| My partner and I owned a car rental company | | | | welcomed receiving the same information. My |
| located in South Florida. This was in the | | | | handle was Brain Damage which was my defense |
| late 60s and early 70s. A significant portion | | | | if I said something stupid. |
| of our business was from travel agents. We | | | | |
| each made trips twice a year to personally | | | | Besides the usual banter once in a while |
| visit and thank these agents for their | | | | there was some humor. One day I had an hour |
| support. My area was from Milwaukee, | | | | drive along the interstate in Ohio and |
| Wisconsin over to Cleveland, Ohio down to | | | | listened in on two drivers. After about 10 |
| Cincinnati, Ohio and everything in between. | | | | minutes of them going back and forth one |
| | | | says, and we'll call him Young Dude, "Hey |
| Having the need to give out a lot of | | | | good Buddy give me a 10-36." Now don't beat |
| brochures and not with standing the fact that | | | | up on me but after 35 years I think 10-36 is |
| we couldn't afford to fly we used our rental | | | | the code for "what is the time." |
| cars. These were equipped with AM radios for | | | | |
| entertainment. Everyone that has traveled | | | | The other guy, Older Guy, "Ain't you the |
| over the open road knows that using this | | | | young Dude in the blue rig that passed me |
| medium for entertainment is at best, | | | | about 10 miles ago?" |
| frustrating. | | | | |
| | | | Young Dude, "Thanks for the compliment. Yeh |
| Having a sense of humor and to amuse myself I | | | | that's me." |
| would tell myself the punch line of a joke I | | | | |
| knew. I probably had told the joke a hundred | | | | Older Guy, "No I ain't going to give you a |
| times before and if I laughed at the punch | | | | 10-36." |
| line I then told myself the entire joke. This | | | | |
| was my entertainment during the long drive. | | | | In disbelief the Young Dude asks, "Well why |
| | | | not?" |
| Now I should mention that my wife at the time | | | | |
| didn't mind me being gone for the week as | | | | Older Guy, "Well if I give you the time we |
| long as we went out Saturday night. Which we | | | | are going to get friendly. You're going to |
| did and getting home about 10 in the evening | | | | want to stop and get coffee at the next truck |
| I would change my clothes, throw my suitcase | | | | stop. I'm going to get friendly and talk |
| in the car and proceed to drive 18 to 20 | | | | about my family. I'll even show you some |
| hours non stop to the furthest city on my | | | | pictures. You'll see that I have two young |
| travel plans. I would arrive Sunday afternoon | | | | good looking daughters. You probably will |
| ready to see my first travel agent early | | | | want to date one of them. Maybe even get |
| Monday AM. | | | | married." |
| | | | |
| In light of the above one can imagine how | | | | Young Dude, "Sounds good to me. What's wrong |
| boring the drive was especially in the dead | | | | with that." |
| of the night. Then I heard about Citizen Band | | | | |
| radios. I can't tell you how my world changed | | | | Older Guy, " Well I don't want a son-in-law |
| and for the better. Not that I had a "motor | | | | who can't afford a watch." |
| mouth," loved the expressions, but I was | | | | |
| always available to assist other drivers with | | | | I didn't run off the road but that made my |
| pertinent information. You could count on me | | | | day. |
| if I saw a Smokey or a traffic problem. And I | | | | |