From The Frying Pan to The Fire

Monday started with end of a nice stay in Denver. What a relief, the weather was great after a very hot week every place I was. The company "moved" me to Chicago for a new load assignment. So, I travelled back across Nebraska, Iowa for the fourth time this trip and through the rough stretch of I-80 in Illinois. That road makes me crazy. And they charge tolls in an effort to add insult to injury. All the corrupt politicos must have swung the highway money elsewhere.

It was 62 degrees for the high and kind of overcast in North Chicago. I had a bite at a Greek place and the assignment I had been waiting for came through. Pick up would be in Rockford, Illinois, destination, Laredo, Texas. Somebody give me a range hat, we're going to Texas. A 1,400 mile cannon ball run to the Mexican border at the Rio Grande. Time to finish up the gyro and gulp the unsweet tea and head to Rockford, about 45 minutes out from Chi Town. After loading up the coveted apparatus for the Mexicans, it was time to peddle it outta there. The run took me down state through Illinois, around St. Louis, out Missouri, into Oklahoma, through Tulsa and into Texas. I continued through Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio and it was a straight shot to Laredo.

Texas wasn't what I thought it would be. I expected some open land in between the cities on I-35, but it was one big fat (Texas, style), megalopolis from Dallas to San Antonio. Over 300 miles of megalopolis. It opened up after San Antonio into Laredo. The scenery turned into wide open spaces with sprawling ranches.

By the time I got to Laredo the next day, it was nighttime and at 10:30 pm CDT, it had cooled off to 85 from a high of 110. In your face type of heat. The next day was 107. The locals said, "you should have been here a couple of days ago when it was 112." Truly, a screen door away from hell. I'm real sorry I missed that. They also said," be careful of the tumbleweed, it hurts." I said, it hurts? "Yeah, it's got thorns"

I went to the happening Flying J restaurant to get a piece of pizza and a Sunny Delight where I found myself behind a fellow that looked like Tommy Chong trying to get a receipt from the cashier for goods that he had gotten with a free coupon. Back and forth they went. The Flying personnel weren't going to give him one and he insisted that the border Gestapo would arrest him if he didn't have a receipt for his goods. Finally, after involving a small army of people, they came up with some sort of paper, just to shut him up and get rid of him.

I ate my pizza and drank my Sunny and headed out of the ice cold air conditioning for a before-bed-puff on my pipe. Outside, there was a guy in a Hawaiian shirt, looking like he'd been in the sun too long during the day. He struck up some small talk with me and suddenly said "I wish the government would stop taking pictures of me from outer space" I replied that I hated when that happened and had grown weary myself with smiling for all the cameras. I asked if he was a driver, and he said no, and he offered that he spent his days slipping back and forth between the US and Mexico. I didn't ask why. I didn't want to know why. For the curious, he was a clean shaven Caucasian man with Aerosmith Dream On lines in his face..maybe mid 50's.

The next morning, I cleaned up and ventured over to the J for some Cinnamon Toast Crunch and 2% milk for breakfast. I passed my rumpled friend in the Hawaiian shirt in the convenience store and wished him a good morning. I finished up and headed to the NAFTA trade zone to hand my load to the Mexicans.

After 20 days out, visits to numerous cities and destinations, travel though 17 states and on time deliveries for every one..it was time to go home. I headed my empty truck, full of road stories and a feeling of accomplishment to Dallas, Georgia. Straight from Laredo I travelled, except for a stop back in San Antonio for paperwork, I destined, singing Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind"

At 10:00 am, EDT, I pulled into my driveway and parked the truck, up behind my barn. I couldn't wait to get in the house to see the girls, my four legged son Louie and his 14 feline brothers and sisters. My neighbor Mike showed up with his lawn tractor and started cutting my lawn! Before I left, I had thrown a drive belt on mine. I was arraigning for a pro cut when Mike showed. Other neighbors stopped by and before I knew it, we had a small gathering. Loy, from next door handed me a pile of yellow squash from the garden. It all made me realize how much I love living here and how lucky I am to have such great neighbors.

I'm out again on Wednesday for another vagabond round in my rolling office with a view of America. It's a great country out there. Happy 4th of July everyone. It's still worth celebrating. May God bless you all.