Happy New Year, everyone! Hopefully, things are settling down and smoothing out for you, and your families are safely home from the long drives they made to be together for the Holidays. Well, here comes 2019! And, as exciting as that might be, it reminds me that I have to update my Thermo King reefer unit on my Great Dane spread-axle trailer. Good old California and their absurd CARB restrictions are not interested in the fact that my trailer and the reefer unit function flawlessly – they just mandate that I must replace the reefer unit on its 7th birthday. So, now I must decide whether I will put a new $30,000 unit on it or order a brand-new trailer for somewhere around $90,000. That is super frustrating, but my wife and I made a decision… perhaps not as helpful as we’d like, but a decision, nonetheless. We bought a Great Dane! Not the shiny stainless spread-axle wagon I need to be compliant, but rather an adorable eight-week-old Great Dane puppy, which we recently welcomed into our family. He is such a sweet-tempered little guy, and we already love him to death. He has no problem riding in the truck (for now), but he is still small. Maybe this decision doesn’t make perfect business sense, but we have no regrets. I encourage you to read this poem to learn a bit about our new little boy, and to find out what we named him!
THE NEW GREAT DANE
By Trevor Hardwick
I got myself a new Great Dane,
Because Great Danes are the best.
You are free to disagree,
But they’re better than the rest.
It’s classic black from front to back,
With hints of pure white trim.
I bought it from a couple,
Who had quite a few of them.
It’s lightweight now but over time,
It’ll gain a couple pounds.
But let me speak more clearly,
Because it’s not the way it sounds.
The Great Dane that I’m speaking of,
Is not a semi-trailer.
It’s not a wagon you could buy,
From a dealer or retailer.
Sure, he’s little, as of yet,
But he’ll be nice and tall.
He ain’t the kind of Great Dane,
That you’d hook-up to and haul.
A new Great Dane can cost a lot,
But they’re worth every dime.
People stop and stare,
And that’ll getcha every time!
He can’t be CARB-compliant,
He emits too much exhaust.
And knowing California,
I’d pay triple what he cost.
Sure, he can’t haul tons of freight,
Or dress in lights and chrome.
But Great Danes melt your heart,
When they greet you coming home.
He doesn’t smell like frozen chicken,
Or produce and the rest.
He just smells like doggy treats,
With a hint of puppy breath.
This poems about a Great Dane dog,
In case I threw you off.
This Great Dane may not haul freight,
But I named the boy, Fruehauf!