The World Turned Upside-Down

The days have been stressful. Most of us are hunkered down at home either working from home, furloughed from work or unemployed. In these strange times, there are a few people that bravely weather this storm and go out into the world despite the fear of catching the COVID-19 virus. We hear about the bravery of the healthcare workers, first responders and the police. The country is thankful to those people that are diligent in fighting this disease and those that maintain law and order. The country has come together to fight this invisible enemy. Yet, in these days of doing battle with a vicious disease, there are the unsung heroes that keep the life blood of this nation flowing. They expect no fanfare, they just get up every morning, fire up their trucks and take to the road, making sure America does not come to a screeching halt. Without the truckers, nothing would move. The President realized the importance of your work and cut the red tape allowing you to haul more freight. The wake-up call for us common folks was when we first went into the grocery store and saw empty shelves. The most amazing item missing was the toilet paper. There were even reports about a riot at a store over toilet paper. Makes one wonder if America has gone off the gold standard and switched to the toilet paper standard! For the life of me, I have never seen anyone go crazy over toilet paper. But these are strange times – just the word “pandemic” brings a chill up my spine. At first it reminded me of Stephen King’s book “The Stand” when all the restaurants and fast food places closed (except for takeout). It has been an adjustment for us, but we are getting used to it. Even the places where people gather, like parks and beaches, are now off limits. But, for you truckers ticking off the miles, it was tougher. You could not go into a truck stop for a sit-down meal or a hot shower, your truck did not fit in the drive thru, and most places were not allowing you to walk inside to order. Many, for a while, were just out of luck. Thankfully, some places changed their policies and procedures to allow truckers to get food. The other day I drove by an Amazon warehouse near my home in Fontana, CA. The road inside their yard had become a one-way street jammed with two lanes of stopped trucks, and more were waiting outside the yard. It was an amazing sight. All you hard-working people, putting all you have into making this nation stay strong, there is not enough praise for you. Please stay well – be careful, wash your hands and wear those masks around people, because this country depends on you. America is thankful for all your efforts and commitment. God bless each and every one of you, from me and everyone else here at 10-4 Magazine.