Why me, Lord?

 It's day number, God-knows-what! I'm still in Salt Lake City. I've dined with two different men on two different occasions. The rat removal process clearly hadn't worked. Now, I've got a newer problem! Rats that won't die! I talked to other people in the terminal. It's a huge one! She said! Just kidding. It's a huge terminal. I got some tips. She said! Sorry, please don't go away, I'll stop...  he said! No, really! I'll tone it down! I ended up contacting my manager, asking for a new truck. I hadn't slept well for two nights in a row. Luckily, I wasn't working those days. You need your sleep, especially for a job such as driving all day. They had rows and rows of brand, spanking new trucks in that location. Surely, they could spare one for our African trucker friend, points at self!

My manager told me he would get back to me. When he did, he offered me a truck number. It was a 2017. The one I was trying to get out of was an '18. It was already considered old, now you want me to move into an older truck! What is this? Punishment? First, the rat infestation (I exaggerate), then the snake truck drivers, now that! In the lyrics of that song; Why me, Lord? I asked for a different truck and got a chance to choose between two trucks. Both 2017s. Wow! This guy and his passive aggression. I was so frustrated. Brand new drivers from trucking school get brand new trucks. There I was with a clean record, other than that bridge situation. We won't count the Ditch Sitch. I was told that the new trucks belonged to the Salt Lake terminal. I was based in California and our branch didn't have any new trucks. Someone suggested I switch terminals. I had been considering that anyway. It's one of the reasons I went to lunch with that guy. He had highly recommended his manager, and I was hoping to talk to him some more about making the switch to his manager. We all know how that story ended. 

I walked to the office and talked to the manager of the refrigerated department. I was hauling refrigerated trailers at the time. I asked to join their department. She told me that she was going to have to contact my manager and see if he would blah blah blah. What? I felt like I was a prisoner trying to be transferred. Why were my rights so limited? I sat there and talked to this woman, I may have cried a little out of sheer frustration. I don't like to cry. For me, it's a sign of weakness. That's a Brook issue. You can cry all you want, but that's how I feel when I cry. Probably another thing I need to see a therapist about. The manager lady I was talking to could see the frustration I was overwhelmed with. She told me that she would get me a new truck if it's the last thing she does. She contacted my department herself. Within no time, I was granted a newer International truck. It had a factory installed fridge! What is life? One has to cry to get treated fairly? That's probably why some people cry for no apparent reason sometimes. This sht works! 

New truck! Who dis?

I moved from my Freightliner to the International. It takes a couple of hours because you are moving house, really! I bid my old apartment and first truck adieu and thanked my lucky stars that my wish had been granted. I had a load to pick up not far away. It was going to Southern California.

My new truck was so clean, it had been well detailed and polished, it looked brand new inside. It even had two fire extinguishers inside! (by law, they should have at least one). Thank you universe! Thanks rats! 

My route went via The grand canyon area. I parked on the side of the road, after sleep driving for a while. I really cannot do night driving, yall! That! Plus the fact that I was sleep deprived and had just gone through an emotional roller coaster. Thankfully, I made it safely to my stop. Driving with your eyes shut in a windy mountainous route is not advisable. Driving with eyes shut period! 

Incredible views!

I slept so well in Arizona (grand Canyon). When my 10 hour break was up, I got up, freshened up, took a few selfies; as one does. And headed south. I found a truck stop with a spot for me, did my post trip inspection and because it was so hot in Arizona, newsflash! Not! I decided to get back into the truck from the side I was closes to. I walked back towards the passenger's side, opened the door, held onto the handle and the passenger seat and heard an explosion! 

Tell you more about that on the next blog. 

Side bar! They found one mouse in my truck while I was still in Salt Lake City! Then they lost it, then they found it again! But was it the only one? Was it the same one they had lost? I didn't want to find out the hard way. I stuck with my new shiny object!

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