[rescue] shipping large, heavy things

[William Enestvedt]

Hike wrote, " Please share these 'magic words'.  Thank you."

   I was thinking of "freight forwarder," but "please and thank you" are
almost as important once you get one of them on the phone. :7) These guys are
professionals, despite being covered in that nasty sub-atomic dust that covers
the outside of all big freight pieces, and it can be amazing to watch them
maneuver a pallet jack or 40' trailer around tight corners and through narrow
gaps.

   When I was a kid my dad took me out to MSP to the freight terminal. I got
to go into a 747 converted for cargo, which means they hacked a great, huge
door in one side and lined the floor with a grid of bearing as big as tennis
balls. A specially-shaped capsule full of small packages comes up-up-up on a
scissors jack to the door, gets eased inside, and then pushed to the rear of
the plane to make room for the next big capsule. It was very cool. (They also
locked me into a belly compartment for a minute. Yep, still mildly
claustrophobic. Can I come out now? Please?)

- Will
--
Will Enestvedt