Chapter 9

When I told Bill that we were going to be crossing the Mississippi River in less than fifteen minutes, he got all excited.

"What's it look like? It must be awesome."

"No, not really, it just looks like any other river; not really a big deal."

I remember the first trip I made with my Dad. I was just as excited as Bill was now. I had studied the mighty Mississippi in school, seen pictures showing this huge body of water, at some places close to a mile wide. I was so disappointed when we actually crossed over it. The river appeared to be about half a mile wide but in the middle of the city did not seem very impressive. What was more interesting was that we were just outside of Busch Stadium, the home of the Cardinals, and if we looked north we could see the Gateway Arch.

When we got there and I told him this was it; he had the same reaction that I had had when I did my first crossing.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

I brought the rig up to speed and headed onto Interstate 70; next stop Terre Haute, Indiana. We'd be having breakfast in about three hours.

The atmosphere in the truck was different somehow. The sexual tension between us was gone. We had satisfied our immediate needs and desires, now, more than ever before, we could relax and enjoy each other's company.

We'd traveled about an hour, commenting on the lack of scenery and the traffic, when I could tell that there was something on Bill's mind. I sat there, dreading what he was thinking, making up scenarios in my head.

"Gail, about last night..."

Here it comes, I thought, he's going to dump me before we ever really dated.

"That was the greatest night of my life. I really, really like you a lot. I've never met anyone like you. I know you're older than me, much more mature and worldly, and you must think of me as a kid. But I'm mature beyond my years and I know I have a great future ahead of me." All this came out in a rush. Then, "Would you consider going out with me?"

I almost drove the truck off the side of the road. This was something I hadn't considered, not yet at any rate.

"Bill, I don't consider you a kid anymore. Last night was very special for me too. Let's take this one step at a time. Our age difference is one thing. It's the fact that we come from two completely different worlds that bothers me more. You're right, you have your whole life ahead of you and I believe you're destined to do great things. I'm a trucker; it's all I've ever known, and I love it. You also have an unsolved problem back in Arizona, which we still have to handle. I'm not saying no; but we have a lot to consider before we commit to each other."

I could tell that he was disappointed, it must have taken a lot for him to build up the courage to ask; I just knew we needed more time.