Big Truck Night

On June 16 there was a big event behind the University Mall in Carbondale. I had been invited by Kathy Staff to bring our truck. The event was sponsored by a Children’s Services program. Sorry, I never caught exactly what the organization is, but it is community based, publicly funded I assume, offered to several surrounding counties. There were about 30+ volunteer workers, all wearing orange T-shirts. Mike & Kathy Staff were both there. Some were manning the food tent, some directing traffic, etc. Peggy and I washed our truck on Saturday, right up till time to leave. Peggy stayed home but came to meet me later with the car. I arrived about 4:15. The event was from 5:00-7:00. It was really great. Cathie Paull came at my invitation, to play music by my truck. I positioned the truck so as to be able to sit on the shady side of it. I had also let Ron & Karen Demmin know that Cathie and I would be playing, since they like to come out to hear us whenever we play. They came with Amma, Ramma and Ramma’s little boy. I was pretty busy signing kids’ cards. As they went around to all the different types of trucks, the drivers were to mark their truck on the card. There was a constant flow of kids and parents. They climbed into my nice clean truck, honked the horn and listened to our music when we had a chance to play. Mine was the biggest truck there. The kids loved climbing inside the trailer and running to the front. I had a brand new Great Dane trailer that day, bound for Ryder in Laredo, TX. There were maybe 10 trucks on the parking lot. One had a boom that stood about 4 stories high. There were dump trucks, one for digging trees up by the roots, one with enormous tires… The kids filled their cards and then had a drawing to win toys and prizes. It was the first Big Truck Night and was successful, so I believe there will be more. I saw two families I knew: Ed and Kira Benyas, conductor of the Southern IL Symphony, and their two girls; and I saw a family I knew from Goreville. And I had a long conversation with a young Indian physician who was there with his wife, small children and Grandma. He was very personable and had many questions about the truck. I enjoyed him very much. After the event, I had to wait for Peggy to arrive. Most of the trucks were driven away. The volunteers packed everything away. Finally, it was quiet and I was alone in this big parking lot - just me and my truck. I sat in the lawn chair and played my fiddle until Peggy arrived about dusk. We went inside the mall to eat, went to a movie (Pirates of the Caribbean,) and then we slept in the truck. I didn’t want to move the truck back to Goreville, so we stayed in Carbondale until church the next morning. Right after church I was on my way to Laredo, and Peggy went home.