Shifting

The alarm clock goes off, I roll over and grab a rag and wipe my face; it’s that time again. As my pastor would say “today is the day that the Lord has made and we shall rejoice in it”. But I must admit I don’t feel like rejoicing, it’s 5AM in the morning and I’m looking at 14 hours of work, 500 miles of driving for pennies on the dollar. I can hear the sounds of the local barn owl hooting. He’s priming for supper and I’m thinking of breakfast. But I won’t get that at home. So like a cat burglar I tried to creep out of my own home without being detected. We’ll get back to that later😉.

So I’m pulling out onto the highway, I can still taste the bacon cheese and egg biscuit that I just devoured on my way to work. Nothing like gas station food in the south. It’s 5:45 and it’s still dark, so I gotta drive with extreme caution. The life of a truck driver. The world can’t run without us,but that same world will pull out right in front of us. I don’t know which is worse,the early morning speedsters or the deer popping up outta nowhere. Logistically speaking it would be easier to drive through the night. Less traffic means less risks. But what’s the use if I’m at home struggling to sleep in the day while my family is up hooting and hollering. Then I’m working while they’re comfortably sleeping. Life is all about shifting things to fit while shifting to get better. My tires screech!! This one’s on me; I almost missed my turn! Just made it to the receiver, time to hurry up and wait.

So here I am at my drop hoping they unload me in a hurry. But that’s a , the driver in front of me he looks half past dead. So I take out my phone and begin to check Facebook and Instagram ;that’s the modern day version of reading a newspaper. I think to myself that’s me in a in a few minutes. So I begin to dose off then knock knock, a driver beats on the window. “ how long have you been here driver” I answer, too long. I look ahead and realized that the truck in front of me has already began to get unloaded. I’m up next finally and the super powers of the breakfast biscuit is starting to wear off. Finally unloaded with the paperwork done, I get back on the road wondering what I’m gonna eat next. Think I’ll call the wife and see what’s for dinner so that I save some room. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and garden peas are one of my favorites. I think I’ll grab three chicken tenders to hold me over.

So here I am, on a long stretch of road. This is where I do so my deepest thinking. Thinking about a bunch of should’ve would’ves and a whole lot of could’ves. I used to want to be an actor but then life happened. Fell in love, got married, had kids and gave up everything to take care of that reality. See in life you have to shift gears as it comes. It’s a lot like trucking. Somethings always jumping out in front of you that can cause an accident if you don’t react quickly and shift gears. Always trying not to zig when we need to be zagging. I love the long highway stretches of driving but they become silent enemies as we become complacent and our awareness declines. My mind is already shifting to home. I’ve made this trip a thousand times and I would say I could do it in my sleep,but too many drivers have proved that theory wrong. Before I know it, the suns going down and I’m pulling back into the truck yard and looking at my personal vehicle. I can smell my wife’s meatloaf already.

I pull into the garage. I can hear my kids screaming through their mics as they indulge in these online video games. I walk in headed straight for the kitchen, my daughter speaking without looking, “hey dad”. Back at you baby girl,I got meatloaf on my mind. My wife is fixing my plate, I kiss her lightly on the cheek before washing my hands. I’m in my eating chair as my stomach begins to growl, she gives me my plate an informs me that I woke her up on the way out and she couldn’t go back to sleep. I apologize before saying the world’s fastest grace and beginning an assault on the meatloaf. She’s says no problem, yet I know that means she is just forewarning me that she’s tired. The mash potatoes are complimenting the meatloaf very well. The garden peas make me feel less guilty about the double servings of meat and potatoes. It settles me down well as I unwind while catching up on sports. Time waits on no man and it’s time for a shower already. After washing today’s journey off, I see my wife has commandeered the t.v and I’m not mad at all. I decide to read a little of the Good book to keep me grounded. My eyes get heavy and I fantasize about being rich and free. I can’t fight the heaviness so I turn the lights out and tell Alexa to play me some sleep sounds. But over the music I hear that little barn owl hooting. He’s probably thinking about breakfast. A rodent biscuit I bet. We are like night and day little buddy. But it’s your shift, start shifting.