In this post we provide an excerpt from my book, Alex’ Choice, a novel about a young person’s journey to adulthood in the 1960s. Nostalgia fiction it may be but the themes are universal and as true for some 19-year-olds today as it was 50 years ago.
Alex’ Choice, print edition
In this episode young Alex, home in Peterborough Ontario after his first year at Queen’s University, has just started his first summer job as a delivery driver for Canada Bread Company.
Alex arrived at the Canada Bread Depot at 6:30 a.m., nervously anticipating his first day of his new summer job; the manager introduced him to one of the veteran drivers.
“This is Lloyd Harrison. He’s going to show you the ropes. You’re going to be doing his route for the summer. You’ll cover for him when he goes two weeks fishing end of May; after that he’ll be covering for the other regular drivers’ while they go on their vacations.”
There were a dozen van-like trucks parked at stations throughout the large, enclosed warehouse. Trays of bread and pastries were stacked on dollies against the walls next to each truck. Drivers were busy loading their trucks with the days’ deliveries.
“Pay attention, Preppie,” Lloyd instructed, “and watch while I load the truck.”
Lloyd rolled his stacks of trays over to his truck and started loading them into the back and racking them on the tracks designed to keep the trays in place.
Truck loaded, Lloyd tossed the keys to Alex, and said, “Okay, time for breakfast. You may as well drive, I’ll navigate.”
He got into the passenger side of the truck. Alex’ eyes opened wide at this unexpected plan, but remembering his dad’s lessons, took a long look at the size of the van, climbed into the driver’s seat, and, gauging the distance of the pedals for his legs to reach, adjusted his seat and the mirrors.
‘Woah,’ he thought in a bit of a panic, ‘this truck has an extra pedal!’
He put his foot on the brake as he’d been taught and turned the key. The engine tried to turn over and the truck lurched ahead a foot.
“Woah,” said Lloyd, “you got to push in the clutch first.”
“Oh, yeah,” said Alex, guessing that must be what the other pedal was. An image of the Amherst Island school bus jumped into his mind.
He depressed the clutch some and turned the key. The starter turned over and the engine started; he let the clutch out, but too fast; the truck lurched and the engine stalled.
Lloyd looked at Alex, a question on his face but only said,
“Yeah, these old clutches can be a bit tetchy. Let the clutch out slowly.” Alex concentrated on the clutch but the truck started hopping ahead.
“Quick, depress the clutch again,” Lloyd squawked. “Foot on the brake.”
Alex was pleased that the engine didn’t stall this time, but he was alarmed and embarrassed that he was failing in Lloyd’s eyes. He figured he was going to lose this job his first day.
“Hey, kid, don’t you know how to drive a truck?”
“No sir. I never drove a truck before.”
“Didn’t the manager ask you if you drove truck?”
“No sir, he only asked if I had my driver’s licence.”
“Well, Jesus, I guess now I have to teach you how to drive as well as to learn the routes.”
Lloyd shrugged in consternation.
“Okay, let’s get started. Can’t spend all day in this here depot.
“Okay, slowly let the clutch come back up to the top and feel the engine engage the transmission.”
Alex tried to do what he was told but he must have let the clutch out too slowly this time and the truck promptly stalled again.
Alex started the truck again and let out the clutch, repeating the jerk and stall routine. The guys still loading their trucks in the depot had stopped what they were doing to watch.
“Wait a minute, Alex. You never drove a truck before, but surely you drove standard?”
“No sir, I’ve only driven my dad’s Oldsmobile and it’s automatic.”
“Unbelievable,” muttered Lloyd.
“Okay, Alex, let’s make sure you’re in the right gear.
“Depress the clutch again so we can manipulate the gearbox.”
Alex watched as Lloyd moved the long-handled lever on the floor.
“As I thought, you were in third gear, not first. You’ll never get this truck moving from stop in third gear.
“Look, the gears follow an H pattern.”
Lloyd took the shifter and found the middle neutral place.
“See, this is neutral,” he said as he waggled the lever.
He moved the lever forward. “Up to the left is first gear.” He moved the lever down, “down to the left is second gear;” he continued moving the lever as he spoke: “then up to the right-middle is third, and down to the right is fourth; up to the far right is 5th. Then down and jogging a bit to the right is reverse.
“Here, you take the shifter and find first gear.
“Now down to second.
“Okay, Alex, start the engine and try again.”
‘Good’, thought Alex. He let out the clutch and the truck lurched forward and promptly stalled.
“You’re still in second gear, Alex. Put it in first and try again, just a little faster letting out the clutch, and at the same time depress the throttle a little at the same rate.”
“Throttle?”
“Jesus Alex, do you know nothing about cars?”
“Sorry sir.”
“Throttle, gas pedal.”
“Oh.”
Alex started the engine again, made sure he was in first gear, gave the engine some gas, and let out the clutch. The engine roared and the tires chirped on the concrete floor. He quickly shoved in the clutch and let off the gas pedal. But didn’t stall the engine.
“Okay, Alex, too much gas pedal. You gotta ease out the clutch and gently depress the gas pedal at the same time.
Looking at his gear box and then his pedals, he tried again; and he got the sequence just right and the truck pulled smoothly ahead.
“Whoa! Stop!” yelled Lloyd. “Watch where you’re driving. You almost hit the garage door frame.”
“Sorry. Lloyd. Maybe I’m just not cut out to be a truck driver.”
“No, Son, I’ll make a driver of you yet.
“Now back up and we’ll try to get out of this depot without hitting anything.”
Alex looked at him and suppressed the feeling of panic now flooding his mind: back up?!
He depressed the clutch, looked at his shifter handle, waggled it in neutral and then brought it down to the right. He heard a satisfying clunk. He checked his two side-view mirrors, started the engine, pressed the gas pedal a little and released the clutch slowly; the truck reversed smoothly and slowly.
“Far enough Alex, now forward.”
He found first gear, gave the engine a little gas and slowly and coaxingly released the clutch. The truck moved forward slowly without jumping and Alex drove the truck out of the garage. He didn’t hear the applause coming from the garage behind him.
He drove a little way across the depot yard to the street exit. He depressed the clutch and put his foot on the brake, stopped his truck. He looked both ways, and engaged the engine again, turning the steering wheel to turn right onto the street, the truck lurched only slightly. At least the back wheel didn’t go over the curb.
“Okay,” said Lloyd, “now second gear.”
Alex put in the clutch but didn’t take his foot off the gas, the engine raced; he pulled the shifter down into second gear and let out the clutch. The truck lunged forward. Surprised, Alex slammed on the brakes; the engine stalled.
“You see what happened there Alex,” Lloyd asked. “You have to let your foot off the gas when you change gears and then give it enough gas again once you’ve engaged the next gear.
“Okay, let’s get going and not block all this traffic. We’re already late for breakfast.”
Alex managed to get the truck the few blocks to Hunter Street and located the diner, easily enough with the sight of 5 other Canada Bread trucks parked on the street nearby. He found an open space which he was able to drive into without having to negotiate a parallel parking routine.
“Good start, Alex,” said Lloyd, without irony. “Now, for a fried egg sandwich to last us ’til lunchtime.”
Doug Jordan, reporting to you from Kanata
© Douglas Jordan & AFS Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of these blogs and newsletters may be reproduced without the express permission of the author and/or the publisher, except upon payment of a small royalty, 5¢.
