The Trucker’s Load

Walking along the road on a cold winter night in Wisconsin, cars passed by honking their horns. Shivering cold, I didn’t know how much longer I could go. I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t really have a place to go. I just knew I couldn’t stay there any longer. I had no money, no phone, just the clothes on my back. My hands and feet were beginning to feel numb as I trekked through the snow while it continues to fall.

Cars continue to pass by until finally a large semi-truck with an even larger trailer pulls off to the side. Feeling skeptical, I was more than scared. What if this guy was some kind of rapist or something? As the trucker opened the door and jumped out I noticed he was rather tall. I hesitated as he walked up to me. “What are ya doing out this late on a cold night like this?”

It’s a woman! The sound of her voice was sweet like honey. Finally, she got close enough for me to make out her features. She was definitely taller than me, that’s for sure. Her face was hidden underneath a ball cap. She was covered in a large winter jacket, which hid all of her upper body. She wore jeans that barely were able to stretch over her thick muscular legs. A large pair of warm boots covered her feet. “Nothing,” was all I could say.

“Where ya heading? Maybe I could give ya a lift?”

Hesitating, I don’t know this woman, but I relent. “I don’t know..” She didn’t seem like she was dangerous or anything.

“Oh.. I see… Who ya running from?”

I swallow a big gulp. “I.. I just need to get out of here.”

“Well I’m heading south, you’re welcome to join me.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”

“Oh don’t worry about it. Now come on, it’s dangerous out here. You could easily get hit by one of these cars as dark as it is.”

I followed her back to the truck. My eyes couldn’t help but drop to her thick sculpted ass that barely fit in those jeans. She opened the passenger side door and I start to climb in. She placed her hand on my rear and gives me a shove helping me up, slamming the door behind me.

I finally got a good look at her face once she got in. Wow… She wasn’t what I expected. She was gorgeous. She had dark chocolate skin. Even though she had a strong jaw, her face was one of those faces that gave you butterflies. She had the most luscious lips I’d ever seen. Her sleek black hair was done up in a ponytail that came out of the backside of her ball cap.

She glanced over at me and gave me a smile. “The name’s Edna by the way, mind giving me yours?”

“Alex.”

“Well Alex, it’s nice to meet ya. Now let’s get moving.”

With that, she shifted into gear and we were off. We rode in silence giving me a chance to look around. There wasn’t much. She had a giant thermos sitting between the seats next to the stick shift. She had a monitor with GPS and a radio below it in the center of her dashboard. Her phone was mounted above it. It wasn’t until I looked back that I saw a bed, a mini-fridge, a microwave and a few cupboards. Holy shit, it’s pretty nice in here. Like a mini motorhome. A really small, tightly compacted motorhome with barely enough room to move.

“So Alex, ya never answered my question.”

I look up at her trying to remember what she asked.

“Who ya running from?”

I guess it’s not going to hurt to tell her. I doubt she’s going to judge.

“Home…”

“How come? Can’t be that bad.”

I finally give in, what harm could come from telling a stranger about my life?

“My mom… she has some problems. Mostly drugs, alcohol and her taste in men. She brings home guys that like to beat her. I could only take it for so long. I finally made her choose between the things that are destroying her.”

“I see…”

After a long awkward silence, she finally spoke up. “I can’t really blame ya for that. What about your dad?”

“Don’t know, never met him.”

“Oh… No other family?”

I shook my head no.

“What was the plan? Just gonna keep walking until ya freeze to death?”

“I didn’t really have a plan, to be honest, I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

“I get that… I really do. But you need to think this through. I don’t blame ya for leaving and I’m certainly not telling ya to go back. I’m just saying it’s dangerous out here.” She gave me a long gaze before looking back at the road. “You’re lucky I found you when I did. I know a few other truckers who would love to take advantage of a kid like you, especially Big Joe.”

“I appreciate it, I really do.”

“I don’t mind at all. I could use the company. Being a trucker can get awfully lonely. How old are you anyway?”

“I just turned 18 a few months back.”

Another long awkward silence took over. Even though the cab was nice and warm I couldn’t help but shiver. I was still freezing cold from the walk. She turns the radio on.

‘More panic in southern California as the missing person’s count rises. 29 people reported missing so far. Some of them children, most of them are teens. We’re going to quickly go over the names of our 29 missing people. If you have any information about these individuals that will help locate them please call 1-213-334-3431 to report any vital information. The names are in no particular order. Zachary Easley, Justin Walters, Eliza…’ Edna flicks the switch and turns the radio off.

“It’s always such doom and gloom on the radio these days. There’s a blanket back there, go ahead and take it, you must be freezing.”

“I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Kid I’m not going to have ya catching a cold, now go on. By the way, if you’re thirsty I got a thermos full of hot coffee, feel free to have a drink.”

I crawled back and grabbed the blanket off of her bed and wrapped myself in it as I climbed back in the passenger seat. Then I took a big swig of her coffee. It was just black coffee, kind of bitter, but it was hot.

“Thanks… For everything.”

“Just glad to help. So do you have any other family or friends you can stay with?”

“No…”

“Really?” She looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I’m not the most social person. I’ve always just stayed in my room on my computer.”

“That surprises me, I would have thought a cute boy like you would have lots of friends.”

“I wish… I was always picked on and bullied…”

“I see… I was bullied in school too.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah! All the time! I’ll let you in on a little secret… I’m transgender.”

“Oh… “ OH! Wow, I didn’t expect that! And yet, I’m not all that phased by it. “Was it tough growing up as a transgender?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe! A black trans woman, you can bet I got a lot of crap!”

“Where you ever able to get them to stop?”

“Short answer… No. But I learned to accept it and I also learned how to defend myself and accept who I am.”

“It seems like you turned out alright.”

“Why thank you!”

An awkward silence took over, as we continued trucking through the snow.

“So… do you enjoy all of this?” I ask, breaking the silence.