Started off with work.
I got to work nice & early this morning, just as the boss had asked.
I had already scanned & loaded half of my truck, when he comes over and tells me he's made some changes and that my route was being changed - forcing me to rescan the entire truck...
...he did this twice more in the next 25 minutes.
THEN, he started bitching at me about my speed - that I wasn't going fast enough...
(He already has me violating DOT regulations on "Hours of Service" - now he wants me to speed thru residential neighborhoods)
...but when I counter that I am still learning the new route area, he tells me that it's OK that I am taking my time...
(HUH?!? Make up your mind, you xaxtdamned idiot...)
OK - the route goes well - low load and traffic was generally agreeable...
...then my friend Paula texts me and tells me that she has cervical cancer.
***************************************
I've known Paula since 1994, when I bought my 1st house. Paula and her then husband lived right behind me, and we used to hang at the fence & bullshit, knock back a couple beers, or hop over the fence and just hang out.
(I was tempted to put just a gate there to save on the acrobatics)
When Paula & Anthony split, I was there & listened...
...when I went thru my 1st divorce, Paula was there and listened to me.
I'll never forget when my 1st wife put me thru a bad time - Paula needed a couch removed and couldn't get it out the door, and offered to let me use a sledgehammer to take it apart and to "work out the stress"...
...and then proceeded to watch me batter it into splinters.
(We had to shovel the remains into a garbage can)
Yeah - Paula's really good people.
Later, when my 2nd wife started screwing around on me, Paula was the first person to let me know...and again, listened...
Paula's a damn good friend.
So - her text hit me like a sledgehammer.
She's pretty upbeat about it...
(I LOVE her positive attitude)
...but is trying to figure out how to tell her kids.
(OUCH)
OK, Jim - she's upbeat...I'm going to just roll with that and still make a good day out of it...
...then Casey calls and lets me know that she's going to start moving into her new place...
...tonight.
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Casey is my oldest child. She's going to be 20 in March, but I lost a lot of time with her after my divorce - her mother having convinced her and her brother that I never wanted them and that I was (basically) evil incarnate.
We reconnected 15 months ago and she's been living with me since then. I've enjoyed the time we had, and we made up for a lot that we lost... but she's found a place with her boyfriend and they're moving in together.
They'll be about 40 minutes away...
(*pout*)
...up in the mountains...
(moonshine country)
...in a singlewide trailer.
(SHEEIT!!! I HEAR BANJOES!!!)
I have to trust that I did a good job as a father, and that she'll be OK...
...but it still hurts to watch your baby spread her wings and fly...
Yeah - I had a bad day.
Yeah - I'm sad.
Paula - I will say a prayer, and I will do my best to keep you upbeat...
...and good luck, Casey - know that your daddy loves you, and like I've always told you: wherever I am - you'll always have a place to come home to.
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I know about Paula too as she has been an amazing friend to me. I was torn up about it as well. She is always in our prayers but we have beefed them up now. Dont redo caseys roo justyet. They all always seem to come back at least once before the final goodbye
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