WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

I drove into Spokane yesterday, and was excited to see Craig after a little over two weeks apart from his last home visit. When I got into the yard, Craig had Don practicing his backing in the rear lot. I waited patiently for them to finish up, and then after the truck was parked, Don took off to do laundry, and Craig and I, took off for Starbucks.

We enjoyed a relaxing hour or so, sitting in the comfy chairs in the corner of Starbucks, catching up on things and enjoying our coffee. Then, as true trucker, we took off on foot across the vast parking lot to the Wal Mart. We picked up a few odds and ends and then decided to go in search of a car wash to get the bugs, which have become petrified fossils on the windshield of the pick up washed off.

With that task done, we then ventured to the Subway for a nice healthy sandwich, and then decided it was probably best to get Craig back to the truck so he could check on things and get some rest......and this is where things turned strange. Upon climbing into the truck, Craig looks around and sees that all of Don's things are gone. Now we knew he was going to do laundry, but didn't know he was going to do a complete house cleaning.

Craig takes off on foot to the driver's lounge, still puzzled by what he had seen, when his phone rings. It is Curtis, one of the recruiters, telling Craig about his trainee. Seems that without so much as a hint of what he was planning to do, when Craig took off with me, Don walked into the recruiting office, said he was tired and was going home. Case shut, no further comment, and he took his things and left.

Now we all know that truck driving is not for everyone. I have started reading lots of blogs of people with good intentions of making it their career and then within a month or two realizing that it is not for them. I get that, and I understand that. But what I don't understand is the failure to communicate. I truly felt sorry for Craig, who had put so much time and effort into the past 6 weeks with Don, and then being left stranded, like on a blind date and your date never shows up.

Oh well.......good news is that Craig is able to take a few days of home time and recover from his training experience, and yes, you are guessing correctly, I am going back out on the truck! I'm super excited to be able to use my camera and capture the world again through my lens, and as always, will be proud to occupy the passenger seat next to the best truck driver that I know! I feel like I won the lottery!