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As we get ready for spring, here’s a list of items you and your techs might need (or probably already have) on your work trucks. I call this: “The ABCs of what you would find in an exterminator’s truck if written by Dr. Seuss.”
A is for the AC/DC CD that you keep in your work truck. A is also for Apple, which tastes good after lunch.
B is for Benadryl, which helps after stings. B is also for AA Batteries, which you always buy in a bunch.
C is for Cough drops that you keep in your glove box. C is also for Cracked rib and Contusion when you fall on the ice and hurt your shoulder.
D is for Disposable gloves, good for grabbing Dead mice. D is also for safety Data sheets that you keep behind your seat in a folder.
E is for Entomology, a little of which every technician should carry in their heads. E is also for the Energy drink that rolls around your truck floor.
F is for Fast Food wrappers, crinkling under your Feet. F is also for Flashlight, helping you in a dark store.
G is for GPS, which helps you Get around town. G is also for Gas card, which doesn’t include cigarettes and soda pop.
H is for Hammer, a great tool for outdoor stations. H is also for Helmet or Hard Hat to protect your top.
I is for tip Injector that you keep in your shirt pocket. I is also for Igloo lunch box, where you store the sandwich you like best.
J is for Jumper cables, flares and orange cones. J is also for Jacket, work gloves and orange vest.
K is for Ketchup, soy sauce or Arby’s packets that litter your console. K is also for the sharp Knife you Keep holstered on your hips.
L is for the Little Trees car deodorizers that mask the dog poop smell from your floor mats. L is also for the Lip balm you need for your chapped Lips.
M is for Map books … that’s a funny joke. Map books are ancient like Mammoths, Moon landings, Menudo and Mummies.
N is for Napkins, collected from Taco Bell. N is also for Neosporin and Nexium, helping bad tummies.
O is for Odometer that is pushing 200,000. O is also for Oil that keeps your power sprayer running fine.
P is for Pens. Thousands of Pens lost in your truck. P is for PMP magazine, Pee cup and Paystubs. P is also for Pennies that appear in the cup holders full of ketchup and grime.
Q is for Qualified applicator certificate, which means you are among the best. Q also is for Q-tips, which are handy for your ears and preventing equipment decay.
R is for Rodenticides, Rat snap traps and Roach bait. R is also for Rogaine, which you need when you wear baseball caps, day-after-day-after-day.
S is for Sunglasses. $200 Ray-Bans are great. S is also for Salt-n-pepper and Sugar packets that Slide across your dash. S can also be for Swiffer Duster.
T is for Tic Tacs, especially after your breakfast burrito. T is also for the Tip injector in your pocket that goes everywhere you go, Buster.
U is for Unopened training manual that your front office has been begging you to read. U is also for University, as in taking a Purdue online entomology class.
V is for Vacation, which you desperately need. V is also for Vinaigrette salad dressing that fell into the door pocket three summers past.
W is for W-2’s sitting on your seat, waiting to go to your accountant. W is also is for Wood Destroying Insect Report stuck in your visor for future use.
X is for the “Xeroxed” copy of your route that has coffee stains on it. X is also for the word eXoskeleton which can be found in your study guide, which makes you wiser.
Y is for Yawning, which can happen after your latest 12-hour day. Y also stands for “Ode to Yellowjackets,” Pete Schopen’s award-winning article (should have been award-winning!).
Z is for Zicam Cold Remedy packets scattered on your back seat. Z is also for bad French impersonations: “Zis is Zee end!” Ouch, my head is spinning!
Pete Schopen is president of McHenry, Ill.-based Schopen Pest Solutions. You can reach him at 847-529-BUGS or pete@schopenpest.com.
Schopen is owner and founder of Schopen Pest Solutions, McHenry, Ill. You can email him at pete@schopenpest.com or reach him via Twitter: @schopenpest; Instagram: @peteschopen; or Facebook: Schopen Pest Solutions, Inc.
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