If Cars Could Think 7

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

"You're listening, aren't you Casey?" Robert was showing her some of the downtown properties on this Monday morning, to start off her training.

"I'm listening," she mumbled. "Sorry."

"It's okay." He slowed to turn into the parking lot of the main offices. "These are our main offices; you've driven by them before. Often, the human workers need rides back and forth, from here to the main facility. It helps, because they're only two minutes apart from each other."

Casey was glancing around. "Why are the offices so big?" she asked.

"Oh, because the building contains many, many apartments, too, for elderly people. Essentially the entire point of the housing company is to provide affordable housing to those who need it most." But she doesn't need to know about the secret government stuff yet.

"So the government really does help people?" Casey asked. "I heard George and Uncle Ed saying most of the government is slum and they don't care."

"Well..." Robert thought about it. "They might be right. It's complicated. Don't let all the political stuff get to you yet. You're still young."

Casey scraped at the pavement with her wheels. "What are we waiting for here?"

"Rose will be stopping by soon, and I'm giving her instructions. She's been on one of the other downtown properties since early this morning. Once that's done, we can check out the next one."

"How many are there?" Casey asked.

"Over a dozen. But you have months to learn." I've trained so many cars for the fleet now. I feel like I'm just repeating the same things, over and over, but it's helped me get better at training, I guess.

"Bryan said earlier he could help with my training too," said Casey. "Does he know all the properties yet?"

"He's getting the hang of it," Robert answered. "He'll help you out, too. Everyone will. Tomorrow you get to follow one of the Equipment Officers around and learn what they do. Maybe you can even help them by carrying a few tools."

"Ooh!" she exclaimed. "Who are all the Equipment Officers again? I know Mom is one. It's all the vans, right?"

"Right. But your mom is my second-in-command too, now, so she's a bit more busy." He paused. "I guess it's not really official yet, because she's still learning. But, once Darryl leaves, she'll be doing more important things alongside her Equipment Officer work."

"What are the other positions? There are Light Duties, and Heavy Duties, right?"

"Right. Light Duties handle most of the plowing in winter as well, but Heavy Duties commit to that also. You can name both the Light Duties, can't you?"

"George and Carol," she said quickly. "And Uncle John is the Heavy Duty. He always brags about it."

"I used to be in HDT too, before I became boss. I still help with it from time to time."

"Is that why you were chosen as boss? Because you had an important position?"

"I'm not really sure," Robert admitted.

"So anyone can become a boss, as long as the former boss chooses them? What about Equipment Officers?"

"I guess they could, if they were chosen. There's no rule against it." She's making me question running my own fleet now! Robert had to admit he was enjoying answering all his daughter's questions.