Monday morning dawned and the girl packed up all their things in the car and waited for the guest to call Merrill Lynch. He was told that they would not be able to see them until Tuesday morning. How was this possible since he had called on Friday and they said to come in first thing Monday morning? As usual things were not adding up. The guest said the best thing to do was to turn around and go back to Saint Augustine and try to get into his house.
They drove back to Ocala to the Petro truck stop. They ended up sleeping there overnight in the car. They spent time there trying to decide what to do. They contacted Sam and he told them his truck had broken down after they left him and it was in the shop. He was in North Carolina at his nephew’s house waiting for the repairs. Of course he couldn’t figure out how they were in trouble again and really, what could they tell him?
Someone gave them money at the Petro and they drove north back to Tallahassee. They had picked up a couple of guys that needed rides from the Petro and helped them out on the way there. At least they were doing what they could to give back from others helping them out.
The got to Tallahassee and slept in the car for the night. The girl was sitting in the TV room when the guest came and got her to help someone out. A homeless man had bought a go phone so he could talk with his daughters. The guest told him that his wife (the girl) knew all about technology stuff and would get it all set up for him. So the girl proceeded to help him get his phone set up. In return the man had spoken with the guest and knew they were trying to get home to Dallas is what the guest told him. He gave them money and gave them his address and told them to just return the money when they could. He said he had done this before and no one had ever paid him back but he still wanted to help.
The couple was very grateful and at first headed east toward Saint Augustine. After they had driven about 70 miles the guest told the girl he wasn’t sure about going to the house. He didn’t have his keys and didn’t have anyone he could call to get keys. The girl asked if they could just break into the house. After all, it was his house right? He said that yes he could do that but he was afraid that the girl might be wanted by the police at this point. They discussed it for the next few miles then the guest told the girl that they needed to turn around and head west again.
At this point the girl could think of no other solution than to head to Oklahoma where she had a good friend, Frank, she knew would be willing to help her. She mentioned this to the guest and he agreed that it would be a good idea. She told him that if nothing else it would give them a roof over their heads while they figured everything else out. The girl also knew that no matter what happened she would be safe with a friend and things would eventually work out.
The couple headed northwest and towards Oklahoma. The girl was so happy things were working out and so positive that things were going to be better. The drive was very nice.
When they drove through Dothan, Alabama, they passed an RV store. The guest suggested they stop and again look at RV’s. They did and the guest decided the best thing to do was to special order the RV they wanted. Again he swore that Merrill Lynch would cover the cost. Since they needed to keep moving and weren’t staying and getting stranded, this didn’t seem like too big a deal to the girl.
They moved on and kept heading toward Oklahoma.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Chapter 5...Part 2
The 3 of them made fairly good time and was soon in Maryland. There wasn’t anyone else to unload the truck so the guest and the girl helped unload the load. They were each given souvenirs from the owners of a pen and an insulated coffee cup.
After the 3 of them left the drop off place they went to the TA truck stop in Maryland. They all discussed what to do next. The guest promised Sam that they would buy him a new truck. Of course by this time the guest had time to tell Sam that they owned a race team and had a lot of money from his inheritance, yes, the same story that had started this entire journey. Sam was of course thrilled that he had decided to help this couple who in turn was going to help him out.
The guest told Sam that he needed him to loan him money to get a rental car and to drive to Merrill Lynch in Florida. The girl never could figure out why everyone believed the guest’s stories but they did and she was starting to believe it again. She had now been only with the guest for over 2 months.
The 3 of them drove to Richmond, VA where Sam got a rental car for the couple. The couple promised Sam they would be in touch. Amazingly Sam believed the couple and sent them on their way with a rental car in his name and money he had advanced to them.
The couple drove from Richmond to Saint Augustine, FL that night. They stopped in South Carolina on the way at a TA truck stop for a late night snack and a couple of video games. The girl had driven most of the way while the guest slept. The guest took over and drove the rest of the way into Florida in the rain.
They had now kind of come full circle again. They were back in Saint Augustine. They drove down to Ocala and then on to Wildwood. The couple stayed over in Inverness.
That night, Friday, the girl called her parents. She found out her grandfather on her mother’s side was dying. This was her last living grandparent. She was so upset that she wasn’t there that she didn’t know what to do. She told the guest that she needed to get back home to see her grandfather before he died. The guest promised her he would find a way to get her home for her grandfather. The girl also called her friend in Oklahoma and told him what was going on. He told her that if she could get to a bus station that he would buy her a bus ticket home so she could be there for her grandfather’s death. He was not happy that she had not used the money wisely before but he would help her out nonetheless.
The girl started to look up bus stations and where she would need to catch the bus.
The next day the guest told her they were going in search of one of his employees for the race team. This was the guy who owned the shop where they fixed all the cars. The stop was in Inverness. They drove through the city and the guest took her by where the stop was supposed to be. It was now called something else. They got the phone number off of the building and drove around some more. The guest took her to a house where he said he had lived with his previous wife.
The couple went back to the motel for the night and tried desperately to decide what to do on Monday. The discussion started out that they would get closer to Miami and to Merrill Lynch. The guest wanted to head that way on Sunday and stay over near Orlando until Monday morning then move onto Miami. The girl was starting to get worried. They would be further away with less money and not guaranteed to get into Merrill Lynch. What if something else happened and they were stuck in Miami with no place to go. The guest finally agreed that they should stay where they were and call on Monday morning.
After the 3 of them left the drop off place they went to the TA truck stop in Maryland. They all discussed what to do next. The guest promised Sam that they would buy him a new truck. Of course by this time the guest had time to tell Sam that they owned a race team and had a lot of money from his inheritance, yes, the same story that had started this entire journey. Sam was of course thrilled that he had decided to help this couple who in turn was going to help him out.
The guest told Sam that he needed him to loan him money to get a rental car and to drive to Merrill Lynch in Florida. The girl never could figure out why everyone believed the guest’s stories but they did and she was starting to believe it again. She had now been only with the guest for over 2 months.
