Words and Wisdom

by Gary W. Cantor

  When the truck stopped, Adam ran to get in.  He had been standing and waiting for a ride for almost an hour, and just a few minutes earlier, it had started to rain.

  Maybe now it will be smooth sailing, he thought.  And his mood lightened even more when he was greeted by the truck driver.

  �gWhere are you going, young man?�h the driver asked.

  �gFort Lauderdale,�h Adam answered.

  �gThis is your lucky day, then.  That�fs where I�fm going, too.  I have to make a delivery there.�h

  The truck driver introduced himself as �gJesse,�h and off they went.

  For the next several minutes, the only sounds that were heard were that of rain hitting the windshield, the �gswish�h of the windshield wipers, and the grinding of tires on the road below.  Then, Adam, who had been looking straight ahead, looked over at his massive new companion and said, �gI hope the �ebig light�f comes out soon.�h

  Jesse, obviously puzzled, glanced over at Adam.

  �gThe �ebig light�f?  What�fs that?�h

  �gThat�fs what I call the sun.�h

  �gOh,�h Jesse said, looking even more puzzled.  �gWhy don�ft you just say �ethe sun�f like everybody else does?�h

  This was what Adam was waiting for.

  �gBecause it isn�ft clear.  I believe that words should be easy to understand, and many of the words that we use every day could be said better another way.�h

  Jesse listened quietly, so Adam continued his speech.

  �gLet me give you another example.  Every day people all across the country sit at dinner tables and ask others to give them �eforks�f and �eknives.�f  But those words are so inexact.  They should be asking for �efood stabbers�f and �ecutters.�f  And talking about food, when you go to a Chinese restaurant people use �echopsticks.�f  What a weird word.  And it doesn�ft even make sense.  Nobody uses �echopsticks�f to chop with.�h

  �gI don�ft eat Chinese food much,�h said Jesse.  �gI like hamburgers.�h

  �gYeah, I hear you,�h Adam said, laughing.  �gBut that�fs not the point.  The point is that �echopsticks�f is a stupid word.  They should be called �egrabsticks.�f �h

  �g �eGrabsticks�f?�h

  �gYeah.  We grab things with chopsticks.  So that�fs what they should be called.�h

  �gWell, I guess that makes sense,�h Jesse said, laughing lightly.  �gAnyway, what do you do?  Are you a student?�h

  �gYeah, I go to college.  We�fre on Spring break now, so I�fm going to Fort Lauderdale to meet some friends.�h

  �gHow long are you going to be there?�h

  �gAbout a week.�h

�@�gThat sounds good.  Anyway, have a good time while you can.  Pretty soon, when you have to work for a living, you�fll want to remember the good times that you had.�h

  Adam looked over at Jesse, but said nothing.  He�fs a good guy, he thought.  A regular fellow.  He had the distinct feeling that this was going to be a good day, and thought that somehow fate had brought him together with this good-natured truck driver.  At that point, Jesse turned his head toward Adam.

  �gI was just thinking about what you were saying about words, Adam.  You have some good ideas.  You�fre a smart kid.  But do you think that you�fll ever be able to put your ideas into action?�h

  Adam smiled broadly.  Back at school, he thought, nobody took him seriously.  Even his friends laughed at him when he talked about words, and some people called him �gweird�h or a �gbasket case.�h  But here was a real working man, a regular guy, who thought that he was something special.  This was enough to fill Adam with a warm feeling.  Life might indeed be his for the taking, he thought.

  �gAs a matter of fact, Jesse,�h he said, in response to the truck driver�fs question, �gI do have plans to make an impact on the world.  I�fm going to become a writer, and it will be through my books that I�fll change the silly way that people talk and write.  Yes Jesse, I�fm going to change the English language forever.  And one day, you�fll be able to tell your friends, �gHey, I met that guy once.  He rode in my truck.�h

  The two of them laughed lightly.  Then, Jesse said, �gHey look! The �ebig light�f has come out.�h  Adam hesitated for a moment, but then looked up and saw that indeed the rain had stopped and that the sun, which hadn�ft been out for hours, was beaming down on them.

