Have Truck, Will Move

At the time my father passed away and my mother became a Room Renter, she also began working as a bookkeeper for Gosnel's Gardens. A place to purchase all your gardening needs. During the winter months when the company's truck would make it's long trek to Plant City, Florida, for Christmas poinsettias, an advertisement would go out in the local newspaper offering to move Snowbird Furniture at a reasonable price in the going south empty tractor trailer.

Phil, one of my mother's Room Renters, was the driver for the long haul. A HANDSOME young MAN in his twenties, Phil was also someone who kept to a tight schedule when transporting perishable plants. Home for the Holidays, it was decided my brother John would ride along as help to earn money for college.

The ad to move Snowbird Furniture was answered by a recent college graduate of Georgetown University Law. The always punctual Phil expected the student with his belongings to be ready for a 7am pick-up. The student would also be making the trip with his furniture. No one on the curb, the boys were astonished at the sight of a clearly hungover graduate rather rotund and in his boxers answering their persistent knocking on his apartment door.

Not at all contrite the student arrogantly asked the fellas if they would help load his belongings into their truck for $20.00 apiece. "For $100.00 here and $100.00 in Florida, we will. Now lets get moving!" The decision having already been made by Phil.

The truck nearly filled, all that remained was a heavy as can be solid oak government issued desk that would not fit through the door of the apartment. "Use your tools to take the desk apart." ordered the student. "We haven't got any tools!" replied Phil. "Lets lower it over the balcony!" my ever resourceful brother offered.

The truck backed underneath the one-story apartment, my brother holding onto the legs of the desk began to lower it over the balcony railing to the outstretched arms of the student. "Have you got it?" yelled my brother. "Just a little lower!" replied the student, "A little more, a little more!"  One to many "little mores" and gravity got the better of the situation. The legs of the desk were all that remained in my brother's hands.

The desk in pieces lay before the student. "Load it up, Move it out!" could be heard from Phil over the starting engine. They were not even at the end of the street before the student asked could they stop for a restroom and breakfast break as he had not had the chance to attend to either. "We'll stop when we get gas." Phil called out over the ROCKABILLY music he would SING to for the next 22 hours.

The truck didn't need refilling until North Carolina.

Destination Florida in the dark morning hours, it seemed the student's Snowbird parents were not yet at their winter home. The student said he would walk to the gas station around the corner and call them to see how much longer they would be, could they wait to help move his things into the house.  The second $100.00 paid, the student barely out of sight, the boys unloaded at record speed box after box and one broken desk onto the driveway. As they drove pass the stunned student in the telephone booth, Phil tooted the truck's air horn and called out his window, "I'm on a schedule!"

I absolutely love when my brother shares one of his childhood stories with me. They are as big as his personality and always make me laugh. We both adored Room Renting, Truck Driver Phil who had another very unique attribute about his personality I have featured before in stories I have shared about him.

Wreaths use mushroom top as pattern.