirt ramp the way I would with my Tonka, it tumbling down the hill and knocking into a bunch of blocks I had set up at the bottom.
Toys and reality are very much different. It would be ridiculous to asses real world actions in ‘make believe land”. Imagining a world where the small driver would have been dead or seriously injured at the bottom of the dirt hill, risking the lives of the first responders trying to save them, the accompanying toy fire truck and remote control rescue helicopter with light up lights and noise coming in to save the day. A bunch of small LEGO Insurance claims figurines standing around the bottom and wreckage, would be in total action trying to decide who was at fault and who will pay for the damages; not only to the road but the building the truck had decimated. Family members displaced from their living situations and traffic jams building up on both sides as oncoming traffic is grinding to a halt with single lane passing and the other side of the road backed up with onlookers of the incident, texting and telling friends and family to avoid the dirt hill route as traffic is “terrible”.
Quick note, if you see your kid doing any of this while playing, that is a child you should be terrified of.
And thank god I was not that kid. I would smash the blocks, run down the hill, set them back up again, grab my truck, and rinse-repeat.
But I think making light of serious situations, especially when it is not at the cost of anyone else, is simply a powerful thing. I feel levity is something I think we as adults often forget exists. And thats because we became “adults”. So we find our fun in watching others act silly. And thus Sitcoms or ‘Reality Tv’ becomes a thing. Because we forget we have the ability to be silly ourselves.
Sitting at a table with some friends the other day, being the oldest one of the pack by over a year, the lot talked about how they wished they could do “Adult Summer Camp” again and how there are some places that in fact do that type of vacation for adults. How they missed being childish and playing childish games. And I couldn’t help but be quite during the conversation. I wanted to chime in and just say “well why don’t you just be more silly? You’re adults with adult money, being a kid again is far easier than it was 20 years ago.” Eyes starred back at me with what I can only image was “he’s crazy, thats just not possible”.
I think of a small plastic bag my best friend and I had tucked into the back of our apartment in Denver in the 2021’s and on. It was filled with wigs, animal print jackets and vests, masks, strange costume one offs found at thrift stores. I think about the amount of times someone would say “i’m having a party” and he and I would show up in full costume. No one else. And when people would ask we would just look at them like “why wouldn’t we? Its a party and it’s fun as hell”. Why reserve costumes for just halloween?
I saw a report that the youngest generations right now, Alphas and some edge of Gen Z are not even dancing at clubs anymore because they are afraid of being recorded. The worry of being “cringe” and how everything right now in their lives is at the “most” and how the littlest things that in fact do not matter, matter the most. But I get it. I remember feeling that way. And then having that moment exist forever online. I can not say I wouldn’t be doing the same if I was younger. But that does not subside the sadness I feel for them.
Maybe its a third child thing. the “semi forgotten” child thing where I got good at just taking care of myself and making myself happy at a young age. That when others in school or life tried to bring me down or make me conform, I just simply didn’t give a shit, I was going to do me because I knew what was best for me in those moments.
But I sit and I think about the adults they may come to be, ones who never even knew what levity could be, living as adults. Thats going to be a sour existence. Maybe its on us ‘adults’ to continue to show the youth the “who really gives a fuck mindset”. Within boundaries of course, and I can’t believe I have to write and say this but seriously, given the current sitting US president shitting his pants live on TV and then declaring “war” the next day, some shits should be given. But talking about bringing some levity back into your life. Wear that nice tiara you have one day to work. And when that inevitable annoying co-worker gets on you about it and asks what you are doing, just state ya like it, it makes ya a princess which why shouldn’t it, all tiaras automatically make you a princesses (again general knowledge all should know) and that it makes ya laugh. And on the off chance they say its weird, thank them because what a sad life it is to not enjoy it.
Sometimes when I take a corner in the mountains driving maybe a little too fast, i’ll say aloud “WeeeeeEEEEE” like toad from Mario Cart. Its rare since I drive like a grandma but when on a new road and unsure of the blind sharp corners, its helps settle the idiotic move I just pulled.
I saw someone online recently apply this method perfectly. They mentioned that in your life you are going to have A LOT of money lost to dumb things. Movie tickets that you paid for and because of traffic or something you missed the movie. A parking ticket because you didn’t know the city and parked in a green spot which is reserved for only Green cars on every other Thur and every 5th Tuesday. Or maybe you bought something small and it was absolute trash. He called it the “Silly Goose Tax”. In that because we are taxed for so many other things, instead of looking at the loss of money as something that will effect your whole month, it is instead because you are a silly goose and its time to pay the tax. I love that idea and bringing levity to something that can be the “final straw” that breaks your day. Instead leaving that for something more serious.
And mind you, I don’t think it always needs to be in a serious moment or to help lessen some intense situation. I think it can be very helpful in response to just every day life. After all “adulting” is anything but easy.
My best friend has started a bit where he’ll make a decision about something happening, maybe for a group setting like where to go eat or what should happen next since so many members of the group are so indecisive, and follow it up immediately with a “Look, I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them.” in a sarcastic tone and voice.
Levity is a very powerful thing. Especially now. We shouldn’t have to ‘grow up too fast’. We should try and remember that.
* One of my favorite bits to this day, was started by one of my best friends. When we see each other again in a public place, even if it was only after being away from each other for 5 minutes tops (say grocery shopping or out at dinner while one got the name in and the other parked the car), we would yell out the others name, in full, middle name included if we are feeling extra cheeky, add in waving, and then follow up with “its your friend [enter your full name here]. Its so good to see you, how have you been? when was the last time we saw each other? its been too long! Hows the baby?” – Make it your own. It’s still hilarious. especially if there is a third member in your party who does not know what is going on.