  A little while later, Adam saw a sign that indicated that there was a diner just off of the highway.  So he asked Jesse to pull in there for an early dinner, and added, �gI�fll treat.�h

  As they ate, Adam was amazed at the amount of food that Jesse could put away.  But it didn�ft bother him.  He had plenty of money stuffed into his wallet for his one-week stay in Fort Lauderdale, and was happy to pay for his new friend�fs meal.  They talked on and on about words, people, and life itself, and Adam was truly happy that Jesse seemed to be enjoying himself. 

  After both of them had finished eating, Adam, feeling truly wonderful, raised his hand and yelled out, �g �eFood carrier�f!  Can we have the �eprice sheet�f please?�h

  The waitress, looking annoyed, came over to their table.  Then, Jesse, speaking for Adam, told her that his companion wanted the check.

  �gThen why didn�ft he ask for it like a normal human being?�h she said.  �gAnd in case your friend doesn�ft know about such things, tell him that I prefer to be called a �ewaitress.�f �h  She threw down the check and stalked away.

  Adam wasn�ft sure, but he thought that he heard the waitress muttering to herself about �gnut cases.�h  But he didn�ft care.  He just smiled at Jesse and said, �gThere will be no �egood work payment�f for her.�h  Jesse grinned, fully aware that Adam was talking about the tip.

  They went back to the truck and rode on.  After a while, Adam fell asleep.  He slept soundly, and when he awoke he was surprised to see that it was now pitch black outside.  He looked at his watch.  It was past eight o�fclock.  They must be close to Fort Lauderdale, he thought.  He looked over at Jesse and thought about starting up a new conversation with him, but he decided not to.  This is one of life�fs serene moments that just can�ft be disturbed, he said to himself.  So he just looked ahead at the road and the scenery and enjoyed his blissful mood.

   About ten minutes later, he saw all sorts of signs that said �gFort Lauderdale,�h and knew where he was.  The year before he had also vacationed in Fort Lauderdale, and he recognized some of the stores and hotels.

  Suddenly, the truck stopped.

  �gWe�fre here,�h Jesse said.  �gWhere I�fm going is a bit out of the way, so I�fm going to have to drop you off here.  All right?�h

  �gSure Jesse.  I�fll be fine.  Thanks a lot for the ride.�h

  Adam reached down to open the door, and was about to say one more goodbye to Jesse, when all of a sudden he felt something cold on his neck.  It was the barrel of a revolver.

  �gOK, kid, give me all your money and you won�ft get hurt,�h Jesse said.  To Adam, the voice that he was hearing now sounded different than that of the Jesse he knew.  It was louder and rougher.

  �gWhat�fs going on, Jesse?�h Adam shrieked in a shaky voice.  �gI thought that we were friends.�h

  �gThis is business kid.  Give me the money or I�fll blow your head off.�h

  �gAll right, all right.  Here it is.�h 

  Adam gave Jesse his fat wallet and watched as Jesse counted the money and inspected the few credit cards that were inside of it.  Then, watching the gun and Jesse�fs eyes, Adam slowly opened the door and stepped down from the truck.  He was still scared, but felt the need to say one more thing to this man that he had sorely misjudged.

  �gI can�ft believe it, Jesse,�h he yelled up into the truck. �gI thought you were a friend.  Hell, you�fre nothing but a crook.�h

  Jesse just shook his head.

  �gA crook?�h he said.  �gCome on, Adam.  You can do better than that.  I�fm not a crook.  I�fm a �emoney taker.�f �h

  Having said that, Jesse laughed loudly, slammed the passenger door shut, and drove off.

  Adam stood still and watched as the truck moved farther and farther away.  It got smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared from his sight altogether.  However, the echo from Jesse�fs last burst of laughter remained in Adam�fs ears, and continued to haunt him for days to come.

This story was published in Hakumon Chuo (a Chuo University publication) in 1999.