Chereads / Diesel Goblin / Chapter 5 - Episode 1/Chapter 5: Andrew Meets Jay

Chapter 5 - Episode 1/Chapter 5: Andrew Meets Jay

Once all the boring shit was over, it was time for each driver to meet their trainers. For this company and many like it, it was required that new drivers head out on the road with a temporary trainer for two weeks after which they would then be shoved into the truck of their real trainer for four months. This way, the company made sure that their brand-new drivers straight outta trucking school were prepared for the dangers and mishaps of the roads. The main idea was to lessen the possibility of accidents and other beginner incidents that would add up on the company's reputation board or some mumbo jumbo like that. Since Andrew was an absolute beginner, he had no choice but to be forced into the crammed, claustrophobic living space of a semi-truck with two different strangers for four months and two weeks. That may not sound like a long time, but you try living with a stranger in a vehicle under truckloads of stress, on top of having to deal with the other persons' "space" and rules because it's their truck for any amount of time and see if you completely enjoy it.

Andrew didn't know what to expect as far as what kind of person Jay would be. He's heard horror stories from other experienced drivers at the hotel who were shoved into a truck with a stinky, farting, piss jug pissin' in, slob that cared less about the person they were training, and more about the extra pay they were getting for being a trainer. Driver trainers were usually paid a bit more, and it's understandable being that they have to practically sleep in the passenger seat while their trainee is driving, jumping up at every bump and brake. Being a trainer was a stressful job with all the anxiety and paranoia of waking up lodged off the highway or flying down a hill with the brakes on fire. A lot of drivers wouldn't be able to handle such stress, and Andrew vowed that once he was done training, he would never set foot in another man's truck.

"For all you brand new drivers", Jimmie announced as they entered the cafeteria of the terminal where all the preassigned trainers and DMs waited to meet their brand new headaches, "I, myself would be your personal dispatch manager until you have completed your training regime, after which you may be transferred to someone else."

As the new drivers met their trainers and the experienced drivers met their DMs, Andrew stood beside Jimmie like a lost little boy at a toy store looking for his parents.

"Don't worry, Andrew", Jimmie narrows his eyes and scans the cafeteria, "your trainer is around here somewhere…"

Andrew follows Jimmie through the circular tables and to the buffet where they approach a large man stuffing a salad into his mouth with his bare hand.

"Ask me how I knew I would find you at the buffet?" Jimmie says with a wide smile.

"Because the foods' here and it's free and I'm gonna eat it. Dork." The man says, shoving more leaves of spinach and lettuce into his face.

"Well, good news, I got your newest trainee." Jimmie puts his hand on Andrew's shoulder.

"Nice to meet ya squirt", Jay says, still munching on salad, "Name's Jay."

"Andrew."

"Can I call you Drew for short?", Jay asks.

"Uhh, most people would just call me Andy for short." Andy scratches the back of his head.

"Whoa! Hang on! Before we get any further, let's sit down. Grab a seat yawl!" Jimmie cuts in.

"So, I'm Jay. I've uh, been drivin' for a few numbers, started my career in the military hauling supplies and weapons and other classified cargo overseas. Did that fer about twenty years before I came back to Merica' and continued truckin'. Only real difference is that my windshield aint bulletproof and I aint got ma Mary nineteen-eleven with me." Jay chuckles. "Now I roll the 11 western states, reefer division, and dork man here needs to start slappin some miles on my loads! Come on Jim-ball! I need to see some miles here!"

"Jay, I told you a thousand times, freight is low right now", Jimmie says, "everyone is at a loss of miles. Now that you got a trainee, you'll see a bit more but you gotta work with me and be patient."

"It better", Jay says pointing a large finger at Jimmie, "or me and you are gonna rumble."

"Sure, whatever." Jimmie says, rolling his eyes and folding his arms.

"Hey, you know all I gotta do is grab ya", Jay says, "there's no getting away from me once I got ya'. Then it's the old grand dragon slam and Eggs!" Jay grabs his large, trucker jug and takes a big sip of its bubbly, sweet contents.

"So, Andy-rew, what made you want to become a truck driver over all those other glamorous occupations available these days to a whippersnapper like you?" Jay asks.

"Uh, I don't know, I guess I just like the idea of traveling the country and making a lot of money while doing it", Andrew replies.

"Good enough fer me. But what about your long-term goals? Or do you wanna do this forever?" Jay chuckles. The answer to Jay's question was super easy because it was on Andrew's mind every day since deciding to join the trucking industry and was what kept him up at night.

"To drive a million miles and make a million dollars." Andrew announces his grand plan with a smile.

"That's gonna take a lot of dedication and shit load of patience there", Jay says, "but you're still a young fella so you got a good start."

"Yeah, I'm ready to face whatever the roads have to throw at me." Andrew says toughly.

"Well, there's more to trucking than just driving a truck from point A to point B", Jay explains sipping from his trucker jug periodically, "there's a lot of physical wear on your body and mental stress on your mind. Weather and other motorists aren't the only challenge on the road, though they are a big one. But the first step to conquering the challenges of the road, is, as I'm sure you know, the ability to tame yer dragon."

Andrew recognized the phrase as it was spoken during trucking school, specifically flamed out of the mouth of the intimidating, Sensei Master Dragon, the man who ultimately decided based on your final exam results whether you become a truck driver. Jimmie recognized the name too but decided to keep his days as a trucker to himself.

"Alright guys", Jimmie gets up from his seat, "are we ready to get rollin?"

"Yeeuh!", Jay slams his hands on the table, startling everyone sitting nearby, "let's go make some dog gon' money!"

"You ready Andrew?", Jimmie asks.

"Hell ya I'm ready!" Andrew says excitedly. But he had no real idea what awaited him out there on those crazy roads where literally anything can happen. In the coming weeks and months, he was going to find out what the trucking industry was really about…