Home | Archive | Itineraries | Events | FAQ | Columns/Links
Advertise | Newsletter | About/Subscribe | Submissions | Art Walk | Books | THE2NDHAND Writers Fund

**PRINT: FRIENDS FROM CINCINNATI: Installment 24 features this part coming-of-age short by Chicago's Patrick Somerville, author of the Trouble collection of shorts out in 2006. | PAST BROADSHEETS |

Back to Archive Index


JAMES JOYCE TRUCK SALES--SEYMOUR, INDIANA
---
Mickey Hess

And yes, I said because certified truck drivers need a convenient location for tractor-trailer sales and service. The sixteen-wheeler that time with the Jerry Reed in the 8-track. An older model he said, big man deaf in one ear from the wind so I had to adjust my volume and just so did Donnie, the new mechanic, hired him right out of training, that 6-week session they advertise late on the local channels. Used to just be fuzz I remember, but Donnie repeated what I said louder, an antique we said and the men in the shop that day laughed and we sold him a cassette player. Wouldn't go for the CD but we threw in a Jerry Reed from the front counter, the $4.99 ones and that sold him, the tape was what did it and Donnie said maybe we could have pushed harder for the CD and I told him that the markup is almost as high on cassette and besides those units had been sitting round the warehouse three years now and nobody wants them. Giveaways are what move things we tell Donnie and I remember the commercial. First one and only one. Late at night where there used to be static, and I said two-for-one on wheels and rims and we'll throw in mudflaps too and the local radio personality went mock astonished, he said are you serious James are you crazy and the words flashed all white against the concrete warehouse, three exclamation points and some sound effect like boing! like a spring pulling the words closer then further away from the viewer and back. Weren't there really of course, were added in post-production, and the moustache radio DJ all big-eyed impressed and he says again wow that's a deal are you crazy James are you crazy and yes I said, yes I am. Yes.



Mickey Hess likes to think about rap music. Read about his new book Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory at mickeyhess.net.


060703