The story takes place in the 1980s at a major airline based in Toronto, Canada. It revolves around two men, Caleb and Petros, who were both tasked with retrieving a loader, a heavy-duty vehicle used to transport baggage and cargo onto the aircraft. Caleb, a Jamaican-Canadian, drove an enclosed tractor to the gate where the loader was parked. Along the way, he picked up one of his crewmates to assist him in the task.
As they arrived, they noticed that Petros, who had a Greek background and was known for his volatile temper, had already reached the loader and was preparing to drive it away. Caleb and his crewmate immediately confronted Petros and an argument ensued. Caleb attempted to reason with Petros, but the latter was unwilling to listen and insisted on taking the loader for himself.
The argument escalated when Petros attempted to drive off with the loader and Caleb blocked his way with the tractor. Petros, now visibly angry and agitated, decided to take drastic measures and lowered the loader’s platform onto the roof of Caleb’s tractor. Caleb, realizing the danger he was in, frantically yelled at Petros to stop, accusing him of trying to kill him.
In a fit of rage, Petros continued to drive the loader, now with the tractor stuck on its platform. Caleb quickly grabbed his two-way radio and called for help. The management team arrived on the scene soon after and had to intervene to calm the situation. Petros was given a choice: either be fired on the spot or seek professional help for his anger management issues. He chose the latter, and although the incident caused a significant delay in the airport’s operations and damaged company property, it became a legendary part of the airline’s ramp folklore.
