Timmy the Trash Truck

 

It was early in the morning.  So early that the sun had not yet begun to shine over the truck yard.  Even in the darkness, Timmy the Trash Truck knew that things were beginning to happen.  He had been able to get a good nights rest.  His battery had recharged, his fuel tanks were full and he felt that he was ready to begin the day fresh and new.  He waited a few more moments, and soon his driver Manny arrived.  Manny had been Timmys driver for 3 years and they knew each other well, they were like good friends.

This morning Manny arrived right on time, as he always did, and he climbed into Timmys cab and turned the key.  RAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRR said the engine.  Manny wanted to give it a few moments to warm up before they left for their route.  Manny said it was kind of like a football player stretching before a game, if he didn’t warm up he might get a cramp and he wouldn’t be able to play in the game.  Joe and Manny put their cooler in the cab too.  It was full of water and drinks to keep their fluid levels from going too low.  Working in the hot sun inside of an even hotter truck, it was very important that they drink a lot.  Otherwise it would be unsafe for them.  They could get sick.

While the engine chugged to life, Manny took the time to walk around Timmy and give him a “check-up” to make sure he was healthy enough to work.  He checked Timmy’s brakes and tires.  He found that they were in good shape.  He looked at Timmys oil and fluid levels, and made sure that every part of Timmys system was working well.  Manny said that this was important, because Timmy was a BIG truck, and if he wasn’t healthy, it might not be safe for Manny, his helper Joe or the people who were in their city.  Safety was a very important thing to Manny, he talked about it all the time.   Manny, Joe and Timmy were a team and safety was their game.

Today was a special day in their Safety game.  It was the first day of Summer vacation and all of the school children were home until school began again in the Autumn.  Timmy could hear the Boss talking to Manny,  Joe and all of the other trash men.  He said, “Yesterday was the last day of school, what does that mean to you?”  Manny spoke up and said, “It means that we will be sharing the roads with all of the school children.  We have to pay very close attention and we have to work together to be safe!”  The boss agreed.  Timmy knew just how very important this was.  Timmy was so big that sometimes he couldn’t see the things around him, and neither could Manny.  If a little boy or girl went too close to Timmy, neither of them would be able to see him or her, and they could get hurt.  Timmy did not want anyone to be hurt so he tilted his mirrors so they were just right, and he pumped his brakes so there was good pressure.  As Manny and Joe climbed in the cab, Timmy knew they would all be paying close attention.

As the sun came up, Manny turned on the computer.  It would tell them exactly where to go to pick up the trash.  The first stop was on the other side of the park.  It was still early, so the kids were probably not out playing yet, but Manny made sure to go slowly around the park area any way.  As he moved toward the stop sign by the park entrance, he pushed the brake.  Right away,  Timmys  brakes made a whirring sound, and brought the truck to a halt.  They sat at the stop sign, and looked in all of his mirrors, as well as in all directions to make sure there were no people or animals in his way before he moved on.  He turned Timmys signal light on so that anyone nearby would see that the was turning right, into the neighborhood.  They came to the first house, and Joe jumped out of the cab.  He picked up the trash toter and emptied it into the “belly” of Timmy the Trash Truck.  The belly was called the “hopper” and it is a very dangerous part of a trash truck.  It had powerful, moving parts .  Joe pressed the button that put the hopper into action and a big blade swooped down from the top and pushed it back into the hopper.  Joe made sure to keep his body and clothes away from the truck as the blade moved.  He did not want to get caught up in it.  After the hopped ran, Joe signaled to Manny that it was safe to move on. 

They moved from house to house throughout the morning.  Several hours passed, and soon the hopper was so full, that they could not fit more in it. Joe called to Manny, “we need to head to the landfill”.  But they were at the end of a street, and there was no room to turn around.  “Uh-Oh”, thought Timmy, “This is dangerous, we are going to have to go backwards, and Manny cant see very much when we go backwards.”  It was almost as if Joe and Manny heard Timmy’s thoughts though. Joe hopped out of the truck and stood in a place that Manny could see him, behind Timmy.  He used his hands to signal that Manny should slowly back up because it was clear and safe.  They crept up the block backwards, safely and turned around. 

When they got back from the landfill, the children were out playing.  They all waved at them when they say Timmy coming down the road.  Manny made sure to go very slowly through the neighborhood.  Joe asked the children to stay back when they came up to the houses, and Timmy made plenty of noise to ensure that everyone saw him coming.  At the last stop of the day, stop number 632 on the route, a little boy named Michael walked up toward Timmy and wanted to help Joe throw away the trash. He said, “I have a toy trash truck, and I play with it all the time, so I am kind of like you”  Joe said, “Michael, a real trash truck isn’t like your toy.  It is a great machine.  It is there to help keep our cities clean and healthy, but that it takes special training to learn how to be safe around one.  When you are older, if you go through the training, you can do what I do.  But for now, you can sit there in the grass, because it is a safe area, and watch me do it.”  So Michael sat in the yard and watched Joe safely run the hopper.  He had a big smile on his face as Manny tooted Timmys horn 2 times when they drove away to say “Bye Michael – we will see you next week.  Be safe.”

The sun was starting to set as they pulled into the truck yard.  Timmy was tired, and he knew Manny and Joe were too.  He couldn’t help but be grateful though that he was a part of such a safe team.  Timmy loved his life as a trash truck.  He loved making great friends like Manny, Joe and Michael, and he knew that as long as they worked safely together, the world would be a happier and cleaner place.  As Manny and Joe went home to their families, Timmy dimmed his headlights to recharge for the night.  There was more trash to collect tomorrow, and more friends to help keep safe.