CHAPTER TWO - ON THE ROAD

 

The next morning ........

"All done B.J." the mechanic explained. "Considering your truck and trailer sat for so long it needed some things. We had to change one back brake pod on the trailer, the signal light on the trailer’s right side didn’t work and one head light was out." the mechanic tapped the driver’s door on the Kenworth. "I wish there were more guys out there like you that take care of their rigs."

"You just love working on my truck." B.J. laughed as they walked over to the service counter in the garage. "What’s the damage?"

"We gave your truck a complete safety and emission test on the engine. Your looking at eight hundred and fifty dollars for the everything." the mechanic pulled out a bill from the desk.

B.J. pulled out a wad of cash and payed the mechanic.

"Sign here." the mechanic instructed as he pointed at the bill. "You going to a truck show?"

B.J. looked at him then put his signature down on the bill. "I’m going on a trip to California."

"Long ways to go after for being home for so long. You selling your rig to someone in California?" he asked B.J.

"Nope, just taking a trip down memory lane for old times sake. I’m going to stretch my legs for the highway. I miss being out there." B.J. replied as he took his copy of the bill.

" Have a great trip B.J. Keep the shiny side up and greasy side down pal." the mechanic said as he looked over at the Kenworth. "Be careful when you get to California, every time you go there trouble seems to greet you with open arms."

B.J. left the counter heading for his truck.

He opened the driver’s side door and climbed up into the seat. He shut the door as he turned the key. With in seconds the engine roared to life.

He looked over at Bear, who was in his seat. "Ready to go kid?"

Bear stood up and jumped up and down.

He grabbed the gear shift just after he released the brakes and put the truck in first gear. The truck moved slowly out of the old 3 bay garage. B.J. reached for the cord for the air horn with his left hand and pulled it twice. The horn honked twice as the truck drove across the parking lot.

The Kenworth pulled out into traffic heading for the Heart of Town motel.

    

Jenna passed the brushed her long brown hair as she looked at the clock on the dresser beside the bed.

It read 11:58 am.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She had a pair of white runners on, blue jeans and a red t-shirt. She looked kinda boring compared to yesterday.

She put some lipstick on quickly.

She grabbed her suitcase and headed for the door.

The Kenworth rolled to a stop in front of the motel.

Jenna handed in her key to the front desk and darted over to the truck that sat out front.

She opened the passenger side door, reached for the grab handles and climbed up into the cab. She pulled her suitcase with her up into the truck.

B.J. smiled at Jenna as she got comfortable in the passenger seat. "Put your suitcase in the sleeper. I’m sure you don’t want to have it on your lap this whole trip? Meet Bear."

"Your right." she put the suitcase on the bed that was made up nicely and looked at Bear. "Hello."

Bear smiled back at Jenna

"Ready to go trucking?" B.J. asked as he pushed the clutch in to the floor. He put the truck in gear. He eased up on the clutch and the truck started off.

He looked in the driver’s side mirror as he swung the wheel to the left. The Kenworth drove out onto the highway.

B.J. shifted through the gears building speed as the truck went down the road.

The Kenworth roared down an eight lane highway. The truck moved into the fast lane. B.J. floored the accelerator, the speedometer crept up to sixty miles an hour. The truck passed a camper being pulled by a pick up truck.  Jenna looked down at the pick-up truck as they passed it ."We sure are flying, aren’t we?

B.J. looked over at her. "Yeah we are. I want to be in New York by dawn. I may have to drive all night."

"You been driving for a long time?" Jenna asked as she turned to look at B.J.

"Yeah." B.J. replied and looked into the mirror on the passenger side. He turned on the signal light to change lanes.  He turned the wheel to the right slightly. The Kenworth moved in front of the pick-up truck getting back into the lane. He switched the signal light off.

"What were you doing before we hired you to make this trip for us?" Jenna quizzed.

B.J. looked out the windshield. "I was just living day by day. I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back on the highway but here I am going down the road doing what I do best."

"What’s that?" she asked.

"Hauling anything that gets put into my lap." B.J. replied and smiled at Jenna.

Jenna smiled back and stretched in the seat

"You tired? You can grab a nap in the sleeper." B.J. told her.

"I was curious about you and your past. Would you mind telling me." Jenna leaned on the console smiling.

"Sure, it’s not much to tell. I was a POW in the Vietnam war. I used to fly a med-vac helicopter. I have been arrested more than a dozen times by many sheriff’s in this country. I enjoy my space and trucking." B.J. explained.

Jenna looked up at B.J. "Interesting past. You sure been through a lot huh?"

He looked at the driver’s side mirror and replied "Yeah I have been."

The Kenworth sped up behind a Greyhound coach.

B.J. turned the wheel to the left and floored the accelerator once again. The truck picked up speed passing the bus.

"Now it’s your turn. Tell me about you and your past." B.J. asked as he looked across the cab "Can you move please. Your blocking my view. I need to see if I’m clear of that bus."

"Oh sorry." Jenna ducked down onto the console.

B.J. turned the wheel back over to the right slightly. The Kenworth crossed over in front of the bus and continued on.

Jenna sat up in the seat and looked at B.J. "Well, my name is Jennifer Reid but I liked to be called Jenna, I enjoy good things that life will give me. I’m 28 years old but I look younger. I love art work and going to art shows. I do understand the aspects of the trucking industry."

"Have you driven a truck before?" B.J. asked her.

"Once when I was 18. It was a Mack dump truck." Jenna smiled at B.J.. "The truck was older than dirt but it did the job."

"You said you liked art work. Can you tell me more about these statues made of Zeomite?" B.J. questioned.

"Sure, Zeomite is a material worth more than gold and Fort Knox combined. It was discovered in the 1950's by my grandfather. He had his discovery hidden from the world until about six months ago when those statues were made. He had the statues made from the material and he has them sold to an art collector in China. The art collector paid a whopping one billion dollars for the statues. My grandfather was hoping that no one would have found out about the statues he had made, but a hacker caught one of his e-mails he sent to the collector in China." Jenna reached for a can of Pepsi on the dashboard and opened it taking a sip. "The word is out on the Internet and people are looking for their chance to steal the statues."

"That’s not good. You think that some one has the nerve to steal this load?" B.J. asked.

Jenna put down the can. "If these statue are stolen, who ever has them will be able to sell them off to the highest bidder. You think owning an island is cool. Imagine someone owning a country?"

"That’s why the big pay for me. I make sure this load gets to California and on that plane." B.J. looked down at the speedometer. The Kenworth was cruising at 58 miles per hour.

"That’s correct." Jenna looked at him with a smile. "You’ll learn more as we go."

"Where does Johnny fall into this whole thing? Is he just an escort for the statues?" B.J. checked the mirrors again.

"He designed the statues. He just wants to make sure his babies get on the plane safely. Ever since they were made, he has babied them from day one. I swear he must dream of them when he sleeps." Jenna looked towards the bed. "I think I’m going to grab that nap now."

"Sure, go for it. You can close the curtain if you like for more privacy." B.J. instructed.

Jenna took off her running shoes, climbed up onto the console and crawled into the bed. She pulled the large comforter down a bit and slid in underneath. Jenna laid back in the bed looking up at the roof of the sleeper.

B.J. leaned over, turned on the radio and found a country station. A slow country song by Shania Twain came across the speakers.

The Kenworth drove on down the highway.

On to Page 2 of "On the Road"

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