Bereavement
Related: About this forumGood memories of my wife. Old truck stops that i was in years ago.
A bad punctuation dyslexic ramble ahead.
Running the road a team shot five days week out to our terminal in Northern California. Got home last night , last time i ran team was for Roadway before that Consolidated freightways. Old C.F. freight corn flakes and in putting this down having coffee with my significant other Dunc the golden retriever not letting me out of his sight this morning.
Reason Dunc is not used to me being gone for several days for his four and half years father man ran turns or yard jockeyed and there was cuddles every day. I love this furry guy I loved all our dogs yet Dunc is the last furry connection between my wife and i.
The day I brought him home my wife held him eight weeks old little furry golden potato she was smiling I joke with our friend Diamond dog about her and her husband and my furry niece Sophie never met them yet their furry bundle of joy a anchor baby as Dunc.
And our friend D.U. community (live to hike )her and her hubs pups Riley Frejya never met them yet these two ladies and I have become friends through Dm on here over the years.
Anyhow on memories passing say Antelope truck stop out in Wyoming or sitting years ago in boomtown in Nevada waiting for Donner pass to open because of weather to go on you had to chain up. And in all these years of union trucking i never chained threw iron screw it isnt safe to be on road call in tell dispatch were shut down and theyd bitch come on chain up oh i can say no real fast its my call aint moving .
Unlike running terminal to terminal alone as single driver back east sure we get weather yet I will run in it as long as i feel its safe its part of the job. Anyway like i said memories before cell phones passing these truck stops or when they existed. I remember calling home talking to my wife from pay phones wed stop to get fuel our daily shower and sit down and eat a good meal together whomever my partner was.
Not like today all corporate truck stops and all they offer is fast food a few mom and pop truck stops restaurants still around and we haunt these places screw eating fast food , well hold on i will do subway toasted tomato mayo and black olives wheat foot long eat half toss the other half in bunk fridge.
Yet my partner and i were older now we remember pulling doubles two trailers or a 53 single wagon line haul ass and trash 58-60 and we remember in how it used to be years ago in our youth example we need to run a radio C.B. dont really talk on it to much bullshit yet running driving volume low we both like to know whats in front of us. Hell today we have GPS SXM radio any old truck drivers remember Art Bell well Im coast to coast fan George is Great Art Bells replacement why we even have microwave in bunk and fridge.
Sure has changed from years ago and if we have go to new terminal on VIA that GPS comes in handy for us two old goats.
Why other day we saw a driver pulling lead pup trailer just one wagon with dolly that is what you hook rear box up with and he had his air lines both of em hooked up to dolly just your pug tail electric cable for brake lites.
My goodness hearing us bitch about that youd thought we saw a murder and both of us were like what in the shit why these young drivers today yep were two dinosaurs we were young once and the old guys would teach us you dont do that kid.
My dear wife never complained about me being gone yet other night passing by crazy Freds outside kingman on way home I remember stopping getting turbo burgers fuel shower calling home tell my wife alls good.
And being gone five days week on this west coast shot gets me out house its not constant memories other day in bathroom closet I found a set of her pearl ear rings that I bought her years ago.
Now my furry lover boy is my shadow for two days cant leave dad out my sight last night in bed we spooned Im the big spoon Dunc was out my arm over him. I woke up started rubbing his head beds wet from Dunc sleeping slobbers. You sure cannot beat the love from a furry boy. Ill be getting ready go store and Ill get woooo wooo woo and barks Im going with you old man.
And Dunc will lean into me as I drive my arm over him on way to store probably have to find Dunc and father a relationship counselor for me being gone or maybe this morning slice of cheese he has gotten is good enough.
Well have good day D.U. community love the one you are with weather furry lover or hooman lover.
Cinjanik
(24 posts)I wonder if I ever worked with you?
I worked at ATBS, a business consulting and tax service for truckers, the most under-paid, under-appreciated workers in the US, maybe the world!
"If you've got it...a truck brought it"!
Duncanpup
(13,740 posts)I so enjoy reading your posts and appreciate all you do for all of us!
