Page 44 - Newcom

FICTION
By Edo Van Belkom
“Hey Bud, I’ve got another driver for you.”
“If he’s as good as you he can start working for me tomorrow.”
V ic agrees to drive his cousin to see Bud and offers to let him use his truck to show Bud what he can do. They drive to Bud’s yard and Vic introduces his cousin to his future dispatcher and employer.
With just a few questions, Bud finds out that Jacob has been driving trucks in Africa ever since Vic came to Canada. “Well, he’s got plenty of experience,” Bud says. “Let’s see if he’s any good.”
While the two men walk over to Vic’s truck to do a circle check and test Jacob’s driving skills, Vic grabs a coffee from a nearby Timmies. When he returns Vic watches as Bud and Jacob continue doing a circle check on Vic’s truck.
About 20 minutes later, Jacob walks across the yard without ever getting into the truck or driving it anywhere.
As Jacob nears, Vic is able to see that he is down with a sad and dejected look on his face. Vic thinks, this can’t be good.
“What happened?”
“He said... ‘How can you tell if the lights are working if they’re not even switched on?’ ”
44 Truck West • October 2018
V ic is at the airport to meet his cousin, Jacob, who
has finally received his papers to immigrate to Canada. It is a joyful reunion.
Like Vic, Jacob had been a truck driver in Africa, taking over Vic’s job from him when Vic had moved to Canada. Vic had told Jacob that when he came to Canada and got his licence
to drive a truck, Vic would do his best to get him some work.
A couple of months after his arrival, Jacob earned his AZ licence in Ontario and contacted Vic about getting him a job.
Illustration by Glenn McEvoy
Driving Uptime
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V ic realizes in an instant that Jacob, even though he had an Ontario driver’s licence, was
not prepared at all to drive a truck in Ontario.
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Brought to you by the editors of Newcom Trucking Group, in partnership with Chevron
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