They are the big and the proud. They are the man’s brand. They’re not pickup trucks. They are duallies. Go ahead, just say “doolie.”

 When meeting up with contractors for our little Texas house, my husband soon found that it was not a matter of saying “I’m the guy in the red Ford truck” or “I’ll be in a gray Chevy truck.” It was simply a matter of explaining: “I’ll be in the dually.”

 Not “a” dually – THE dually.

 Forget all that big-city “brand” stuff, too. This news will send ad agencies into a tailspin. It isn’t a matter of which dealership those big things come from – those well-known words never leave the lips of a dually owner. Repeat with me – DUALLY. Not Ford, not Dodge, no names – get it?

 Dually owners acquire a special aura, in case you haven’t noticed. This aura extends about four feet out from the perimeter of the outer back fenders. You’ll notice it most in parking lots. That’s where owners take up double spaces near the front door – kind of criss-crossing instead of straddling the slots.

 Don’t ever park beside a dually, even if it’s in straight. They never quite pull up to the curb, especially the extended cab models. That’s so you have to back out about 20 yards before you can see around the tailgate.

 So, forget the brand, forget the color; just focus on staying out of their way.