Stories from the Road: Todd

[Tobin S.]

This is the story I referenced in the story at the link. I wrote it several years ago. I have updated it and post it here again to honor Todd.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018799759

This story is about an old friend of mine. I'll call him Todd, but, of course, that's not his real name. Todd is basically a nice guy. I've known him for almost 30 years and he's the person who got me into trucking. And for that I will always be grateful to him. I didn't know who I was before I started driving a truck. Without Todd I would probably still be bouncing from job to job and struggling to make a modest rent payment.

Todd is two years younger than me and he got his CDL as soon as he turned 21. There was an immediate change in his personality when he got that first trucking job. He was proud of what he was doing and he was really proud of himself for perhaps the first time in his life. He looked the part, too. He started wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots to go along with his button down long sleeved shirts and jeans. He got a couple of tattoos on his forearms and would wear his shirt with the sleeves rolled up to make them visible. I thought he was cool as fuck.

On the weekends I would go over to Todd's house. We were next door neighbors at the time and we both still lived with our parents. We would sit in the basement drinking beer as Todd told me all about trucking and his adventures out on the road. It wasn't long after my 24th birthday that I entered truck driving school.

I saw less of Todd after I got my CDL. I signed on with a large over-the-road company and there were times when I would be gone for two months. But we would sometimes manage to catch each other on our home time and there would be Todd's basement and there would be beer and there would be stories. Then Todd moved and I saw even less of him.

Then one day, about 10 years ago, I heard through a mutual friend that Todd had gotten a DUI. That's really bad news if you want to drive a truck for a living. Basically, no one will hire you for the next five years. Todd was coming home from his brother's birthday celebration and he'd had too much to drink. For some reason he thought it was a good idea to put his car in park and take a nap while waiting for a red light. The cops rolled up on him and that was all for Todd in trucking for the next five years.

Instead of that being a wake up call about his drinking, Todd slid further into alcoholism. By then I had a local job and I would sometimes go over to visit him on the weekends. He always wanted me to bring more beer. I would sit there and talk to him for a while, but he was no longer the proud, happy person he had been. The more he got into the beer, the more he would start singing the blues. He seems to look up to me now like I looked up to him when we were kids. He will always talk about how good I'm doing and he likes my stories, but by the end of the night he's always beating himself up.

One night while I was visiting he had about 15 beers in him and we were just shooting the breeze. Then he got really serious and said to me, "To get anywhere in life, you have to be a dick." I tried to tell him that wasn't true, but he insisted that it was.

Todd really is a nice guy, even when he's hammered and singing the blues. It breaks my heart to see him like he is now. Peace, Todd. I wish you the best.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I wish him the best too.

Isn't it strange how our lives can turn on a dime? It sure did for Todd. He went the wrong way and who knows why...

I'm glad he helped you, my dear Tobin...

If only he could help himself.

Peace to you both.

[mackerel]

2. I think it's been mentioned before but have you considered writing?

[Tobin S.]

3. Yes, I do some writing.

I have written an unpublished book filled with little stories like I have posted here. I also write for a web site.

[Suich]

4. Alcoholism is horrible.

I'm glad Todd has you for a friend, Tobin.

Also, nice to see that "Stories from the Road" is back!