Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

I actually got to my hometime relatively on time. I asked to be in Richmond on Friday and I got there Friday night with just about 14 minutes left on my 14 hour clock. It was tight but I knew that I had a safe place to shut down at the terminal and I knew that there would be no traffic that late at night. IT worked out perfectly.

I spent the night at the terminal and made plans to load me stuff into the borrowed car in the morning and put my truck into the shop.

l got kicked out of a Walmart for the second time ever the other night. Not my fault directly but I should have called before I arrived. That was my fault and against what I usually do. I parked, went inside to shop and while I was outside talking to this girl in Washington State a manager and someone else came out and politely informed me that I couldn't stay parked there. They were going around to all the trucks and telling them the same thing. Apparently a truck had knocked over a light post about a week earlier resulting in the new policy. According to my All-Stays truck app, it was ok to park there. I should have called as I usually do though. They assured me that there was another Walmart down the street where I could park but I never found it. I went over my 14 hour clock by a few minutes before I found an empty lot next to a Lowes. It really pissed me off though that another driver had knocked that #### light post over the week prior. I really count on Walmarts. I get my food there. I get toiletries, truck supplies and even movies. I appreciate that they let us truckers park in some of their lots and I'm not sure what I would do without access to them. The fact that someone was careless enough to damage their property resulting in that broad stroke of banning all trucks sucks.

 

I arrived here yesterday in Williamsburg.

I was pretty beat and just took care of some things. But I didn't meet up with the N.C. girl as planned because I just wanted to get done what I needed and relax. The last thing I wanted was to drive somewhere, anywhere, and meet up.

Same thing today. Kind of. Today was Easter but it was also my mom's birthday. I miss my parents and family so today was the day to spend with them. I had loose plans to meet up with the N.C. girl sometime today, sneak away for a few hours, but it wasn't meant to be. I had some beers at my sister's house and just had too much fun catching up with my family. So her and I never met up. She wasn't happy and I don't blame her but where I was today doing what I was doing was just what I wanted. Selfish but I wouldn't have wanted it any differently.

This girl is cool but I don't think anyone can really understand what it's like to get some time off after being in our trucks for so long for such an extended amount of time. Sometimes I just want to get out of the truck and do absolutely nothing. Yesterday and today were those kinds of days.

But, as always, life throws us surprises around every bend.

I was there with my family, just sitting out on the porch with my brother in law when a girl shows up. It's my sister's best friend and co-worker. See where this is going already?

I remember her from the last time I was out here Christmas time and I attended my sister's Christmas party. There was no other family there other than me. It was basically my sister and her friends and coworkers. I met a girl later that night when I was there, we will call her Autumn (because that is her name). We were both pretty buzzed, we chatted and decided to meet up maybe in a day or two and get some drinks together. It never materialized so I texted her that maybe the next time I'm out here we would get together. Since then we haven't had contact.

So this girl that shows up today I noticed, really took notice, from the last time I was here at that party. She was another of my sister's coworkers. Screw it, we'll use her real name. Brandi. She hugs me hello, wishes me a Happy Easter and goes inside. She's attractive, cute and I love the way she handles herself. Obviously she is close to my sister and her family.

The day goes on, I'm taking photographs of everyone as I always do and I'm noticing her more. We have a couple of opportunities to talk privately and we joke about her becoming a Facebook friend. Who cares about FB but it was something to lead to other things and that's what was important. We joke about me denying her FB request, we talk about a subtitled foreign movie she wants to see on Tuesday in Norfolk and before I know it we are messaging each other while at the same family get together, her somewhere inside and me out back hanging with my nieces. This has got to be something.

I get ready to leave, hug her goodbye and we are messaging each other as I am driven off with my parents. I'm not driving of course so we continue messaging. It continues as I get back to my parents' house and I'm downloading pictures. It continues through tonight and now we have plans to go see this movie together. She had already asked me sister to accompany her to this movie so we don't know if it will be a weird movie watching experience. We both think my sister won't go and when I asked her if she still wanted me to go with her she stated "yes definitely". Some more flirting via messaging and we are on for Tuesday. I'm such a freakin mess. But I'm excited about meeting up with her. Life's dramas unfold without pause.
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Tomorrow I go and get my taxes done. Maybe I'll finally start this big pig of a bike and take her out for a ride. Then Tuesday evening I'll catch that subtitled movie with this girl that I'm currently and newly kind of crushing on.

