West Memphis Armpit

Actually, I am at the Flying J, which is more like an armpit with some generic deodorant added. It is not quite like my experiences at the TA west Memph. I pulled in to the TA at about 9 am on a Sunday to grab a shower and roll on my merry way towards California. I had grabbed all my gear and headed out to the building to turn in my fuel stub for a shower and I noticed a black gentleman getting out of a car and walking sort of towards my direction. I nodded at him as I passed and kept walking. As I passed the car, I got a bad feeling because the guy in the car was staring at me really hard. I grew up in the Los Angeles area. When a complete stranger is giving you eye contact, that means that either he is looking for a handout or that something is about to happen. Either way, it is not necessarily for your benefit. I noted this and approached the fuel desk. I handed the fuel attendant my bag and said "guard this for me" and ran out the back entrance. I skirted the trucks on my row in the back and came up right between where my truck was parked. I already had 911 punched in my phone and hit send as I caught the guy breaking into my truck through the lower vis window on the passenger window. I chased the guy all the way back to his car and they took off and I read the licence number to the 911 operator with the description and the direction they headed. Keeping your eyes open towards the surroundings pays off. If I had been the typical person, I would have lost my belongings or my truck. I had to put duct tape over the partially popped open window for a bit but my truck and my stuff was safe. That was 1998 and I was with Crete back then. If anything, there are more cameras monitoring the lots but, the real question is; is there anyone watching? Chances are, the cameras might help when a crime has already happened and will do little else. Keep your eyes open and you will not have to rely on the facade of security that exists in the truck stops these days. The police did catch the guys in the car. The police really acted as though they could care less and since the window was not broken that there was not much to act on. The police really are of no help unless they perceive it that you will complain in their area and cause them some trouble. Chances are, you do not live there and will not be treated the same as a local taxpayer would.

I am delivering this tater load to Birmingham tomorrow at 0500. Birmingham is a place that is just as miserable as West Memphis. I was going to a grocery warehouse at the same period of time as the truck break in. I was at a traffic signal about 6 blocks from the warehouse when a guy approached my truck. It was common at the time for lumpers to try and drum up some business if they knew where you were going. He hops up on my drivers side step and lifts his shirt and there was a small caliber pistol and he was demanding my money. I reached down and grabbed my bowie knife with the 11 inch blade. He got agitated and started to reach for the gun so I struck him in the chest with the knife. He fell and I drove off through the red light. I called the police and told them what happened and the one cop replied that it looked like there really wasn't a victim as far as he was concerned. I left it at that content that I was fortunate not to have been shot.