Are we tellin' stories now?
I grew up 3 blocks from the largest industrial park in the world (at least at that time). Several square miles of nothing but manufacturing, warehousing, design, repair, etc. Several square miles of parking lots and back alleys that were empty every night and most weekends. Several square miles of dumpsters filled with the most glorious things (think, slightly bent BMX handles, boxes, pallets, and Playboys, so many Playboys...). Also several square miles of forgotten back packing areas, loading docks, empty lots, etc. We would scrounge everything needed to build a fort (I mean EVERYTHING, materials, tools, nails, everything), and it would stay for weeks at a time, sometimes all summer. Whether it was our skill at scouting out good locations, or warehouse managers not caring that some kids build a lean-to in the far corner of the lot under that rotten tree, no one will ever know.
That's when I learned two things that most of America doesn't seem to know.
Thing one...when an 18 wheeler is driving down a street, making a 47 point turn to get into a dock, or just about anything...GO FAR AWAY. No need to get your little crapbox car all in their face honking, nothing is going to happen other than you getting your car run over.
Thing two...the people working there, putting in 12 hour days, listening to Mariachi music, driving home in the dark after a snowstorm, THEY are what keeps American running, not the white collar people, not the over educated people.