Why does it always seem that when there is one opportunity around, so many others pop up but when there is no opportunity presently no others pop up? Life is truly crazy.

 

Back on the road after 4 days off...


Back on the road tomorrow morning. I already have a plan on my taking me from Richmond to Knoxville. A short one day run that empties on Friday afternoon so I'm hoping they get me stacked for the weekend. I need to play catchup again with my miles since I just took 4 days off.

I had a great time these past few days with my family and my sis's family and friends. And I got some stuff done too.

Got my taxes done a couple of days ago. Probably the last time I go to this place - Jackson Hewitt. The lady doing my taxes was distracted and didn't seem to have her focus on my return. Taxes are serious to me as I don't want to be audited later and this trucking thing with the taxes is kind of new to me still. It's only my second year getting trucking taxes done so I don't want mistakes. And it seemed over priced at $270 to get them done. I think next year I'm going to figure out how to do them myself or find someone more capable and cheaper to do them. I did, at least, get a decent return back. Not as great as last year but I didn't work as much this past year. I also reinsured my motorcycle here and had the registration/tags updated.

So I hit the grocery store tonight so I have food for tomorrow and the next few days. The only think left to do tomorrow morning is to get some ice for my broken Coleman 12v cooler. I'm looking forward to replacing that thing since it is a major PIA to empty out the water when that ice melts. Great exercise lugging it in and out of my truck but still a PIA. I also don't know what to do with it when I have its replacement. Seems wasteful to just throw it out somewhere. I could use some ideas on this.

I bought some new Adidas that match my Swift polos. That way I can ensure a proper amount of mocking when I hit a Swift terminal. What can I say? I like to match. I'm ready to roll and feeling refreshed.


Fireball shots equate to poor decision making sometimes. Not last night tho...

I had a free day yesterday and the plan was to go and meet up with that girl I saw on Easter (my sis's friend that came by to my sis's Easter family get-together) along with some of their mutual friends and my bro-in-law. Originally the plan was to meet up, get some drinks and walk next door to this movie theater to see some subtitled French movie. The drinks part happened but the movie never did.

I drove down to Norfolk fighting these skill-lacking drivers as they inevitably and unnecessarily slow down for the scary tunnel on I-64 taking me east into Norfolk. Not sure why they do this but they do it every time. Traffic slows to a crawl entering the tunnel simply because we are entering a tunnel. Once we are out we are back up to 65+ mph. This would never work going through the Holland Tunnel but that's the way it is down here.

I waited at my sis's house for my brother-in-law to come home so we could leave. Sis was staying home to supervise a sleepover for a bunch of pre-pubescent 11 year old girls. I did not envy her and I made sure to tell her later on how much alcohol-induced fun we had in the absence of the duties she had to take on that night.

Bro in law and I drove just a short mile or so to an area called Ghent. Ghent is the typical hip spot found in most cities with artsy places, bars and people wearing ironic and hip hats. I do like that area though.

We just made the 50/50 happy hour before it ended at 7. Half price drinks so I ordered two of my favorite drinks right away - Long Islands, my go to drink for about 20 years now. Delicious and only $4.75 each. Brandi (the girl from my sis's Easter party and whom I've been texting since then) was there as well as two of her female co-workers and one of their boyfriends. It was a great time and we met a guy we later referred to as "Gold Chains" - a Dominican club promoter visiting from Miami.

Up until this time there was just great conversation between everyone. Every once in a while I would sneak a text message to her as she sat across from me and she would oblige. She looked great and every once in a while we would have one of those moments, after sneaking a text to each other in mid conversation with everyone else, whereby we would just make the quickest eye contact with each other and a sly smile sharing something no one else at the table was aware of.

We all decided to make our way down to another bar a few blocks away for some kind of trivia night. I walked mostly with Danny, my bro in law and like a brother from another mother to me. Once we got to this bar, it was on. It doesn't take much for someone to dare me or challenge me to taking shots. I'm not much of a beer guy but every other kind of alcohol is like a long lost friend when I come off the road for a few days and have a night out. It's the only time I get to drink.

Somehow the subject of Fireball shots came up so I was game. We started ordering and I was just starting my second Long Island Iced Tea at this place. These L.I. Teas weren't as sweet or delicious as the first place and definitely more expensive at $12 a pop. If I had known that beforehand maybe I would have chose a cheaper drink. But probably not. We ordered a round of Fireballs.

