07/17/12

What It Means When a Trucker Says “Breaker..Breaker…1…9?”


Are your little ones going around the house, yet, saying “Breaker…breaker…1…9?”

Well, believe me—they will be, if they’re reading the Grandpa and the Truck stories.  Why?  They’ll hear it, in Book 1, Story 1 (every G&T book has two stories) and then they’ll mimic Grandpa (as younger trucker,) talking on his CB radio.

In that story, he goes along a fog-bound mountain highway in northern California, sitting high in the big rig. Up ahead, he sees a long line of cars following a ‘smokie’ (trucker lingo for policeman).  All the drivers believe they’re safe because they figure the police officer knows the road, well, and if they just follow him, they’ll be safe, too.

But that isn’t what happens.  No, instead, they suffer a major mash-up.

When he sees the accident (don’t worry—it’s not frightful), Grandpa gets on his CB (Citizen Band radio all truckers use) and calls out, “Breaker…Breaker 1..9” then waits for a response.

You see, when a trucker says this, he or she is asking permission to break into the conversation other truckers are having on their Citizen Band (CB) radios, on Channel 19.

Truckers operate in a very different world from the rest of us and my trucker husband and I (along with our illustrator) plan on driving that world home to all…. through the Grandpa and the Truck stories for little children.

After all (some of you know this already,) a big rig driver’s #1 fans are little kids.  They just love our trucks.

Now, they can ride along with one of the best who was a legend in his day.  His stories are those of all long-distance truckers, we they go about their difficult job of moving America’s products.

***So, the question is:  “Is your little one saying ‘Breaker…breaker..1…9 yet?”

Just wait—he or she will be.