Whew! I am beat. Worn out. Pooped. Plain old dog tired.
I made it to the Navy Air Station in Meridian around 4:30 this afternoon. I had called them this morning to let them know that I would be arriving between 4 and 5. He said they usually knock off at 3:30 but would wait for me. That was nice of him.
Unfortunately he forgot to relay the plan to the base police. They closed and locked the truck gate right at 3:30 as usual. Oh great. When I got there and found the gate locked and unmanned I called him. Within a few minutes he arrived and a few minutes later so did the police. They opened up the gate and let me in to deliver the rescue truck.
It was dark by the time we got it unloaded and I had put my trailer back together. Somehow I missed a turn on my way back out and as I was approaching a small gate with a base cop standing in the middle of the road obviously wondering what the hell I thought I was doing a police vehicle came up from behind and pulled beside me with his lights going. He said to follow him and he would get me turned around and lead me out. He was very nice about the whole thing.
He led me back to the truck gate. The guy who had worked late to wait for me was also at the gate and said that he would lead me the back way to the highway as it was shorter but confusing. I agreed and followed him. It was a twisting, winding serious of turns on skinny little roads right through the middle of a swamp, but sure enough we came out at the highway. I'm not really convinced it was actually shorter though.
The last information I got today was that I will be picking up an Army load tomorrow. Unfortunately I have no idea where. One of the dispatchers was to call me before she went home today but failed to do so. That's ok, it'll give me something to bitch about in the morning as well as providing me a good excuse to just park here at the truckstop for the night. Did I mention I'm tired as hell?
It's been a long two days of constant running from sunrise to sunset, but I got the job done which, while tiring, does give one a certain sense of satisfaction. When I got to this truckstop I went inside and purchased a bottle of Gatorade, a carton of cancer sticks, an on-sale DVD (Lord of War), and a cheeseburger.
The cheeseburger is history and I'll be popping in the DVD shortly. I think Socrates is as happy we're stopped as myself. He's been in play mode since I returned from inside. He's currently playing peek a boo with me from behind my duffle bag full of the laundry I have yet to get done.