Currently I'm sitting on my cozy, little bed in Remington (That's the name I have affectionately given Dad's truck). Phillip Phillips is serenading me via Pandora, and Dad is below me preparing the truck to head out from Corpus to McAllen TX. It's been an exciting 24 hours! I've already learned tons of stuff, to name just a few: How to fold a tarp, how the trucker's hour system works, the difference between Sorghum and corn, how to brush your teeth when no sink is available, the vital importance of deodorant, that I love catfish when it's fresh, and that my dad actually wasn't joking when he said to securely fasten ALL things in a moving truck to prevent being beheaded. Also, I've learned that my dad was a devious child (lots of story time in here:).
Here goes kind of a run down of the first day on the road.
We left my little town around 10am, loaded down with me, my duffel, toiletries crate, extra bag, and bedding. To my credit regarding my packing though, dad told me that I "Didn't do too bad for a girl" :)
A while back he gave me a pink hardhat in preparation for this day, so I proudly wore it as we left the house.
A few hours and one CD later we stopped to get lunch -for the truck and ourselves- at a flying J truck stop. Wings and Pizza were our menu item of choice (Yes, we are two {unhealthy} peas in a pod).
We ate it with our fingers as we continued rolling down the road. While we were there I decided I am a big fan of the good ol' boy vibe I get in the truck stops.
About four more hours and one comedian routine recording later we arrived at our dinner destination. Dad's so cool because there's all these little hole-in-the-wall restaurants all over the US that he eats at whenever he passes through that particular spot. This particular one he introduced me to was so awesome and beach bum-ish!
Pincher's Boil'n pot was the name...
...and Sea food was the game! Let me tell you, we both ate a LOT of food, but not even close to all of that ^ platter!
Corn seemed to be growing everywhere! All the Corn field sightings were what began the conversation concerning Sorghum vs. corn...
Two more hours on the road flew by full of fun conversations and times of just quietly and peacefully rolling down the roads.
By the time we reached Corpus it was evening time. Another cool thing about my Dad? He knows people all over the place! Right next to the business we were supposed to be dropping our load at is a little restaurant called "Daniella's". One of the first times my dad brought a load to Corpus he introduced himself to Daniella and asked if whenever he came on this route it would be alright for him to park his truck in her parking lot. She said he could! He shows his gratitude by typically eating breakfast at her place the next morning.
As badly as I wanted to go to the beach while we were there, and as badly as Dad wanted to please me, we just couldn't leave the trailer with supplies on it for that long...The best I could get was a faint smell of the ocean and a few sightings of seagulls from where we sat in the deserted parking lot of "Daniella's", on the outskirts of Corpus.
At this point in my day is when I became quite resourceful and got myself ready for bed and teeth brushed all within the confines of the truck-which has no running water.
Soon we settled in with the company of an old western movie-Conagher. No sooner had the movie begun then the sound of dad's snores filled the cab and sporadically continued to -despite all my poking and pinching him in an effort to hear the movie. ;)
It's a strange feeling to be in an empty parking lot, in the little curtained-shut truck, knowing that you're right on the edge of a road with cars passing you by, and that this is where you will sleep the whole night. I honestly felt pretty vulnerable, but the truck was locked shut and I was with my Dad so I knew I was safe. Once the movie ended I was so exhausted that I just climbed up into my little bunk and was out like a light!
First day as a Truck Rider was a definite success.
-Ab
Abs. I quite enjoyed your tale of your experiences. I can remember back to my father child truck ride and wish I had documented it so well. Hope the rest is just as enlightening.
ReplyDeleteP.s. your writing seems to be similar to your sister Esther's which is a good thing because its a very special how y'all talk about the small details just as much as the large points.
Have a safe trip!!!