3-14-2021 10:33pm

Merge Wright: What's A Steam Shovel?

Rick Amburgey Neighbor

What’s a Steam Shovel?

I’m about as 2021 as one could get I thought.

Never carry cash, all bills come on line and are paid on line. I’m hip to discounts on fast food, always have my phone ready to show the cashier the code to click on for a free burger, fries, drink etc. I do lack on being hip to all the top 10 television shows preferring the History Channel, National Geographic and similar others. Still love Americas Got Talent and American Idol and stay fairly current on music and dance. I always obey the speed limit, don’t text while driving and am extremely defensive when behind the wheel.

In conversation with a person nearing the age of 30 I mentioned Johnny Carson. He stopped me quickly saying, “Wait a minute who’s Johnny Carson?” Like it was a friend or business associate that we both knew. Then I had to do the explanation which took about two minutes before I could get back to the point I was trying to make.

Another time I mentioned the acronym VCR. “Wait!" someone uttered, "what’s a VCR?” Again I had to go back in history to explain big bulky tapes that had to be rewound before you returned them to blockbuster or pay a $1.00 rewind fee. “Ohhh that would have been a real pain,” she said.

And then I was talking to the heavy equipment instructor Dick Reese at the Warren County Career Center for a segment I was doing on Springboro’s TV show. Dick I asked, “Will I be able to get up in the steam shovel and operate it for the interview?” Dick replied, “Steam shovel...we don’t have any such thing here...do you mean the track hoe over there?’ “Yes, but it looks just like a Steam shovel I screamed.” He then advised me that Steam shovels and dinosaurs are in the history books. Well knock me over with a cattail I must of missed the obit page that day.

I was really impressed with the school and its excellent curriculum. Dick not only has a bachelors in education but a lifetime experience of running heavy equipment and running construction projects as the superintendent. One of his tasks was the construction superintendent of Heatherwoode Golf Course in the early 90s. This gentleman is an unbelievable teacher. In five minutes he taught me (4 thumbs) Merge how to operate the track hoe bucket sending it out and down for the big scoop and the turn around and drop it.

If you’ve ever wanted to operate the Big Boyz this is the place to learn, get certified and make excellent money. By the way they have pink hard hats, so girls come on down. There has to be a country song about Steam Shoveling ladies. For more info call Peg at 513-932-5677.

Mergewright is available 24/7 at Mergewright@yahoo.com.