Chapter 4

Here I am, sort of half asleep as I look out the window of the minivan. Amanda and the girls woke me up to drive us to get the truck for our delivery in New York. Parts of Virginia are beautiful and some parts, like the more urban and industrialized places not so much. The military is a big thing here. Pat said that a good 80% of the economy in this area revolves around the military, between the bases and the business community surrounding them.

Pat is inside a warehouse and soon I see him walk out and come towards us. “We’re all set to go. Tricia, if you are having doubts, say something and Amanda can put you on a bus or something and get you home.”

“You sound like you want to get rid of me,” I grinned.

“Just making sure.” He looked over at his sister and nieces. “We will call and keep you updated as often as possible.” Grabbing a duffel bag, he looked back at me. “Get your gear then and we can go.”

I gave everyone a hug and made them promise to give Chica a tummy rub from me. She was going to be staying here while we were away. As I let go of Melody, she slipped an envelope into my pocket and winked. She put a finger to her lips and I nodded.

Stop and go traffic sucks. Soon we are on a road that is heading towards yet another of those giant bridge-tunnels. We’re heading North and I ask “Just how long is this thing?” I look out at the open water and see land fading away. “Holy Cow! Is that an aircraft carrier?” Pat chuckles.

“We’re on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It’s about 20 miles long with 2 tunnels in the middle. We’re going to the Eastern Shore which is sort of a peninsula at the bottom of Maryland but is still Virginia. Look to the left,” he gestured, “and that is the bay. Now look to the right?” I did. “The Atlantic Ocean.” I think I turned pale. “We’ll go up through Maryland, Delaware and into Jersey. From there we enter New York and sort of head North-West towards Rochester and then Buffalo.”

“How do you know all of this? The roads and stuff?”

“In one of the cabinets behind you are sets of road maps, both national and for local major city areas. If I go somewhere I don’t have a map for, I get a fax sent to me from the home office out to one of the truck stops. And after a while you get familiar with the major roadways.”

We get to the other side, paid a toll and continued. We got into Maryland and we had to stop at a weigh station. As we rolled slowly across the scale, all the lights stayed green. “We’re way under weight,” Pat commented. I nodded and not long after, he indicated it was time to stop for a coffee and bathroom break. We parked and I made a quick run inside to the bathroom, because my back teeth were floating. Then I remembered and opened the envelope that Melody had stuck in my pocket.

Tricia;

*The past few days have been great getting to know you. I think that when you get back home, you will have a lot to write about. Just make sure that you don’t include too many specifics that might get Uncle Pat in trouble, in case some do-gooder adult wants to make life complicated. Pat is a really sweet man and I think that you two spending time together will be something you both enjoy. He doesn’t date much since his job prevents any real long term commitment thing happening. And the few girlfriends he has had all sort of decided the grass was greener somewhere else. If anything does develop between you, please make sure not to break his heart. He is one of those guys who loves hard and deeply. Yes, I saw the two of you holding hands at the park! Hehehehe. I’m adding some cash for you here in case it’s needed. ($300) A girl needs emergency funds! Just in case! And these 2 other items as well. I can get them replaced easily. But they might help you in a pinch.*

Take care of yourself and my favorite uncle!

With love, your new sister. Melody”

Tucked inside the envelope was a college identification card and a Virginia drivers license, both in the name of Melody Drake.

“How did you end up driving a truck for a living?” The miles were rolling under us as we headed up New Jersey and I figured that we were a captive audience for each other. Time for questions and answers.

“Legally, or illegally?” he smirked. I just gave him the ‘stink eye’ for a moment. “Okay, so I got my Class A CDL (Commercial Drivers License) when I was 21. Before that I drove Class C trucks that are smaller and you can operate with a normal drivers license. Clyde is a friend of the family and he saw that after high school, I had no real motivation. No desire to go to college and the idea of enlisting didn’t appeal to me. So he hired me to start as a ‘yard bird’ to just clean, do light maintenance and do short runs in a Class C truck. Usually a Bobtail.” At my confused look he continued. “Think of a large box truck, like a U-Haul.”

“You mentioned family?”

“My parents retired and live in some town called Sun City in Arizona. I tell you, it’s like living in a dehydrator. In the summer it’s often over 100 and the humidity is almost non existent! But dad likes to golf and mom does her quilting. They’re happy and fly out to visit Amanda and the kids a few times a year.”

“Is Amanda your only sibling?”

“Yes. Mom had her and they wanted another child. But it never happened. So, dad went out and bought mom a nice little 2 seat sports car. Surprise! I was what people call an ‘oops baby’. So that is why there’s is a 16 year age gap between us. Growing up we were super close. When some girls would see a baby brother as an inconvenience, I was showered with love. It was almost like having a second mom.”

He was quiet a moment as he down-shifted because traffic was starting to slow down and get heavier.

“When she started dating Louis, I admit I was a little jealous at times. After all, I wasn’t sure if he was good enough for her.” Smile. “I’m happy to say he was. When we back, I will show you some of the wedding pictures. It was 1978 and we looked really great in the disco tuxedos.”

“Oh that’s sweet. What was their wedding song?”

“You’re just too good to be true, by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons”**

I knew the song well. It wasn’t quite an ‘oldie’ on the radio and it still got airplay. I started to softly sing to myself.

“You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you. You’d be like Heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much. At long last love has arrived. And I thank God I’m alive. You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you...”

After a bit, Pat joined in, and as we got to the part of the song people call a bridge, we both were almost shouting the lyrics and being silly.