The 3 of them drove to Richmond, VA where Sam got a rental car for the couple. The couple promised Sam they would be in touch. Amazingly Sam believed the couple and sent them on their way with a rental car in his name and money he had advanced to them.
The couple drove from Richmond to Saint Augustine, FL that night. They stopped in South Carolina on the way at a TA truck stop for a late night snack and a couple of video games. The girl had driven most of the way while the guest slept. The guest took over and drove the rest of the way into Florida in the rain.
They had now kind of come full circle again. They were back in Saint Augustine. They drove down to Ocala and then on to Wildwood. The couple stayed over in Inverness.
That night, Friday, the girl called her parents. She found out her grandfather on her mother’s side was dying. This was her last living grandparent. She was so upset that she wasn’t there that she didn’t know what to do. She told the guest that she needed to get back home to see her grandfather before he died. The guest promised her he would find a way to get her home for her grandfather. The girl also called her friend in Oklahoma and told him what was going on. He told her that if she could get to a bus station that he would buy her a bus ticket home so she could be there for her grandfather’s death. He was not happy that she had not used the money wisely before but he would help her out nonetheless.
The girl started to look up bus stations and where she would need to catch the bus.
The next day the guest told her they were going in search of one of his employees for the race team. This was the guy who owned the shop where they fixed all the cars. The stop was in Inverness. They drove through the city and the guest took her by where the stop was supposed to be. It was now called something else. They got the phone number off of the building and drove around some more. The guest took her to a house where he said he had lived with his previous wife.
The couple went back to the motel for the night and tried desperately to decide what to do on Monday. The discussion started out that they would get closer to Miami and to Merrill Lynch. The guest wanted to head that way on Sunday and stay over near Orlando until Monday morning then move onto Miami. The girl was starting to get worried. They would be further away with less money and not guaranteed to get into Merrill Lynch. What if something else happened and they were stuck in Miami with no place to go. The guest finally agreed that they should stay where they were and call on Monday morning.
Chapter 5...Part 1
All week the guest had told the girl that they needed to get on a truck and go back to Florida to Merrill Lynch to take care of things. The couple got in several fights that week because the girl was so upset, stressed and keyed up that she was at her wit’s end. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to have a bed and a job and not worry about where her next meal was coming from and how cold she was going to be at night.
At the end of the week the guest met a driver, Sam. Sam needed help with a problem he was having with his truck. The guest helped him and while the two of them were out smoking Sam told the guest that if he got a load going east he would take the couple with him.
The girl prayed for this to happen, or anything to happen really. She spent as much time as she dared in the bathroom writing positive things on toilet paper and praying and hoping things would work out.
After a couple of days Sam got a load from Ontario, CA to Maryland. This was at least in the general direction of Florida. The couple cleaned most of the stuff out of the SUV and got ready to leave. The girl was not happy to leave her SUV behind and the stuff that she could not take with her but the guest promised her they would only be gone a few days and that they would come back for it as soon as they got the money from Merrill Lynch.
This was the week of Thanksgiving and the girl realized there was a good chance she would miss Thanksgiving with her family for the first time in 34 years. This was a very depressing thought. She had already missed Halloween and now another holiday without friends and family.
The couple got on the truck with Sam and headed south again and then east. The girl had never been on a truck before and this was a new experience for her. The couple slept on the bottom bunk together and Sam slept in the driver’s seat. The couple tried to get him to sleep on the top bunk but he wouldn’t do it. The drive was interesting and the girl saw parts of the country she had not previously seen and from a lot higher up than she had before.
Sam was a very nice guy. He fed them and kept the guest in cigarettes. The worst part of the whole experience was that both the guest and Sam would smoke all the time making the girl sick. She said something to the guest about it but he told her that they couldn’t ask Sam to stop smoking inside of his own truck so she just had to deal with it. This she could understand but she couldn’t understand why the guest had to join him whenever he lit up a cigarette.
One of the most memorable stops was in Knoxville, TN. Sam liked the couple and wanted to do something special because it was Thanksgiving. On the actual day they ate at the Flying J but on the day afterward he took the couple out for Barbeque at Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-BQ where Sam loved to eat. It was quite yummy and the girl was really appreciative that Sam would want her to have a good meal.
At the end of the week the guest met a driver, Sam. Sam needed help with a problem he was having with his truck. The guest helped him and while the two of them were out smoking Sam told the guest that if he got a load going east he would take the couple with him.
The girl prayed for this to happen, or anything to happen really. She spent as much time as she dared in the bathroom writing positive things on toilet paper and praying and hoping things would work out.
After a couple of days Sam got a load from Ontario, CA to Maryland. This was at least in the general direction of Florida. The couple cleaned most of the stuff out of the SUV and got ready to leave. The girl was not happy to leave her SUV behind and the stuff that she could not take with her but the guest promised her they would only be gone a few days and that they would come back for it as soon as they got the money from Merrill Lynch.
This was the week of Thanksgiving and the girl realized there was a good chance she would miss Thanksgiving with her family for the first time in 34 years. This was a very depressing thought. She had already missed Halloween and now another holiday without friends and family.
The couple got on the truck with Sam and headed south again and then east. The girl had never been on a truck before and this was a new experience for her. The couple slept on the bottom bunk together and Sam slept in the driver’s seat. The couple tried to get him to sleep on the top bunk but he wouldn’t do it. The drive was interesting and the girl saw parts of the country she had not previously seen and from a lot higher up than she had before.
Sam was a very nice guy. He fed them and kept the guest in cigarettes. The worst part of the whole experience was that both the guest and Sam would smoke all the time making the girl sick. She said something to the guest about it but he told her that they couldn’t ask Sam to stop smoking inside of his own truck so she just had to deal with it. This she could understand but she couldn’t understand why the guest had to join him whenever he lit up a cigarette.
One of the most memorable stops was in Knoxville, TN. Sam liked the couple and wanted to do something special because it was Thanksgiving. On the actual day they ate at the Flying J but on the day afterward he took the couple out for Barbeque at Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-BQ where Sam loved to eat. It was quite yummy and the girl was really appreciative that Sam would want her to have a good meal.
