"Riding High Above The World"

I drove Branden's truck to work today. It was... Scary. I killed it twice before I even got out of the parking spot and for the first little while every time I shifted gears the truck acted like it was gonna die again. I left the house about 45 minutes before I needed to be at work and made it there about 5 minutes before I had to clock in... This means it took me nearly twice as long to get to work driving Branden's truck as it does when I'm driving my car.

One thing I should make clear: While I fully admit that I am not good at driving his truck- and I admit that my getting nervous and worked up doesn't help me out any- his truck is not exactly the easiest vehicle in the world to drive. It's big, it's old, it has to be started a certain way that involves a choke and pumping of the gas pedal, only the top three gears of four work, it's hard to get out of gear and even harder to get in gear... There's a trick to driving that truck that takes some time to learn. Branden has had that time. I, obviously, have not.

Driving home felt more like playing a video game than driving. You know those games at the arcade that are box-shaped like the cab of the truck and when you get in, sit down and start the game they rumble and shake a little and there are things on the screen in front of you that you have to steer to avoid while shifting, etc.? Ok, maybe you don't know... But they exist, ok? And driving Branden's truck in the humid heat after a long day at work was a little... Surreal. I was so much higher above where I normally sit and there were lots of cars and trucks weaving around me that I had a hard time paying attention to everything at once. Luckily, I managed to focus well enough to get home safely.

The good news is, Branden is coming home right now so I won't have to drive his truck again tomorrow and I won't have to sleep all alone again. His dad shouldn't be getting any worse but he'll probably stay in the hospital until Wednesday. I told Branden that he should stay as long as he felt he needed to stay and I guess he feels like he needs to come home now. I won't lie, I desperately want him here, but I didn't tell him that. He should be home between 9:30 and 10 tonight.

*Side note* Holy crap! My horrid downstairs neighbors are being loud! Their TV is SUPER loud, they're yelling at each other and the kids and they keep slamming various doors, including their front door. Ugh! My whole apt is shaking!