The lights on my brother’s CB radio cast a doily of light on his bedroom floor. I could barely read the words scribbled on a piece of notebook paper in no. 2 pencil: Smirky Traxor.
I said them out loud. No, no, it’s sounds like you’re reading it. Try it again, natural this time—real natural.
I wiped the sweat from my hands onto my jeans and tried again.
“Breaker, breaker one nine, this is the Smuh. Smuh-SMIRKY TRACK-SOR!” I released the button, my heart was booming like thunder. You goober, I thought.
“Yeee-aah there, Smirky, this is the Green Hornet, what’s your 10-20?” A man’s voice emerged from the static. It sounded far away, but clearly he was responding to me.
Ten-twenty. I know what a 10-20 is but I can’t say Panora. Panora’s small, everyone knows everyone in Panora.
“Yeee-aah, Green Hornet” I counter. “Coming at ya from the big P-town.” I groan inside. You sound like an idiot.
“P-town? P-town. *pause* “Don’t knowzziff I’ve heard of P-town.”
I get this nervous metal taste in my mouth. What was I thinking! I can’t think of a single thing to say.
“Uh, Smirky, do you read me?” *pause* “Smirky?”
Click. I silence the radio—as the mic slides from my hand. Clunk.
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CW McCall had made CB radios and trucker-talk all the rage with a series of trucker songs starting with the Old Home Bread commercials. Every kid that was anybody knew ALL the lyrics to the commercials and the songs “Wolf Creek Pass“ and “Convoy.” Plus a handful of others.Yep, to whip through those tongue-twistin’, lightning fast, trucker-talk lyrics was what real heroes were made of back in fifth and sixth grade in Panora, Iowa.
People didn’t drive fast, they “put the hammer down.” The speed limit wasn’t 55, it was “double nickel” and you didn’t say bye, you said, “Catch you on the flip-flop.”
What did I learn about listening from this?
You check back here with ol’ Smirky tomorrow. *wink* Then, I promise, I’ll tell you the rest of the story.
Next Learning to Listen post: “Gator in the Granny Lane”
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Catch ya’ on the flip-flop!
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mari mayborn 
I’m on the edge of my seat!! I’m waiting on the flip-flop! I can’t wait to read the next installment of learning to listen. 🙂
Working on it, Amy! It’s at the unruly-oh-my-stars-look-at-the-word-count stage. Gonna go get some fresh air and come back at it with new eyes. Stay tuned.
Thanks for the encouragement.