Chapter 4...Part 9
The couple returned to Visalia again. This time the girl was very hopeful they would get things straightened out. She wanted to go home so badly, it was her only wish. The couple got a motel room and relaxed for the evening. They went to the store to get food and as always, cigarettes.
The couple stayed in Visalia again for a couple of days. While they were they made one good purchase and one bad purchase. They went to Kmart and bought sleeping bags so they at least had something warm to sleep in if they did end up sleeping in the vehicle again. The bad purchase is something the girl has never completely gotten over. Since they had been sleeping and living in the vehicle, the guest thought they should get it cleaned. This sounded reasonable at the time. The girl was quickly learning that the guest did not do anything in moderation though. The guest not only got a car wash but paid for the vehicle to be thoroughly cleaned inside and out and spent way more money than he should have. This upset the girl but after all was said and done, how much could she really say about it?
After the couple of days and nothing happening, the couple was out of money and had little choice left. They drove back to the Flying J in Bakersfield.
The drive back to Bakersfield was frustrating. The rear end of the SUV was having a really hard time. The drive was very choppy and the girl had to listen to the guest complain the entire time that she was driving badly and how back the rear end was shaking. What more could you expect? The SUV had been across the country twice on the wrong size tire. The girl was actually grateful they had made it as far as they had on the wrong size tire.
The couple spent the next week at the Flying J. The girl was so frustrated and felt completely hopeless. The only thing that saved her from complete insanity was that at night they had the sleeping bags so they were not freezing. It was still very cold but it was warmer than it would have been without them.
The couple stayed in Visalia again for a couple of days. While they were they made one good purchase and one bad purchase. They went to Kmart and bought sleeping bags so they at least had something warm to sleep in if they did end up sleeping in the vehicle again. The bad purchase is something the girl has never completely gotten over. Since they had been sleeping and living in the vehicle, the guest thought they should get it cleaned. This sounded reasonable at the time. The girl was quickly learning that the guest did not do anything in moderation though. The guest not only got a car wash but paid for the vehicle to be thoroughly cleaned inside and out and spent way more money than he should have. This upset the girl but after all was said and done, how much could she really say about it?
After the couple of days and nothing happening, the couple was out of money and had little choice left. They drove back to the Flying J in Bakersfield.
The drive back to Bakersfield was frustrating. The rear end of the SUV was having a really hard time. The drive was very choppy and the girl had to listen to the guest complain the entire time that she was driving badly and how back the rear end was shaking. What more could you expect? The SUV had been across the country twice on the wrong size tire. The girl was actually grateful they had made it as far as they had on the wrong size tire.
The couple spent the next week at the Flying J. The girl was so frustrated and felt completely hopeless. The only thing that saved her from complete insanity was that at night they had the sleeping bags so they were not freezing. It was still very cold but it was warmer than it would have been without them.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Chapter 4...Part 8
They couple arrived in Bakersfield with a little bit of money. This was the last Nascar race of the season. This is important to note because this was the reasoning the guest gave the girl for getting a motel room. The girl argued that the best choice would be to continue on to their destination or go home while they still had money. The guest told her that he was watching the final Nascar race of the season in comfort no matter what she said. Again, the girl gave in and they got a motel room.
The afternoon was spent watching the last Nascar race. Ironically the couple slept through the end of the race so after all the drama of getting a room for the night, the guest didn’t even see the end of the race. The evening was relaxing and they spent the last of their money to eat hamburgers and fries from a fast food place.
The next day morning the couple stocked up on donuts from the motel and went over to the Flying J which was right across the street. This was where the worst fight of the trip occurred. The girl was completely stressed and upset. All she wanted to do was go home. She told the guest that she wanted to go home. He told her to go if she wanted to but that he was not returning to Utah. The girl told him that he had been telling her all the way west that he was going to get her home and now that they were this close, he wouldn’t get her home.
The girl told the guest that they could work things out if they went home. She had a job waiting for her that she could go back to immediately and she was sure that they could stay with someone until they figured out what to do with living situations. The guest told her if she could find a place for them both to stay he would return to Utah. The girl called her parents to see if that was something they would be willing to do, have them stay in their home. Her mother told her that she could come home but the guest was unwelcome. This did not surprise the girl but she couldn’t figure out how to get home without him. Her mother did give her some possibly good news though. She had gotten a phone call from a friend of the girl’s and he had said to call her. Her mother said she could call him collect through their phone.
The girl called her friend, Ed. Ed told her he was willing to send her the money to get home. He hadn’t heard much of the story but wanted to be sure she was safe and home. Ed sent them money to return home to Utah.
The girl was so happy to have found a way home. She then argued with the guest again. She still wanted to get home and she told him that Ed only sent them money to return home. The guest argued that they still had nowhere to live if they returned and if she wanted to go home she could go home on her own. Later she knew this would have been the best decision but she was still afraid of being alone. She finally agreed to return to Visalia and continue to attempt to get things straightened out with Merrill Lynch.
The afternoon was spent watching the last Nascar race. Ironically the couple slept through the end of the race so after all the drama of getting a room for the night, the guest didn’t even see the end of the race. The evening was relaxing and they spent the last of their money to eat hamburgers and fries from a fast food place.
The next day morning the couple stocked up on donuts from the motel and went over to the Flying J which was right across the street. This was where the worst fight of the trip occurred. The girl was completely stressed and upset. All she wanted to do was go home. She told the guest that she wanted to go home. He told her to go if she wanted to but that he was not returning to Utah. The girl told him that he had been telling her all the way west that he was going to get her home and now that they were this close, he wouldn’t get her home.
The girl told the guest that they could work things out if they went home. She had a job waiting for her that she could go back to immediately and she was sure that they could stay with someone until they figured out what to do with living situations. The guest told her if she could find a place for them both to stay he would return to Utah. The girl called her parents to see if that was something they would be willing to do, have them stay in their home. Her mother told her that she could come home but the guest was unwelcome. This did not surprise the girl but she couldn’t figure out how to get home without him. Her mother did give her some possibly good news though. She had gotten a phone call from a friend of the girl’s and he had said to call her. Her mother said she could call him collect through their phone.
