My good friend Kim Grimm (or as I call her, Mama Kim) who writes the “Trucker Talk” column in this magazine, told me an endearing story about a young man named Alex who has dreams of being a truck driver yet is hindered by his autism from ever getting his license to drive. I heard her describe Alex and I was inspired to write this poem in honor of him, and also to show him my appreciation for his strong desire to do whatever he can to be involved with the trucking industry. I don’t want to give away the details to Kim’s story this month so I encourage you to read her story first and then come back to this poem. I hope you are as inspired by this young man and the family and friends who surround and support him as I am. I only hope someday to actually meet him in person. I know we share an earnest and slightly overboard enthusiasm for our beautiful big rigs. Way to go, Alex! I hope you enjoy this poem titled “Ode to Alex” in your honor.
ODE TO ALEX
By Trevor Hardwick
I climb up in my brand new semi,
Going some place I don’t know.
Everyday a new adventure,
I’d sure take you, if you’ll go.
Yesterday I rolled through ‘Frisco,
Makin’ drops in Oakland Bay.
The day before, in Albuquerque,
Las Cruces and Santa Fe.
Where I roll, the diesel lingers,
Making friends on my C.B.
Leland Martin’s “Stone Cold Fingers,”
Cranking out on my CD.
I don’t have a boss who tells me,
Where to go and what to do.
I go where my mind will take me,
From Washington to Waterloo.
Most men wouldn’t dare to follow,
Or try to drive the roads I take.
I run north with Debogorski,
Trucking ‘cross a frozen lake.
I’ve got all the latest gadgets,
Chrome and lights and stainless steel.
Air-ride seats and custom paint,
And a big ol’ steering wheel.
All these places I have traveled,
Coast to coast and points between.
I’m not trapped within my mind,
I’m just living out my dream.
I’ve rolled in half a dozen convoys,
Been to truck shows far and wide.
I’ve met some nice and friendly people,
Fellow truckers filled with pride.
I’ve been all across the atlas,
I roll my rig and treat ‘er right.
All these miles and I still make it,
Home in my bed every night.
My name is Alex – I’m a trucker,
It’s in my blood and in my genes.
And when I’m not out on the highway,
I’ll be reading 10-4 Magazines.
2 Comments
That makes me want to get in his truck and go to all thoses wonderful places with him may he have many more great adventures and the poem tells it all LOVE IT thanks .
hello my name is william, i was diagnosed with autisom at 14 years old. through high school i went to a speacial school, i wanted to get my drivers liscence but no one would let me because of my disability. it wasn’t until i was 20 years old til i got my first truck and told my dad ethier you drive me around in my truck i flip the insurance/ registration, and gas money, or you can let me get my liscence. i got my learners permit, and then my liscence. for graduation i wanted to drive to school the last day, they would not let me, so i drove anyway, with my dad riding with me.
i was working for a tree company at the time, very small company, and wanted to do more than just strap down stuff or drag brush to a chipper/ chip brush, i started out driving a vehical that was just under the minumum gross weight so it was not tecniccly a cdl truck, but loaded pulling a trl it was, it had a 5 speed with high low axel. by after driving that for a year i saw ice road truckers on history channel. i wanted to drive the bigger trucks, so i enrolled into a community collage after i had my cdl classA learners permit for 6 months, i had taken the test once and failed. before they would let me enter the class they wanted to make sure i could do the dutes, they thought being i had autisom that i was dumb, the class was a 4 week class, i passed it in 2 weeks and 3 day’s and had my cdl class a, though i had to wait for my dad so he could join me on the road. i worked for usxpress for 1 year and 6 months, i have been to 45 of the lower 48, and have my haz-mat endorsement, and have pulled placarded load’s, i would have liked to gotton into flatbedding.
to the person that this artical is about, i wish you luck, you can do anything you set your mind to.