‘Gower Gulch’, on Sunset and Gower. It’s called that because in the days of silent movies, most had horses in them, so, the casting people held all their stock hiring there. Now-a-days, its a Denny’s coffee shop and parking lot, surrounded by studios and talent agencies. Its also prime turf for tow truck drivers. On a repair case for Thrifty drug, right next to Denny’s, I have to go up on the roof to check the dial tones in a fifty pair can. Am I surprised to find about ten guys up there already. Some are holding those gigantic NASA sized binoculars. In between the huge THRIFTY letters on the building, you can’t spot them from the parking lot below. The Denny’s parking lot with signs every six inch, two foot high saying, ‘PARKING FOR DENNY’S CUSTOMERS ONLY’. I also see that some of them have two way radios. What the? Turns out, their all working for various tow truck companies. They glance at my tools, then ignore me…The fishing was so good, there was plenty of work for all. They even had a poker game they would play with license plate numbers. Or, ‘BIG FISH’. This was a vehicle that was worth over fifty grand. They just loved towing those. Just around the corner a block away. Tow trucks sat in a long row. Drivers listening to their spoters. I soon got into the spirit of it and started joking around and looking through the big binoculars too. I never had such good times in my life, goofing with these guys. Some we’re Russian. Some Armenian. Others, who knew. All got along. Sometimes they had so many cars to tow, they parked them along side streets, alarms blaring, to go grab a couple more. Another truck from the tow yard would zoom in, hook up in ten seconds, jam to the yard. I started riding with them after awhile. There’s nothing sweeter then a guy in a three piece suit, screaming “STOP YOU BASTARDS”! as you stay just ahead of them in low gear, laughing like hyena’s. I got so good at doing a Howard Cosell blow by blow, they would put me on speaker to dispatch so everyone in the office could hear…One night, we hooked a great white shark. Arnold Swarznegger’s Humvie! I rode in it once, but, that’s another story. Anyhow, Arnold’s with a non wife, hot babe. He had one of those original military Hummers before they were plastic. Everyone on the roof was holding their breaths. Arnold fakes to go inside Denny’s, then, runs across Sunset holding hands with his squeeze. A tow truck is on it before the talent agencies door has closed all the way. His alarms go off. Arnold is back on the sidewalk. Traffic on Sunset has him check mated. He sprints for the cross walk and the up coming red light. His chick is left behind. Instead of taking a right down Gower, the tow truck heads down Sunset. He played Arnold like a Marlin, as far as we could see. Slowing, then speeding up. Sometimes, life can be good…
