Trucker Chapter 3: Just Drive
Date: 10/1/2015,
Categories:
Love Stories,
Author: YouTurn
... sobbing as she tried to speak. Tears welled as her voice tore at his heart. Apology after apology was recorded, begging him to come home to her. Loud arguing brought Mark out of his brief remorse. The woman in the RV was at it again! Directing her scorn at her husband and kids! They finally were ready to continue their trip. The RV pulled to the parking lot exit but the pickup made a wide circle and drove right up to Mark. Through the driver’s side window, the man stuck his arm out and shook Mark’s hand one last time. Mark’s phone started to vibrate yet again as the Ford pulled away from him. With a little toss, the phone landed securely in the trailer pulled by the pickup. ‘Let them track that!’ Mark thought to himself. He watched the pickup and the RV turn on to the frontage road. Mark thought about the woman and how she belittled and controlled her husband. And how he put up with her rant with just a shrug, his wife’s harassment seemed not to bother him at all. All those kids hanging on them made it seem like total chaos. The man smiled at Mark as he drove off, seemingly to be a content and happy person. Mark envied that man and his chaos. Mark walked toward his truck, pulled out the new pre-paid cell phone he had just purchased. He ...
... made sure the few numbers he wanted were programmed. Rounding the front of the truck, Mark stopped. Taking a rag from his back pocket, he wiped crud off his truck’s name, ‘STEEL COWBOY’, engraved and painted backwards on a small nameplate mounted on the bumper. Centered under the grill, it was spelled backwards so that whoever looked in their rearview mirror could plainly see who was about to pass them! Mark thought, ‘Just me and you, Cowboy.’ referring to his truck, which was the origin of his handle. The blue and silver Peterbilt sported a star similar to that of his favorite NFL team on either side of the hood. When the air pressure built up, Mark put his truck in gear and headed out of the parking lot. Pulling onto I-35, he again flipped on the radio. One of Mark’s favorite classic rock groups, the ‘Eagles’, sang: “ … cause I’m already… gone, and I’m feel… feelin strong, I will sing… this victory song… “ He turned the volume up and started playing air drums against the steering wheel. The rock song’s lyrics made him feel better. Better about himself, better about how he handled his wife, and how he handled Badger, Misses, and Fred. Mark felt tall again behind the wheel. All he wanted to do at that moment was to be a trucker and just drive!