A young man named John received a parrot as a gift.

The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious, and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hands, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes, the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said, "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior".

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

Merry Christmas,

Scott Reppert
President

January Driver Awareness

ALWAYS DRIVE DEFENSIVELY
Avoid aggressive drivers! It's estimated that each year two-thirds of all traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving behaviors. Keep your distance and maintain a safe speed. The only thing speed will increase is your chance for a crash.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
The most important part of a moving truck is the driver! Get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel. Eat well and stay fit. Stay healthy and well rested.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Our Mack tractors may have a bulldog hood ornament but do not "Bulldog" other vehicles. Always leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you hit someone from behind, you are typically considered "at fault," regardless of the situation. Take advantage of your driving height, and anticipate braking situations.

• Double-check your mirrors before turning right. Motorists may not know that you need to swing wide to make a right turn and they may not realize that you are turning.

• Signal early and often when maneuvering through and around intersections. In heavy traffic, motorists who drive alongside the truck may not see your turn signal. Signaling early gives motorists the information they need to decide whether or not to pull alongside you.

• Use proper parking areas when pulling off the road. Did you know that trucks are four times more likely to be rear-ended than cars? It is especially important to use designated parking areas when possible. There is no reason to stop on a highway unless for equipment breakdown. If you can't do this, pull completely off the road and set out flares, safety triangles, or other devices to alert other drivers.

January Birthdays

Jan. 01 ♦ Orhan Jahiu in Madison

Jan. 19 ♦ Domenic Bosi in Batavia

Jan. 23 ♦ Jose Camargo in Batavia

Jan. 25 ♦ Cesar Molina in Batavia

Jan. 25 ♦ Kevin Peirce in Madison

Jan. 28 ♦ Dennis Gutzman in Cudahy

Rich’s Ramblings

The Holidays are upon us as 2009 draws to a close. It’s been quite a year for Superior Health Linens. We continue to grow. We have a beautiful new facility in Batavia. We deliver beyond the borders of just Illinois and Wisconsin, now delivering to Lafayette, Indiana. We have added a third straight truck and a tractor / trailer to our Batavia fleet. Two new tractors and a new trailer will be in Cudahy before the year ends. Madison also got new vehicles this year, a straight truck, tractor and a new trailer. More importantly, eight (8) new drivers have been hired: four in Batavia and two each in Madison and Cudahy. We also have new driver supervisors at the Madison and Batavia facilities.

The exceptional growth of Superior Health Linens would not be possible without YOU, the dedicated hard working “superior driver ”. Your willingness to work odd hours, weekends and holidays does not go unnoticed. We appreciate your on time deliveries and the excellent customer service you provide. This past year has been one of the safest and accident free years in recent history and for this you are all commended. I want to thank you for an excellent job and an excellent year.

I want to wish each and every driver a safe and joyous Holiday season and a very prosperous and happy New Year.

Safe Driving To All,

Rich Mulcahy

Director of Fleet Services