The girl called her friend, Ed. Ed told her he was willing to send her the money to get home. He hadn’t heard much of the story but wanted to be sure she was safe and home. Ed sent them money to return home to Utah.
The girl was so happy to have found a way home. She then argued with the guest again. She still wanted to get home and she told him that Ed only sent them money to return home. The guest argued that they still had nowhere to live if they returned and if she wanted to go home she could go home on her own. Later she knew this would have been the best decision but she was still afraid of being alone. She finally agreed to return to Visalia and continue to attempt to get things straightened out with Merrill Lynch.
Chapter 4...Part 7
They got to Ontario and they were almost on fumes but they made it. They went into one of the TA truck stops there and called Merrill Lynch. The guest was told that they were working on the money and to have some patience.
It was getting late in the day and the girl was getting nervous. The couple spent the little bit they had left to eat ramen for dinner. The guest kept calling Merrill Lynch every hour or so. Eventually the guest was told it would be the next day before they could get it all straightened out.
The couple spent the evening outside at one of the tables listening to drivers and their stories. It was interesting but the girl was so stressed about getting the money to take care of things. The guest got very upset with her and at one point they had a fight about it. Eventually they went to bed sleeping in the vehicle again.
They next morning the couple ended up meeting an older man, John, who was a driver. He was really nice and he ended up feeding him that day. The guest continued to call Merrill Lynch several times that day. Every time he was told that they were working on things.
That night the couple again slept in the vehicle but had to move over to the other TA across the street. They had a lot of people sleeping in their vehicles and since they had slept there the night before they were told they had to move or be arrested.
They moved for the night then went back to the other TA in the morning. They met John again. He took them out for breakfast and ended up giving them money to get home. John really liked the girl and really wanted to make sure she got home so he helped them out. They were supposed to return the money as soon as they got home. The guest kept calling Merrill Lynch and was given the run-around still.
The couple got into the vehicle to leave. The girl thought they were getting on I-15 to return to Utah. They were very near it being in Ontario and all. The guest told her that they were better off returning to Visalia. Why should they go back to Visalia? Shouldn’t they get home and then worry about the money situation?
The guest told her that they were better off being close to a Bank of America branch. The girl was very frustrated by this time but arguing with the guest was so much work and stress that she finally gave in.
It was getting late in the day and the girl was getting nervous. The couple spent the little bit they had left to eat ramen for dinner. The guest kept calling Merrill Lynch every hour or so. Eventually the guest was told it would be the next day before they could get it all straightened out.
The couple spent the evening outside at one of the tables listening to drivers and their stories. It was interesting but the girl was so stressed about getting the money to take care of things. The guest got very upset with her and at one point they had a fight about it. Eventually they went to bed sleeping in the vehicle again.
They next morning the couple ended up meeting an older man, John, who was a driver. He was really nice and he ended up feeding him that day. The guest continued to call Merrill Lynch several times that day. Every time he was told that they were working on things.
That night the couple again slept in the vehicle but had to move over to the other TA across the street. They had a lot of people sleeping in their vehicles and since they had slept there the night before they were told they had to move or be arrested.
They moved for the night then went back to the other TA in the morning. They met John again. He took them out for breakfast and ended up giving them money to get home. John really liked the girl and really wanted to make sure she got home so he helped them out. They were supposed to return the money as soon as they got home. The guest kept calling Merrill Lynch and was given the run-around still.
The couple got into the vehicle to leave. The girl thought they were getting on I-15 to return to Utah. They were very near it being in Ontario and all. The guest told her that they were better off returning to Visalia. Why should they go back to Visalia? Shouldn’t they get home and then worry about the money situation?
The guest told her that they were better off being close to a Bank of America branch. The girl was very frustrated by this time but arguing with the guest was so much work and stress that she finally gave in.
Chapter 4...Part 5
The couple drove south back to I-10 and continued on their journey west and toward Utah, at least that is what the guest told the girl they were doing. They drove across Texas via I-10 west. They stopped and begged for money when and where they could. They slept wherever they could. Sometimes in truck stops, sometimes in rest areas. They made it to Las Cruces, New Mexico.
At the rest stop just over the border the girl called her mom. This was the first time she had called her mom in weeks. It was so good to hear her voice. She told her they were on their way home and that they were in New Mexico. She told her that she would hopefully be home soon. The girl truly believed they would find their way home.
In Las Cruces they kind of hit a dry spell. Las Cruces is a college town with a lot of wealthy people. It was not as easy to ask for help. The girl finally broke down and called a friend of hers. She had avoided calling any of her friends for a few weeks now but she wanted to get home so desperately that she was ready to do almost anything.
The friend she called was really good about loaning her the money. She had never done anything untrustworthy before and her friend worked it out to send the money. The girl was so excited. She was sure that with the money her friend loaned her that they would make it home with no problems.
The couple drove across highway 10 all the way. They made it to Arizona. They drove through Phoenix and on to Tonopah and stopped at the TA. Again, they had to decide what to do. They had gone through all the money that the girl’s friend had last sent to her. The girl had no choice she thought since she just wanted to get home. She called a different friend. She didn’t ask for money but was hoping she might offer help. She got her wish, her friend sent her some more money. They were back on the road again.
They went across I-10 and toward Barstow, California. When they got to Barstow they were almost out of money again. The vehicle was having problems and they didn’t know what else to do. The girl called a friend of hers again and asked her for more money. Her friend sent them more.
From where they were in Barstow they could have just gotten on I-15, driven north and been home. This was not what happened. The guest told the girl that since they were so close they should go to Visalia. It was not after the guests 45th birthday and he said that Merrill Lynch was supposed to release his money on his birthday.
They drove back to Visalia and visited his brother. The guest called Merrill Lynch and they told him they would be able to give him some money at the Bank of America in Visalia. He just needed to wait until Monday and they would take care of things. It was Friday so they needed to figure out what to do for the weekend.
They got a room and stayed for the weekend. The girl was so excited. She looked through the newspaper and looked at ads for things that she knew they needed. She was so glad that her journey was going to come to an end and things would be all worked out.
