Page 36 - ATR 6 2018 web

The Lucys At-a-Glance go with him to New York. Of course, I
really didn’t like going in the truck all
the time. I didn’t want to be gone the
long periods of time, but he begged me to
go. I said, 'I’ll go with you if you’ll let me
Most likely to order dessert? Lynn, anything chocolate
see Lady Liberty'. ...We’re on top of the
Most likely to watch an action movie? Lee or Dakota bridge, and he points up and says, 'There
Most likely to give all their money to charity? Lynn she is, I told you I’d take you to see her.'"
Of course, that’s not what Lynn
Most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse? Dakota had in mind for her New York City trip,
Most likely to sweat the small stuff? Dakota but Lee reminded her that trucks aren't
tour buses and though there is promise
Most likely to run for public office? Lynn
of seeing the United States, drivers “are
Most likely to do something dangerous but adventurous? always just inches away from what they
Lynn really want to see.”

Most likely to bring home
a stray puppy? Lynn, Lucy FAMILY TIME
and Dakota all confessed What the Lucys want to see is their
to taking in stray animals. family—their daughter P.J. has six chil-
Most likely to ditch the dren, and Dakota and his wife have five.
party you were invited A self-proclaimed vacation fam-
to? Lee ily, they love snow skiing together and
Most likely to throw the attending NASCAR races. When Lynn’s
party? Lynn dad passed away in 2010, they moved
into their home on Lake Hamilton.
A long table stretches out in front
the windows that overlook the water.
lettuce recall was issued for confirmed “Compton kind of sits in a hole, All eleven grandkids, along with P.J.,
cases of E. Coli that was linked back to and the interstate sits up high. So we Dakota, and his wife Becky, can sit
California farms. It was not so differ- got through there, and we got up on the around it at holidays. The youngest
ent from last year’s romaine recall that interstate. The whole town was burning.” grandchild, Dakota’s daughter Parker
started in Pennsylvania. Lynn remembers looking back at the has inspired the Lucys to get involved
When they recalled every head of destruction behind them. with the World’s Largest Truck Convoy,
romaine in the whole country, Lee says, Lee shakes his head, “That’s probably a trucking event to raise awareness and
they were affected. “If you had a load on, the scaredest I’ve ever been in a truck. I’ll funds for the Special Olympics.
you were sitting there stuck with it.” never forget that. That’s one of those ... They also participate in the Heart
Lee and Lynn know firsthand somebody talks about the Rodney King Ball for the Levi Hospital every year and
that drivers can get stuck in tricky deal, we were there.” support the local youth athletic pro-
situations because as nomads, you are In recent years, he sympathizes with grams. Lee supports Glen Rose, his alma
always driving through someone else’s the frustration and fear his own drivers mater, and Lynn supports hers, Malvern
community, and sometimes through might feel who have been caught on the High. They have trucks wrapped in the
someone else’s problems. road during the Black Lives Matter riots rival school colors.
In 1992, the Lucys were in down- in Memphis. Different generation, but “Me and Lee worked together for
town Compton when the riots broke out drivers today still have the job of deliv- 30 years,” Lynn says. “I think that it
after a jury acquitted the four LAPD offi- ering to communities dealing with the probably helped our marriage more than
cers who violently assaulted Rodney King. issues of the day. It’s a hard job to drive anything else. We got this; we depend
“We were unloading mail at the into those situations. on each other. He wants to gripe or
Compton Post Office. I did it every Lynn recalls looking forward to vent. I get to listen. I want to gripe or
week,” Lee says. Men on motorcycles going to see the Statue of Liberty with vent, he gets to listen.”
blocked the interstate. Lee, but instead of taking the ferry to “We don’t know anything but this.
“I just told Lynn to get in the bed. Liberty Island where she stands, Lynn I guess it worked out well,” she finishes.
I didn’t know what’s fixin to go down, got the truck driver’s experience of the Lee, the family comedian, is quick
but you could see the smoke and the fires monument. to jump in with a joke and a smirk,
burning. “I can remember Lee asking me to “Kind of stuck here now.” ATR

36 Issue 6 2018 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT