And then I met my husband.
He drove a truck.
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| Paul + |
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I was torn. How could this smart, handsome, well educated man drive such a vehicle? Surely he had his reasons. I soon learned that this truck was going nowhere. It was here to stay. I had to learn to love it, or at least deal with it as an appendage of Paul's. Over the next few years of our relationship I learned to tolerate the truck. It was not the most comfortable of vehicles in which to travel, and if we had more than two people someone had to sit in the extended cab with the little seat flipped down sideways. Not an ideal way to travel very far. But despite my distaste for Paul's truck, it did get him from place to place and came in handy at a few tailgating events. I still preferred my little Corolla that got twice the gas mileage.
Four years ago Paul moved to Louisiana. I visited often and thought of it as my second home. The truck successfully moved Paul and all his belongings (and towed a small trailer with some extras) all the way to from OH to LA. I was unable to help with this move because I was being trained by the US Army, so I was thankful that he had a reasonable way to get himself all the way down South. The truck's worth increased slightly in my eyes.
I soon came to realize that if you lived in a small town in Louisiana and you DIDN'T have a truck, you were in the minority. If you drove a four-door compact car from Japan, you didn't fit in. I've never liked being an outsider. The truck began to seem a little more hip. I began to toss aside the fact that it cost twice as much to fill up the gas tank as it did to fill up my car. It didn't matter, the only driving you really had to do here is all within a 5 mile radius!
Since becoming a permanent resident of Natchitoches I have noticed more trucks than ever before. This is the scene in the parking lot at a restaurant where we ate a couple weeks ago. No joke.
I have started realizing that what I used to think of as a negative situation has turned into a positive. Our (I used to call it "Paul's" but now that I like it I'll take partial ownership) truck comes in handy all the time!!! Throwing this and that in the truck bed to take it across town can be a real time saver. Our friends ask to borrow the truck to move a piece of furniture or move lumber for a house project.
Not only have I found it functionally useful during my trips to the hardware store, but when I drive the truck I feel like people look at me and might actually think I'm from here! (Note my previously mentioned need to fit in.)
Now when we talk about vehicles we might have in the future, a truck is still in the running. I'm all in... let's get a giant truck. Then we can have a full seat in the back and sit up even higher on the road.... we could look down at all the little people and call it our Ford Throne!
Trucks are a Southern way of life. We can't always explain the reasons why, but we can learn to appreciate them. I'm sorry I used to hate the truck, Paul.
7 comments:
This was great. I told my first husband I would not marry him if he bought a truck. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we actually ended up buying a black full size GM pickup three months into our marriage. I remember picking my Mom up at the Philly airport one weekend when we lived there, only to arrive home to our eroded and potholed dirt road that ran along the Brandywine River being blocked off by sheriff and state highway patrol cars. Not a very good impression of a neighborhood. I knew a back way into our farm (through the field), so we went that way, wondering why there was a helicopter hovering above our place--a 1700's spring house on a larger property. The carriage house where our landlord lived had opened that same day as a bed and breakfast. Interesting, the guest was a policeman from New York state. At any rate, there were more police cars on our property when we arrived on the truck with Mom and baby Amelia. The police were searching our barn for a guy who had overtaken the officer who was transporting him from court to prison. He had stolen the officer's gun, keys, car phone (they did not have cell phones back then), and was on foot somewhere in the vicinity. We did not sleep well that night, but felt somewhat protected knowing we had a police officer on vacation over yonder, and a german shepherd farm dog. Dumb dog, though, as the guy was caught within the week, and stated that he had slept in our barn behind the hay stacks. I never liked the truck. I never liked that truck. Ever.
Love it! You gotta embrace the truck down South. It's just the way it is. I still do double takes when I go back home. I like to play "how many vehicles will pass me on the freeway until I see a non-truck"."
My truck is way cooler than the one pictured.....gotta have the UT license plate!!!....and the extended cab. But it's really close.
Nice post, wife.
-Paul
The truck has served Paul (and you) well! Can't knock a good thing and it's kind of fun sitting up high!!
I could call this, "Yet another entertaining and insightful description of a successful and loving adaptation to a different social and cultural milieu." It is indeed that. But I'll just say, "Way to go, Kiddo!"
Leah, I can totally relate to where you're coming from. Brad is the same way with his truck. I was hesitant at first about it, but then when it became apparent how Brad felt about his truck I knew it was in our lives forever. Even to this day, he says "I always have to have a truck" There is no other option, we get rid of his only to get a new one..whenever that day comes! It has come in handy with moving and my dad uses it quite often, which is weird for me to see, and for total random other uses that come up!! We always know we have the truck at our disposal! What is it with boys and their trucks? He even lets me drive it, but I only do when absolutely necessary!! I don't feel quite the bad ass you do when driving it! West Virginians love their trucks...and we're not Southern WV either (thank God!) Missssss You!
Neil explained to me once that you always knew you were getting closer to home (when it was Grande Prairie) when the truck to car ratio increased drastically. Although thankfully for me, he was not saying this fondly.
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