New Friend

I really did not want to work on the 4th, but being the "slave driver" that she is, my wife made to go.

The day started out great. Two blowouts in the first hour, costing a total of 3 hours. A larger than normal load to transfer in Texarkana topped it off.

Heading home, as I approached the rest area east of Texarkana, I noticed a big truck coming out to the interstate. I moved over to the left lane as not to hold him up or have to slow behind him.

As he moves off the entrance ramp into the right lane, he is picking up speed rather quickly (guess he was empty). I am now beside him and looking in my mirror to see when I clear his truck so I can move back to the right lane.

I notice a brown Chevy Malibu leaving the rest area at a high rate of speed. He tries to pass the other truck on the entrance ramp but does not make it, so he whips out behind him and then behind me as I am about to clear the truck. It takes a while for me to clear him and I move back in the right lane.

Mr. Chevy Malibu speeds up beside me and blows his horn. When I look over he waves in such a manner that he must think I am number "1". He then takes off like a flash.

As we get close to the Red River, we run into a heavy thunderstorm. So heavy that the interstate traffic slows to 40mph. It lasts for about 5 miles and we finally reach where it has already passed. As we pick up speed on the still wet road, we are again slowing to almost a crawl. I figure there must be a wreck ahead.

As we go over a little rise in the road. There is Mr. Chevy Malibu sitting in the median stuck up to his axles. I started to stop and exchange e-mail addresses with my new friend but when I see him standing in the mud almost up to his knees and talking on this cell phone, I decide not to disturb him and just tooted my horn and smiled as I slowly drove by.

He instantly recognized me and reaffirmed his admiration. I smiled even larger as I was "feeling the love".