At the rest stop just over the border the girl called her mom. This was the first time she had called her mom in weeks. It was so good to hear her voice. She told her they were on their way home and that they were in New Mexico. She told her that she would hopefully be home soon. The girl truly believed they would find their way home.
In Las Cruces they kind of hit a dry spell. Las Cruces is a college town with a lot of wealthy people. It was not as easy to ask for help. The girl finally broke down and called a friend of hers. She had avoided calling any of her friends for a few weeks now but she wanted to get home so desperately that she was ready to do almost anything.
The friend she called was really good about loaning her the money. She had never done anything untrustworthy before and her friend worked it out to send the money. The girl was so excited. She was sure that with the money her friend loaned her that they would make it home with no problems.
The couple drove across highway 10 all the way. They made it to Arizona. They drove through Phoenix and on to Tonopah and stopped at the TA. Again, they had to decide what to do. They had gone through all the money that the girl’s friend had last sent to her. The girl had no choice she thought since she just wanted to get home. She called a different friend. She didn’t ask for money but was hoping she might offer help. She got her wish, her friend sent her some more money. They were back on the road again.
They went across I-10 and toward Barstow, California. When they got to Barstow they were almost out of money again. The vehicle was having problems and they didn’t know what else to do. The girl called a friend of hers again and asked her for more money. Her friend sent them more.
From where they were in Barstow they could have just gotten on I-15, driven north and been home. This was not what happened. The guest told the girl that since they were so close they should go to Visalia. It was not after the guests 45th birthday and he said that Merrill Lynch was supposed to release his money on his birthday.
They drove back to Visalia and visited his brother. The guest called Merrill Lynch and they told him they would be able to give him some money at the Bank of America in Visalia. He just needed to wait until Monday and they would take care of things. It was Friday so they needed to figure out what to do for the weekend.
They got a room and stayed for the weekend. The girl was so excited. She looked through the newspaper and looked at ads for things that she knew they needed. She was so glad that her journey was going to come to an end and things would be all worked out.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Chapter 4...Part 4
Monday came and the guest called Merrill Lynch. He was told that they were mistaken and things could not be taken care of in Visalia. He would need to drive down to LA and take care of things down there. The girl was so upset and didn’t know what to do. She wanted to believe that things would work out but she couldn’t figure out how that would happen. The couple had very little money left to take care of things. The guest assured her that they were not that far from LA and it wouldn’t take much to get down there.
The couple got into the vehicle and headed south. The drive was one of the most grueling experiences the girl had ever been through. The guest refused to do any of the driving but wanted to tell her how to drive from the back seat, literally. Traffic was horrible and the exits didn’t make a lot of sense sometimes. She ended up on the wrong freeway at one point because she didn’t understand how the freeway branched off.
Finally they got to Anaheim. This was where the guest had found the cheapest hotel possible in a hotel coupon book. They got the room for the night. They had very little money left. The guest took a nap while the girl walked a couple of blocks to Subway where she could get a foot long sandwich for a deal.
The girl had grown up in Utah and had never had cause to give a second thought to walking anywhere. When she returned the guest yelled at her telling her how stupid she was for walking in LA at night. The girl had thought a couple of blocks wasn’t a big deal and would save on gas. She was also away from the guest for a while which was a nice change. At this point they had spent almost every waking moment together for almost 2 months. It was incredibly overwhelming.
The girl spent the rest of the evening resting and spending time alone as the guest had fallen back to sleep after dinner. Late in the evening she went outside and watched the fireworks from Disneyland. It was a neat site. The fireworks were shaped like Disney characters and shapes. This was something different from what she had ever seen before.
The next morning the girl was sure they were going to finally get the money they needed. She was still nervous but excited.
The guest called Merrill Lynch and was told that they would get the paperwork started. They said to go ahead and take some time during the day and things would be ready to be signed late in the afternoon.
The couple drove to the beach and spent a few hours there. The water was really nice and the beach warm. The girl picked up shells along the beach.
After playing in the water and on the beach for a few hours the couple headed back to the city to make a phone call. They were told by Merrill Lynch that they needed to get closer. The next place where there was a bank big enough to handle things was in Ontario.
The couple was out of money and the vehicle almost out of gas. They went back to the city looking for pawn shops and doing their best to find what they had left to pawn.
They finally found a pawn shop that would give them a little bit of money for the DVD player the guest’s brother had given him the last time they were in Visalia. It wasn’t much but it was enough to get them to Ontario.
The couple got into the vehicle and headed south. The drive was one of the most grueling experiences the girl had ever been through. The guest refused to do any of the driving but wanted to tell her how to drive from the back seat, literally. Traffic was horrible and the exits didn’t make a lot of sense sometimes. She ended up on the wrong freeway at one point because she didn’t understand how the freeway branched off.
Finally they got to Anaheim. This was where the guest had found the cheapest hotel possible in a hotel coupon book. They got the room for the night. They had very little money left. The guest took a nap while the girl walked a couple of blocks to Subway where she could get a foot long sandwich for a deal.
The girl had grown up in Utah and had never had cause to give a second thought to walking anywhere. When she returned the guest yelled at her telling her how stupid she was for walking in LA at night. The girl had thought a couple of blocks wasn’t a big deal and would save on gas. She was also away from the guest for a while which was a nice change. At this point they had spent almost every waking moment together for almost 2 months. It was incredibly overwhelming.
The girl spent the rest of the evening resting and spending time alone as the guest had fallen back to sleep after dinner. Late in the evening she went outside and watched the fireworks from Disneyland. It was a neat site. The fireworks were shaped like Disney characters and shapes. This was something different from what she had ever seen before.
The next morning the girl was sure they were going to finally get the money they needed. She was still nervous but excited.
The guest called Merrill Lynch and was told that they would get the paperwork started. They said to go ahead and take some time during the day and things would be ready to be signed late in the afternoon.
The couple drove to the beach and spent a few hours there. The water was really nice and the beach warm. The girl picked up shells along the beach.
After playing in the water and on the beach for a few hours the couple headed back to the city to make a phone call. They were told by Merrill Lynch that they needed to get closer. The next place where there was a bank big enough to handle things was in Ontario.
The couple was out of money and the vehicle almost out of gas. They went back to the city looking for pawn shops and doing their best to find what they had left to pawn.
They finally found a pawn shop that would give them a little bit of money for the DVD player the guest’s brother had given him the last time they were in Visalia. It wasn’t much but it was enough to get them to Ontario.
Chapter 4...Part 3
The couple drove south back to I-10 and continued on their journey west and toward Utah, at least that is what the guest told the girl they were doing. They drove across Texas via I-10 west. They stopped and begged for money when and where they could. They slept wherever they could. Sometimes in truck stops, sometimes in rest areas. They made it to Las Cruces, New Mexico.
At the rest stop just over the border the girl called her mom. This was the first time she had called her mom in weeks. It was so good to hear her voice. She told her they were on their way home and that they were in New Mexico. She told her that she would hopefully be home soon. The girl truly believed they would find their way home.
In Las Cruces they kind of hit a dry spell. Las Cruces is a college town with a lot of wealthy people. It was not as easy to ask for help. The girl finally broke down and called a friend of hers. She had avoided calling any of her friends for a few weeks now but she wanted to get home so desperately that she was ready to do almost anything.
The friend she called was really good about loaning her the money. She had never done anything untrustworthy before and her friend worked it out to send the money. The girl was so excited. She was sure that with the money her friend loaned her that they would make it home with no problems.
The couple drove across highway 10 all the way. They made it to Arizona. They drove through Phoenix and on to Tonopah and stopped at the TA. Again, they had to decide what to do. They had gone through all the money that the girl’s friend had last sent to her. The girl had no choice she thought since she just wanted to get home. She called a different friend. She didn’t ask for money but was hoping she might offer help. She got her wish, her friend sent her some more money. They were back on the road again.
They went across I-10 and toward Barstow, California. When they got to Barstow they were almost out of money again. The vehicle was having problems and they didn’t know what else to do. The girl called a friend of hers again and asked her for more money. Her friend sent them more.
From where they were in Barstow they could have just gotten on I-15, driven north and been home. This was not what happened. The guest told the girl that since they were so close they should go to Visalia. It was not after the guests 45th birthday and he said that Merrill Lynch was supposed to release his money on his birthday.
They drove back to Visalia and visited his brother. The guest called Merrill Lynch and they told him they would be able to give him some money at the Bank of America in Visalia. He just needed to wait until Monday and they would take care of things. It was Friday so they needed to figure out what to do for the weekend.
They got a room and stayed for the weekend. The girl was so excited. She looked through the newspaper and looked at ads for things that she knew they needed. She was so glad that her journey was going to come to an end and things would be all worked out.
At the rest stop just over the border the girl called her mom. This was the first time she had called her mom in weeks. It was so good to hear her voice. She told her they were on their way home and that they were in New Mexico. She told her that she would hopefully be home soon. The girl truly believed they would find their way home.
In Las Cruces they kind of hit a dry spell. Las Cruces is a college town with a lot of wealthy people. It was not as easy to ask for help. The girl finally broke down and called a friend of hers. She had avoided calling any of her friends for a few weeks now but she wanted to get home so desperately that she was ready to do almost anything.
The friend she called was really good about loaning her the money. She had never done anything untrustworthy before and her friend worked it out to send the money. The girl was so excited. She was sure that with the money her friend loaned her that they would make it home with no problems.
The couple drove across highway 10 all the way. They made it to Arizona. They drove through Phoenix and on to Tonopah and stopped at the TA. Again, they had to decide what to do. They had gone through all the money that the girl’s friend had last sent to her. The girl had no choice she thought since she just wanted to get home. She called a different friend. She didn’t ask for money but was hoping she might offer help. She got her wish, her friend sent her some more money. They were back on the road again.
They went across I-10 and toward Barstow, California. When they got to Barstow they were almost out of money again. The vehicle was having problems and they didn’t know what else to do. The girl called a friend of hers again and asked her for more money. Her friend sent them more.
From where they were in Barstow they could have just gotten on I-15, driven north and been home. This was not what happened. The guest told the girl that since they were so close they should go to Visalia. It was not after the guests 45th birthday and he said that Merrill Lynch was supposed to release his money on his birthday.
They drove back to Visalia and visited his brother. The guest called Merrill Lynch and they told him they would be able to give him some money at the Bank of America in Visalia. He just needed to wait until Monday and they would take care of things. It was Friday so they needed to figure out what to do for the weekend.
They got a room and stayed for the weekend. The girl was so excited. She looked through the newspaper and looked at ads for things that she knew they needed. She was so glad that her journey was going to come to an end and things would be all worked out.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Chapter 4...Part 2
This all happened the week of Halloween which is a big holiday for the girl. She spent the entire week praying for a way home so she could celebrate with her loved ones. She had never been away from home for Halloween before and she was heartbroken that she might not be home for the holiday this time.
The couple drove as far as New Braunfels, TX. They stopped at the TA truck stop there. This is a much smaller truck stop and didn’t have a big TV room or anything. They did find the TV room which was out in the shop area. They went out and sat out there. It was incredibly cold. There was a driver sitting in there and chain smoking. In Texas you could still smoke inside buildings.
The couple sat in the TV room until it was quite late then went to the SUV for the evening. With the truck stop being so small there was only a slim chance that they might get out of there. The girl realized getting home anytime in the near future was next to hopeless.
The next morning the couple woke up and went back to the TV room. At least it was warmer with the sun out. They saw the same driver they had met the night before. The guest explained the situation that they had decided to tell everyone. The story was that the guest’s truck had been repossessed and the girl had come down from their house near Dallas to pick him up but then they had gotten stuck because his last paycheck bounced. The driver, Bryan, offered to buy them breakfast. The couple was so grateful.
While the 3 of them were sitting there at breakfast the girl noticed a guy sitting at the other end of the bar. He had a wolf tattoo in the same place on his right arm that the girl had her own tattoo. She commented on the tattoo. This brought them to a discussion about spirit and religion. The guest rolled his eyes at yet ‘another one’. The girl enjoyed talking with the man, Charlie.