Lonestarblue
(11,932 posts)Tetrachloride
(8,478 posts)2naSalit
(93,115 posts)Sparked a few memories for me. Man, I haven't been anywhere in years so thinking about long hours heading to California back in the day. I remember when the Interstate system wasn't all done yet, you had to go through every town that was along I80 in Nevada - 25mph and no Jake brakes... had to step lightly in many of them or spend hours dealing with cops.
Remember Gay Johnson's out in the middle of nowhere Wyoming? And Little America was a truckstop?
I'd better reel myself back in, I could go on all day, too many years out there on the pavement, I guess. I need to write a book.
I'm glad you have your snuggle buddy for love and warm memories, those are some of the best relationships.
MLAA
(18,654 posts)There is still an old truck stop here called the Triple T. Its out by the interstate. Ill have to take hubby there for some old memories and breakfast one day soon. 🙂
NNadir
(34,755 posts)EverHopeful
(378 posts)you'll find something your lost loved one left behind and, for me, it usually brings some melancholy but then some smiles and happy memories.
Always happy to hear your tales (tails ) of Dunc.
I now, happily have a sort of feline circle of connection. A foster we found a home for actually lived with my current guys briefly.
(And I haven't come across one of those silly, yellow rubber ducks in a while and this is the first year I didn't bring out that ridiculously worn, stretched-out hoodie when I brought down my winter clothes.)
Fla Dem
(25,790 posts)DoBotherMe
(2,350 posts)Thanks for the love story. 🥰
Bumbles
(256 posts)My favorite time of any day is in the morning after I've gotten my first cup of coffee, and the boys (Beans and Bosco, two tabbies) join Daphne (a black Standard Poodle) and me, an 81-year-old woman, in bed for reading of the news, tackling spelling bee and catching up on DU. We are a very happy foursome. Daph loves to flea nibble the boys and they like her doing it. I love the snuggles and quietude before I launch into my day. It feels so luxurious.
samnsara
(18,290 posts)...probably 30 years ago..... hubby and me, sis and her hubby decide to drive to Reno from Wash state....in our van in the middle of the night. We got to Donner's Pass and it was snowing really hard. All the cars were pulled over chaining up and we get three chains on and we see the staters making everyone turn back and we decided BY god we werent going to turn back so we zipped out of line and back on the snowy hiway with only three chains on and made it over the pass in one piece..except a large chunk of snow fell off a tree and knocked a side mirror off.
Oh well...thanks for the memories!
yorkster
(2,478 posts)The unfettered style of your writing feels exactly like hitting the road of the mind.
And gives me a powerful case of wanderlust, something I got from both my mum and dad.
Finding the pearl earrings was a sweet moment.
Thx again.
erronis
(16,999 posts)padfun
(1,857 posts)It's been 11 years, but I find it comforting.
It's a nice urn and it's under the table by my couch.
LatteLady
(39 posts)Thank you for this post, and many before it. Your writing speaks simply and purely to the extraordinary love between ordinary people, and the unconditional love that is our bond with our dogs, who often help us gently through our grief. You have a compassionate and appreciative audience here on DU.
moniss
(6,074 posts)Orange Ball, Little America and the Mom and Pop places that kept me alive for so many years. The snowstorms I drove through at 15 mph for hour after hour because the load had to be there and they knew I could and would make it happen. The accidents I witnessed, cars broke down and the help I gave where I could. All of these things and the things the old truckers taught me made me a real honest to heaven truck driver. The kind that the modern "logistics and transportation system" thinks they can replace with electronics to track the load etc. and drivers fresh out of school. I'll probably "pull the pin" anytime now. But before I do I want to thank the ones like Duncanpup and say it was a pleasure sharing the road with you.
Duncanpup
(13,740 posts)Running with you neighbor a pleasure over the road were older now its all changed. On pensioning off Yet with my wife gone Ill hope get few more years. And I hear you on those long nights bad weather sucking that driver seat up your anus the stress.
Skittles
(159,968 posts)I consider your "bad punctuation dyslexic rambles" real treats to read; they get me thinking and remembering.