“What Did It?”
Good day again my friends.
This process of WJ Thinking. It oddly forces or encourages a healthy dose of brain activity that often takes me to reflection of many paths and the encounters along the way. I hope it’s healthy! It has been a long path and journey. We are getting ready to Celebrate “America’s 250” in large fashion in just a couple weeks. That same day also marks 41 Years of Service and Dedication to the trucking industry here at Mid Eastern. This means I’m old and need good brain activity just to hang on. We do have some specials coming up for the month of July in a few different categories but that will come in a few days via the Web Site and various other means of publishing. This writing is for something different.
A few things of great importance have happened to me lately. I read a book. That’s great? Well, there’s always a back story when things seem so simple. The gift came right on the heels of one of my recent writings to you folks. I spent time investigating the author first. As part of the back story, I was intrigued. Keep in mind this is me that doesn’t and hasn’t typically been a book reader. It was largely about caring, good treatment, gifts, being in the shadows rather than the spotlight, careful behavior and thoughtfulness, and tragedy.
This next report is not good, favorable, pleasant or desirable. I want to sidestep here just a moment to get some clarity of the thought process. I am talking about a truck part in the context of life’s journey. I am in no way slighting the excellence our customers desire and the pride they have in these rigs of tremendous investments that provide for their families. Story #1. A young man, new to owner operation in only recent months purchased a part. Various reasons, on both sides, received an incorrect piece for his explicit model. We immediately corrected. Then, what followed was the third one of only three total in 41 years. I fired the customer! It is sad because it all stemmed from inexcusable unnecessary nastiness that has no gainful meaning. I truly hate that for folks. My parting comment was; It’s going to be an extremely long hard road ahead for you!
Story #2. Then another door opened. A customer, friend, supportive “partner” of Mid Eastern of many years needed a part. We have multiples of that part and then we also now have this one with the tiny slight imperfection returned by Mr. “Nasty” to offer him. This part dropped off unboxed, with some additional scratches along with the tiny imperfection was just what the Doctor ordered. A deal was at hand. (Would have done it for the “nice” young man or exchanged for a more perfect one. Well, if that really was even the reason.) With gladness and departing gestures to be treasured the part and our friend left us again. What followed was correspondence with pictures, praise and appreciation.
My hope is that you can separate the truck parts from this. Revert to the book reading in the 2nd paragraph. The book also had a bad section in it, but it was a very small space for the many pages. I wonder, what did it? What trips us up? Maybe the focus would be better spent on What Did It, that provided something in us that keeps us from getting tripped up.
Keep rolling with these big and beautiful rigs. At Mid Eastern we continue, “Serving Those That Move America” since 1985. The summer months of traveling are upon us. The Zoo out there is growing. Stay cool headed. Be safe. Smile at those passing by and be kind to your neighbors. Everybody needs it.
