REMEMBERING MY OLD MAN

Vol 78 - June 6, 2026

FROM THE WRITER’S DESK

Welcome to another issue of Webber's Whipping Post. This week I remember my father on the tenth anniversary of his passing, share a few thoughts on a recent Supreme Court ruling, and wander through music, sports, and whatever else happens to cross my desk.

Remembering My Old Man

Last Saturday, May 30th, marked the tenth anniversary of my father’s passing.

Sadly, the date flew completely under my radar.

I’m usually mindful of these milestones, but I was busy. Golf, writing, deadlines, life—whatever excuse you want to call it.

That’s what time does. It quietly alters your perception of what is important.

When my dad was alive, there wasn’t a day that passed without me talking to him, working with him, or at least thinking about him. Today, not nearly as much.

My father, Neal Webber Jr.—”Jerk” to those who knew him best—was considered a pillar of the community. He was a successful businessman, philanthropist, employer, and friend. Most people who met him liked him immediately. Few knew his first name was actually Albert.

To be honest, Dad and I weren’t on the best of terms when he passed away. That’s one of the complications of working in a family business, a dynamic that can only truly be understood by people who have lived it.

You’ll never have a tougher boss than your father.

It was always his way or the highway, which may help explain why our company is now approaching its eightieth year in business. (It may also explain why I’ve never been particularly fond of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.)

Even so, his death hit me hard—much harder than I thought it would.

For fifty-nine years, I had lived under his tutelage—and occasionally under his thumb.

The Convenient Villain

by Alan N Webber

The Supreme Court recently ruled unanimously that CH Robinson could be held liable after a carrier it hired was involved in a crash that cost Illinois resident Shawn Montgomery his leg.

Montgomery deserves compensation.

But the media coverage that followed ignored a larger question: Why is the broker being portrayed as the primary villain in a system involving regulators, carriers, insurers, and shippers?

In full disclosure, I own a logistics company, and our trucks haul freight for CH Robinson regularly. I know from experience they are a conscientious company.

In the Illinois case, the carrier CH Robinson hired had a questionable safety record. I am not disputing that fact.

What grinds my gears is the suggestion that the broker alone bears responsibility. To watch some of the reporting, one might conclude that CH Robinson deliberately hires unsafe carriers with little regard for public safety.

The reality is far more complicated.

According to federal data, passenger vehicles are more often the initiating factor in crashes involving trucks and automobiles. That does not excuse unsafe trucking operations. It simply illustrates that responsibility for highway safety is rarely as simple as a single headline suggests.

Brokers should bear responsibility for poor decisions they make. But when tragedy occurs, the broker increasingly becomes the primary target solely because it often represents one of the largest financial targets in the transportation chain. It should surprise no one that litigation gravitates toward the party with the greatest ability to pay.

Like where these stories go? I’ve built a series of dark literary tales centered around the Victorian authors themselves.

Available wherever eBooks are sold. Browse the full collection, read samples, and choose your preferred bookstore.

Start here: alan-webber.com

On a personal note, I recently completed my fourth novel, Ship of Fools. The men from Saxon Brothers are back—this time chasing something far more dangerous than freight. Available December 2, 2026.

CUBS CORNER

Ryne Sandberg played second base for the Chicago Cubs for fifteen years. When he retired in 1997, he was already regarded as a Cubs legend.

He made ten consecutive All-Star appearances and won nine straight Gold Glove Awards, compiling a then-record .989 fielding percentage. He also won seven Silver Slugger Awards as a second baseman and ranks among the top ten Cubs in nearly every major offensive category. In 2005, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He was truly a remarkable player.

He passed away in 2025 at the age of sixty-five.

A Coat of Heavy Rain by Lily Nova

When I first found this song, I thought it sounded like Beth Hart. Still wonder if it is, but I can’t find where Beth recorded this particular song. Also, can’t find much about Lily Nova either.

Anyway, it’s really a great blues song. Enjoy.

Did this newsletter remind you of anything from your own life?

Hit Reply and tell me about it.

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Teddy Roosevelt - The Man in the Arena

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That’s a wrap, folks!

— AW