Truck Stop Living

Yes, I believe you can live at a truck stop in America.

In Bakersfield, California I stopped by a Flying J truck stop to fuel up and spend the night before making my delivery in Tulare, California the next morning.

After dinning in the resturant I took a shower and stopped by the TV room to see what was on. I knew what was on, a rerun of Law and Order. Perhaps I would luck out. Yeah, Law and Order.

In the seats in front of me was a young couple in their mid twentys sacked out and perhaps making out under a very large blanket. The male of the pair left for a few minutes to return with two large cokes and a large pizza.

I finished the Law and Order and went to my sleeper to get a good nights rest.

Early the next morning I passed the TV room on my way to breakfast and the young couple were still watching the TV and eating cold pizza.

My delivery was made in Tulare, then I made my way toward Los Angeles for another load to go to Sacramento. I stopped by the same truck stop the next day for fuel and lunch.

Guess who was still there, drinking cokes and eating a fresh pizza, taking up five seats and hugging under the big blanket.

Perhaps they moved in.

Moms' Memory

When mothers begin to age they begin to forget. I remember when I was fourteen, my mother forgot my birthday and my carrot cake.

She forgot for four months, but made up for it with an extra big carrot cake.

Well, she did it again. I turned seventy last week and Mom forgot. She called four days after to let me know she was improving because it was only four days and not four months.

I'm really beginning to be concerned about her memory. This is the second time she has forgotten my birthday. the first was in 1952 and now in 2008. If this keeps up I probably will not even get a call in 2038 when I turn one hundred.

Reality

During Desert Storm an Army National Guard Col. from Myrtle Beach SC was to be promoted to Brigadier General while en route to Saudi. He, his staff and part of his unit were being transported on a C-5 Galaxy Aircraft.



The front upstairs, seats fourteen people and the rear upstairs seats seventy three people. The cargo compartment, the lower level holds up to six greyhound buses or about 400,000 pounds of cargo.



There are about 32 steps up a ladder to get to the balcony of the upper front passenger area, almost straight up. The symbol of rank of a Col. is an eagle with spread wings. The symbol of rank of a Brigadier General is one star.



Today I saw
An Eagle face reality
His task ahead
Is uncertain agony

His legs were shaking
As he took
That first long step
Into the Galaxy

His voice was quaking
As he ascended
The steps toward
The balcony

He took his seat
Shed his wings
And assumed
His star of authority

The baby Brigadier
Has passed
His first test
Of Deployment Reality