After breakfast Charlie went back to his own truck for a while. He was waiting for his paycheck the next day and then for a load. The couple walked to Bryan’s truck with him. He was waiting to get permits so he could take his oversized load over the border and into Arizona where his load was due.
The couple ended up spending the entire day with Bryan and every so often Charlie would join them to chat for a bit. Bryan felt sorry for the couple and gave the guest cigarettes. He started to ask other drivers for money to help the couple get home.
Late into the evening Charlie came over and told them that he had food to share with all of them. The girl went with him to his truck to help gather supplies for dinner. She was surprised to see that Charlie carried a lot of spices with him along with food. She teased him that he was a gourmet truck driver. In the process of gathering supplies Charlie told the girl that the guest was very lucky. He said he would love to have a girl and especially one that had the same beliefs that he did. He told her that the guest should really appreciate that he had such a loving woman to stick it out with him.
The dinner was very yummy. It was gourmet ramen as the girl called it. Charlie took ramen, added spices, canned chicken, and cheese. He also supplied sodas for them all. This was the first time in years that the girl had drunk Big Red soda. What memories that brought back to her from her childhood.
Later that evening they were all sitting in the TV room when Bryan got the last of the money for the couple. Charlie had left to take care of something else and Bryan talked 2 drivers out of money to give to the couple. Bryan gave them showers (from his gas card) and the couple got ready to leave. Before they left the girl searched for Charlie. She wanted to get his contact information to stay in touch with him but she could not find him anywhere. She finally had to give up when the guest said it was time to go.
The couple drove as far as New Braunfels, TX. They stopped at the TA truck stop there. This is a much smaller truck stop and didn’t have a big TV room or anything. They did find the TV room which was out in the shop area. They went out and sat out there. It was incredibly cold. There was a driver sitting in there and chain smoking. In Texas you could still smoke inside buildings.
The couple sat in the TV room until it was quite late then went to the SUV for the evening. With the truck stop being so small there was only a slim chance that they might get out of there. The girl realized getting home anytime in the near future was next to hopeless.
The next morning the couple woke up and went back to the TV room. At least it was warmer with the sun out. They saw the same driver they had met the night before. The guest explained the situation that they had decided to tell everyone. The story was that the guest’s truck had been repossessed and the girl had come down from their house near Dallas to pick him up but then they had gotten stuck because his last paycheck bounced. The driver, Bryan, offered to buy them breakfast. The couple was so grateful.
While the 3 of them were sitting there at breakfast the girl noticed a guy sitting at the other end of the bar. He had a wolf tattoo in the same place on his right arm that the girl had her own tattoo. She commented on the tattoo. This brought them to a discussion about spirit and religion. The guest rolled his eyes at yet ‘another one’. The girl enjoyed talking with the man, Charlie.
After breakfast Charlie went back to his own truck for a while. He was waiting for his paycheck the next day and then for a load. The couple walked to Bryan’s truck with him. He was waiting to get permits so he could take his oversized load over the border and into Arizona where his load was due.
The couple ended up spending the entire day with Bryan and every so often Charlie would join them to chat for a bit. Bryan felt sorry for the couple and gave the guest cigarettes. He started to ask other drivers for money to help the couple get home.
Late into the evening Charlie came over and told them that he had food to share with all of them. The girl went with him to his truck to help gather supplies for dinner. She was surprised to see that Charlie carried a lot of spices with him along with food. She teased him that he was a gourmet truck driver. In the process of gathering supplies Charlie told the girl that the guest was very lucky. He said he would love to have a girl and especially one that had the same beliefs that he did. He told her that the guest should really appreciate that he had such a loving woman to stick it out with him.
The dinner was very yummy. It was gourmet ramen as the girl called it. Charlie took ramen, added spices, canned chicken, and cheese. He also supplied sodas for them all. This was the first time in years that the girl had drunk Big Red soda. What memories that brought back to her from her childhood.
Later that evening they were all sitting in the TV room when Bryan got the last of the money for the couple. Charlie had left to take care of something else and Bryan talked 2 drivers out of money to give to the couple. Bryan gave them showers (from his gas card) and the couple got ready to leave. Before they left the girl searched for Charlie. She wanted to get his contact information to stay in touch with him but she could not find him anywhere. She finally had to give up when the guest said it was time to go.
Chapter 4...Part 1
It was late in the evening when they got there. The guest told the girls that they were going to have to ask people for gas money. He told them it would be better if they were the ones that asked because people usually won’t give money to men. So he stayed near while the 2 girls asked drivers for gas money. This was one of the most difficult things the girl had ever done. She had never asked a stranger for money before. She had barely even asked someone for the time of day or directions. She was embarrassed and couldn’t believe she was doing this.
The 2 girls did fairly well asking for money. They were only there about 2 hours and had enough money to get pretty far.
They drove through the night driving over the border and into Louisiana. The slept at the rest stop for the night and continued on to Texas, stopping here and there to beg for money. Just over the border in Anthony they stopped at a Flying J truck stop. This was early Sunday morning. The girls again tried to beg for money from drivers. One of the drivers had given them money in Florida and they were really embarrassed. They didn’t get as much money and they were invited to the truck stop ministry.
After a while they decided to quit asking for money. They sat in the TV room for quite a while watching TV. One time when both Don and the guest went out for a smoke break, the girl called her friend, DK. She told her that she was okay but that her call to the Flying J in Florida got her in trouble. She told them that the guest had forbidden her to call DK after that. She told her of the plans she had in Florida but now couldn’t get in touch with her friend to help her out. She told her she would call when she could but that didn’t seem like it might be soon and that the guest kept telling her they were headed home.
The girl was so scared she was going to get caught by the guest while she was on the phone. She was able to sneak out of the booth and say she had been in the bathroom. The guest looked at her suspiciously but decided not to say anything else.
All day long they tried to figure out what to do about the lack of money situation. Don finally decided she would call a friend of hers that really liked her and wanted her to come be with him. He sent her some money for the couple to drive her up to meet him. He lived near Dallas. The 3 of them got food, cigarettes, gas, and headed toward Dallas.
