21 February 2012

Year 2, Day 52 (I Finally Picked Up My Student)

I unloaded at around lunch time in Pocahontas, AR, then ended up waiting (but not too long) for a bit, before I was told to head to our North Little Rock terminal. Shortly after I was underway, I received a call from one of the Fleet Managers that I was selected for a random drug test, and I had to stop at the clinic on the way in (for the record, yes... I can still tell the difference between cocaine and cannabis). I met up with my new student, Larry. He's starting his career as a truck driver rather late in life (he's 58), but I think he will do fine. I took care of some things while I was at the terminal, and we grabbed a bite to eat before we left.

On another note, last night I had the opportunity to perform a mitzvah. For those unfamiliar with this term, it is one common in the Jewish faith, a term that is synonymous with performing good deeds, i.e. an act of charity or good will... which was the case with me. Last night I made a stop in Effingham, IL, where I topped off my fuel, then made a Starbucks run. On the way back to the truck, my stomach began its protest, just as I was walking past a Panda Express. I stopped in, ordered my food, then finished my trip back to the truck. Once there, I grabbed my mug and went inside the truck stop for some ice, where I walked by a man holding a sign, which read: "homeless and hungry. Please help. God bless." Upon the urging of the L-rd (and seeing the chance to perform a mitzvah), I went back to the truck and retrieved the food I had just purchased - all of it - along with a bottle of soda, and returned to the man. I gave him both and said to him, "Just so you know, The L-rd, my G-d - HaShem - is watching over you." He may not have understood all that I was referring to, but he understood food and drink.

I think that was the entire purpose of my stopping there to begin with.

What say you?

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