Jargon
Glossary
Whenever a small group of people live closely with each other they start to develop their own language; their own way of talking about things. Sawdust Charley was no exception. The following definitions pertain to both to the real world and the Sawdust Charley world.
CB
Short for Citizens Band radio. This was how truckers communicated with each other and still do, about Smokies, accidents, and other road-worthy information. The common channel to use was 19, so a trucker would key his mic and start with “Breaker, breaker, channel one niner, this here’s Switchback (handle), ya got yer ears on?” There would also be a sign off. The best one we heard was “keep the lipstick off your dipstick so mama won’t know you’ve been pumpin’ ethyl…we gone.”
Hot Truck
A favorite meal of the band. An open-faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes on the side, and the whole thing covered in rich, brown gravy. Available at any Truck Stop near you!
Gut Bomb
A hamburger. But the bomb part was originally spelled Baum, since Ralph Baum’s was the ONLY place to get the best burger in town.
Chuck Luck
Real or imagined feeling that the odds are stacked against you.
The Moon
Western Kansas / Eastern Colorado and parts of Oklahoma where there are no trees. Pretty much any thing west of Minneola.
Key the mic
Press the button on the CB’s microphone (Press to talk / release to listen)
Smokies
State Highway Patrol i.e. Pigs
Pork Chopper
Smokies in helicopters (source – Pat Dondlinger)
Roo
Short for kangaroo. The act of jumping up and down on the hotel bed. Usually caused by boredom, drugs or both.
Full Roo
When your head goes through the ceiling.
Cranial Divot
A subtle variation of the Full Roo invented by Doug Webb where the head makes just a small indentation.
Grizzeary
A questionable excuse for not helping load or unload equipment (source – Magpie roadie). examples: doctors appointment at the last minute, forgot to set my alarm, “was that today??”
Grizz-harry
A reoccurring Grizzeary. Harry would pick up the money after the gig (and return just as the van doors were closing) so often that the band created a special version to cover it.
Robe & Strobe
What you do when you get back to the hotel after a gig.