The Little Things

As of January of this year, I have been enrolled in college full time. I did this because I was tired of thinking of a way to get out of my current employment situation.

Not that I have a bad job. On the contrary, this is the only job I've ever had that I can truly say I fully enjoy. My company, though small, is highly competitive and keeps me busy. I'm well-compensated and I consider most of the people I work with to be my friends.

The only thing missing from this job is time at home. You see, the most successful truck drivers are those that stay out for long periods of time. Logistically, if you have no particular place to be, there are many more options open to you. I normally stay out for five to six weeks before heading home. Twice a year, I stay out for ten weeks.

But being home with my family has always been something I've had to miss out on. It comes with the territory, sure; but the territory is what has to change.

I always had it in the back of my mind to find a way out, but most of my ideas were fleeting at best. They usually involved civil service tests in the hopes of landing some cushy government job with a nice pention for the back forty.

However, I also knew that the chances of landing such a gig were slim. There are thousands of people with the same ideas as mine. Even if I could beat out the majority of them on the testing, there would be the long wait and the painful transition. I would rather have a bit more control.

So, remembering that I still had a couple years to claim my GI Bill money, I made a few inquiries. After a lot of faxes and phone calls, I got in.

It'll be 2011 before I have my degree. I'll be 31. But I'll have a degree. I'll be able to search a whole new area on the job listings. If I'm really lucky and steadfast, I might even land a gig teaching school, which would be my ultimate goal.

Then, it would be the little things that I could appreciate once again. It's been so long since I've had the opportunity to look forward to the weekend. It's been so long since I've not had to worry about leaving. It's been so long since I've had a guaranteed amount of time for myself and my family. That is what I'm looking forward to.

Sure, I'll moss the road. "White Line Fever" is a real thing that a lot of guys get. But I can deal with that. Every time I wake up on a Saturday morning knowing I have the day off just like every other normal person out there, I'll know it was all worth it.