On the Road Again 

By James Jetty

 

As much as it pains me to admit this, I must find a better paying job. My years of loyal working for the Chicken Company have given me nothing but despair and heartache. I guess I should fill in the gaps before going on much farther.

I have been working at a place I refer to as "The Isle of Misfit Toy's." I tried for a promotion that I was more qualified than the person who got it. Now if it was because of my sexual preference or the fact I didn't flatter my boss but called him a putz, I do not know. I feel it is more to do with black mail but I have no proof.

Although most would tell me I am nuts, there are plenty at work who agree with me. There is something fishy in the air but no one can find the rotting Carp. I know there are ways of finding out the information I want. But is it worth the hassle to stay some place I have not been happy with? Not to mention the other issues I have with the company.

I however need to find a position with better pay no matter what. My bills have begun to pile up in a stack. I have bought a big house near a lake and have a car payment on my Jeep. Not to mention due to the incredible rising cost on insurance and taxes on the house, I am not currently able to pay all my bills and enjoy the luxuries of life like cable TV or even a good steak dinner.

I am not complaining or asking for help. Nor am I bitter of what happened at work. Just so you know it isn't sour grapes. I am upset at the way it was dealt with. But there are times where you just have to admit that there is only one way to fix a problem. To use a popular phrase, "cowboy up!" So I am saying to hell with it, and getting back in the truck.

Now thankfully I kept my CDL and have stayed in the industry, so finding work was easy. As I weeded through the offerings and disappointment in not being able to get hired with whom I exactly wanted. Yet, I still had a pick of Company's I wanted to work for. As any driver can tell you it is a competitive market out there. I had companies sending me tickets to Dallas and other major cities.

Do I look at a company for the nice looking Truck? Or look for one that deals strictly in one type of trucking or one with several divisions? So I look at home time. Do I get paid by miles or by percentage of the load? Do I go out long haul or stay regional. Now all this is just some of the things I had to wrestle with after the deciding to get back in the truck. But the fact that I do not want lose my house is a strong factor.

So I have made a decision and picked a company I pray that will be a god one. I have put in my notice at my current place of employment and taken a leap of faith. I am packing so I can be ready to go out-Two different piles of what to pack.

To start off with, pile one is what I am taking with me on my training runs. Just clothes and bathroom stuff. The other pile is the fridge for the truck, the CB radio to chat with others while spending quality time in the driver's seat. The extra blankets that I will not do without while in the truck.

There are things I still need to buy and some I did. All that is left is a new Atlas and an alarm clock. I'm hoping to be able to get my self a Laptop. I also hope to find a television that is more compatible to my converter so I can watch my collection of DVD's in the truck.