it started well enough. wake and do the waking things, even some breakfast because why not? the readings were cool, didn't put a bunch of work into wardrobe, recycled clothes for comfort. it was the change day; new route while my custom route went to a new hire driver. there were epiphanic things in play, but i didn't know that until the route began.
got to work early, as usual, and was told that Jen, my boss, would be riding with me today. i can tell you now, i was being egotistical, and that may very well have been part of the day's unfolding. i did my pre-trip inspection, found the pill pictured up top, and took two pictures of it, trying to identify it. soon enough, i gave up on identifying it and put it in my breast pocket til later in the day. remember that.
so, the run. it was in Newton Falls, mostly. pretty far distance away. and the first epiphany revealed itself. it was the first run i'd ever been on in this company, way back in January, when no one wanted me to ride with them, but Merrie, the first driver i was with and who didn't mind me being there, had the route taken from her that very day. i ended up with Da Boss then, but that's a different story for a different time. we get out there, start picking up clients, and by the second pick-up...
a quick aside, the 2nd epiphany. a driver, Monica, who i am fond of, was fired on Monday. the story goes, some MONTHS ago, she hit something, a mail box i believe the story goes. she reported it, and was told to file an incident report, which she did. MONTHS later (like last week), local management is told by corporate that she did not get a drug test done, which is mandatory when you hit something, apparently. no one told Monica that was a requirement, and i understand that. if you haven't damaged a vehicle and you haven't hit another car, a drug test seems very overkill. but this was a way for them to get rid of Monica, hence all the route changes in my life. what makes it epiphanic, or even ironic? she was fired because she hit something and didn't get a drug test, or so goes the rumour, she took over Merrie's route, who was fired for something else, the route that I STARTED OUT ON, and i was going to be driving her bus.
needless to say, back to the linear iteration. i scraped a pole. i'd say hit, but i think that's a bit of an exaggeration. while i was backing to leave a driveway, it felt like something was caught n the bus and we almost spun out as i was leaving this particular driveway. thought not much of it, because there was no collision impact. finished the pick-ups i had, got them to their workshops, and was on the last drop off when Jen got a call from the office, got off the bus to talk to me and tell me that the 2nd in command had got a call that i'd hit a pole at a specific client's home. we both looked and she took a picture. there was a scrape on the low back right corner of the bus, a reflecting sticker that was half gone, and two small chunks of wood in the framework of the bus. and just like that, my day was shit.
i can't say i was actually scared. i wasn't, but i was apprehensive as fuck. i'd not hit anything at all up to that point. i was very careful, to the point of obsessive with that. i had hit something with the boss on the bus. i was going to have to jump through the hoops to make sure i left nothing undone. i was now on the block to be fired. these were some of the thoughts that raced through my being during this. i could''t even park the bus properly when we returned to the depot.
i filled out my accident and incident reports, and i went to Austintown to get a drug test performed. i went to lunch with Lonnie, got back to work and finished the day. i was still self-conscious, but i got through it. and i am worn out.
i prayed about the new route before i went to work. i think, this is my spiritual perspective now, i had gotten too comfortable, too cocky. i believe i was in need of grounding, and i think this has grounded me. and i am grateful, as no one was hurt and there was no huge damage done. still, i felt bad and will need to remember that i'm not so special that i can't make mistakes. it happens. and i am now appreciative of the lesson the day contained.
the pill? it is something prescribed, apparently, for symptoms of herpes.
thank you, Father.
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