At this time I was standing behind Brandi as she was sitting at the bar. The place was packed for Trivia Night and there wasn't much room. So this was convenient. I had my arm kind of draped behind her chair and as she sat back I refused to move my arm as I felt her against it. It was a test. Give her a chance to move and I knew she didn't want my arm there. If she stayed put, her skin touching mine, then I knew it was good. She didn't move.

She looked great. She had jeans on that fit well and a white t-shirt that hugged her thin frame. I liked being close to her and welcomed even this intentional touching, regardless of how minor the contact was. I went out with Danny so he could use his vape cig and I could smoke. We found they actually had a smoking room in another part of the bar and there were pool tables. I went back into the original room, trivia was over and with no coaxing necessary, the rest of the group joined us to shoot some pool.

From this point forward the details became a little more hazy as more rounds of Fireball shots were ordered and those Long Islands really started to kick in. For someone that doesn't drink that much, I seem to have a pretty high tolerance because at this point I was probably on Long Island number 5 and had about 4 shots of Fireball. And I was still standing, my pool game wasn't off too much (but it was off some) and her and I started to get a little more touchy. At this point, I said "screw it" as far as playing any kind of additional flirting games with her. I was attracted to her, I felt she was feeling me and so it was time to throw caution in the wind. When we were close I felt she was giving me the kissing eyes so I made my move. I gently grabbed her behind the next and kissed her. She reciprocated it and I was relieved and excited to get that first one over with - get it out of the way so we could release that sexual or attraction for one another tension. It was wonderful.

From that point forward in the night it was no secret. We were a team playing my bro in law and another of her friends. I'm pretty sure we weren't winning at 8 ball but who cares. She was sitting on lap between turns and we were close and kissing the rest of the night.

We had made the decision as we were leaving to just leave all our cars where they were and take a cab back to my brother in law's house. She and I would crash there for the night. The only problem was that there was also a 11 year old sleepover going on as well. That could be a problem.

Back at the house Brandi was assigned to have my other niece's bedroom, the niece that wasn't there that night and was sent to her friends house for her own sleepover. I have two nieces and the older one was having the sleepover at my sis's house. The younger one was sent away because, as we all know, little sisters just aren't cool enough to hang at older sis's sleepovers. So the younger niece's bedroom was free and Brandi was assigned to sleep there. I had one of the downstairs couches. But before I would settle in on the couch I got a text from Brandi upstairs to come meet her up there.

Game back on! Well not entirely...

I creeped upstairs, fairly drunk but feeling good, trying not to wake up the slumbering slumber party or my sis and bro in law. Not an easy task creeping up creaky 1926 constructed steps as every step I took seemed to resonate a loud "CREEEEEKKK" as I made my way upstairs.

I sat on the bed as she was lying, leaning over her. We kissed again and we talked. This went on for a long time. The motivation to take things further was there with both of us but looking around the room, surrounded by framed posters of elephants, clowns and whatever else a 9 year old would post up in her bedroom was offsetting. This was not the place to take anything to the next level. If anything, this was the ANTI-location for anything more to happen. Not conducive to elicit, adult naughtiness as the characters of the movie Frozen look down on you with those coy smiles. Next time....next time....be strong.

Eventually I had to make my way back downstairs. Quietly and with less creaking as I couldn't wake up in this room come morning. My sister in this situation is in a weird position. Brandi is her best friend basically. They have been working together and friends for about 14 years. Weird that I never really had any encounters with Brandi prior to this but it makes sense in that she was married up until 2 years ago and has been dating a guy since then up until a couple of months ago. So that makes sense. But my sister doesn't know all of this is going on. I'm sure she has suspicions. She knows we have been texting since we met on Easter. But I'm pretty sure she doesn't know about what happened at the bar last night (and in the bedroom) unless my bro in law remembered to tell her. He was pretty drunk too so not sure if he even remembers her and I all over each other that night. I think she will be ok with it but, if anything, she will be a little more protective of her friend. My role in my family is of the wild and reckless one. My sister is the stable, family mom one and my little brother is the tri-athlete somewhere in between.

I look forward to seeing her again out here as I get back on the road tomorrow. She is looking forward to seeing me again too. Not sure where this will go but I guess a new adventure and some extra motivation to get back out here to Virginia.

 

Hey, anyone reading this thread, I would appreciate your opinion on another thread I started.

Here:

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ur-opinions-needed-truckstop-photography.html


Let me know your honest opinion over there if you have the time. Thanks!