They drove most of the night then stopped at a rest stop to sleep. They were almost out of gas and no anywhere near where they needed to be. They stopped in Huntsville, TX at a Pilot truck stop. The 2 girls sat next to each other in the McDonald’s. They were sitting there talking when Don started talking with a driver sitting at a table next to them. Somehow it came up that he would love to have someone with him on the road. She said she would love to go. The next thing the girl knew she was helping Don get her things out of the SUV. She was scared to be with the guest alone again and she didn’t know what would become of her and the guest but she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.
After Don left the guest and the girl discussed what they needed to do. The girl ended up asking driver’s for money. They got lucky. A driver put gas in their tank. When they were ready to leave the girl asked if they should try to get to the guest’s house he supposedly had in Texas. They should have been close to where the house was. The guest said that they would have no power or food at the house so it was a bad idea to get there. He said it was better to just continue on to Utah and get her home.
The 2 girls did fairly well asking for money. They were only there about 2 hours and had enough money to get pretty far.
They drove through the night driving over the border and into Louisiana. The slept at the rest stop for the night and continued on to Texas, stopping here and there to beg for money. Just over the border in Anthony they stopped at a Flying J truck stop. This was early Sunday morning. The girls again tried to beg for money from drivers. One of the drivers had given them money in Florida and they were really embarrassed. They didn’t get as much money and they were invited to the truck stop ministry.
After a while they decided to quit asking for money. They sat in the TV room for quite a while watching TV. One time when both Don and the guest went out for a smoke break, the girl called her friend, DK. She told her that she was okay but that her call to the Flying J in Florida got her in trouble. She told them that the guest had forbidden her to call DK after that. She told her of the plans she had in Florida but now couldn’t get in touch with her friend to help her out. She told her she would call when she could but that didn’t seem like it might be soon and that the guest kept telling her they were headed home.
The girl was so scared she was going to get caught by the guest while she was on the phone. She was able to sneak out of the booth and say she had been in the bathroom. The guest looked at her suspiciously but decided not to say anything else.
All day long they tried to figure out what to do about the lack of money situation. Don finally decided she would call a friend of hers that really liked her and wanted her to come be with him. He sent her some money for the couple to drive her up to meet him. He lived near Dallas. The 3 of them got food, cigarettes, gas, and headed toward Dallas.
They drove most of the night then stopped at a rest stop to sleep. They were almost out of gas and no anywhere near where they needed to be. They stopped in Huntsville, TX at a Pilot truck stop. The 2 girls sat next to each other in the McDonald’s. They were sitting there talking when Don started talking with a driver sitting at a table next to them. Somehow it came up that he would love to have someone with him on the road. She said she would love to go. The next thing the girl knew she was helping Don get her things out of the SUV. She was scared to be with the guest alone again and she didn’t know what would become of her and the guest but she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.
After Don left the guest and the girl discussed what they needed to do. The girl ended up asking driver’s for money. They got lucky. A driver put gas in their tank. When they were ready to leave the girl asked if they should try to get to the guest’s house he supposedly had in Texas. They should have been close to where the house was. The guest said that they would have no power or food at the house so it was a bad idea to get there. He said it was better to just continue on to Utah and get her home.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Chapter 3...Part 8
After 5 days of waiting in the truck stop, the 3 of them sleeping in the SUV, trying to figure out how to keep them all fed, and Don and the guest in cigarettes, the girl was hopeless. She was sore and hurting all over from the constant rains and cold. Every day the guest called and said the recording said the bridge was still closed. This didn’t make much sense that people wouldn’t be able to get to and from their homes but she had never lived on the east coast so who was she to judge?
The girl talked with a friend of hers who said she called and the bridge had never been closed, had been open for all those day. The girl was very scared and nervous by this time and knew it was time to figure something else out. She decided she would figure out a way to leave the guest and get home.
The girl was doing laundry when they announced her name over the loudspeaker. She was confused and went to the front desk. It was DK. She said that the girl’s dad had called and was worried about the SUV being repossessed and she wanted to let the girl know that she might be in trouble.
The girl then went back to folding laundry. She was separating her clothes from the guest’s clothes. She had already emailed a friend of hers trying to find a way to get home and she was just waiting to see what she could find out. She had also emailed those she felt were closest to her because she knew it might be dangerous to leave the guest because he might find a way to hurt her and also because she was going to go off on her own and try to figure out how to find a way home. It could have been very dangerous.
It was because of the later that this next part happened. Cops showed up at the truck stop. They were looking for her. When they found her they told her that they were doing a welfare check reported from DK. They asked if she was okay and if she was with anyone. She told them she was okay and was with someone and she was very scared. She told them she just wanted to go home. She described what the guest was wearing. They went in search of him. They didn’t find him and they told her if she needed help then she needed to call United Way. She asked them if it cost to call them. They told her it might and handed her $1.00 for the call then left.
The girl finished packing and the guest came into the laundry room. He asked her what they said to her and what she said to them. He said that they were packing up and heading to Jacksonville. He didn’t give her a choice. He had borrowed money from someone he had met and they were leaving.
When they were in the vehicle the guest told her how mad he was at her. He said it was her friend that set her up. That DK had called the truck stop to make sure she was there and then called the cops. He was so mad at her. He said that she could have gotten Don in trouble too because she had a warrant out for an unpaid ticket.
The girl was so upset. All her ideas and thoughts were gone again now. How would she ever get help again if they were on the run? She knew they were on the run now. The guest told her that they had no other choice than to get her home so that more of her friends could do the same thing. He told her that she was to contact no one and that if she did and he found out he would leave her.
The girl was so scared of being left and alone that she listened to what he said and didn’t contact anyone. With the money they had borrowed they made it back to the Flying J in Midway/Tallahassee.
The girl talked with a friend of hers who said she called and the bridge had never been closed, had been open for all those day. The girl was very scared and nervous by this time and knew it was time to figure something else out. She decided she would figure out a way to leave the guest and get home.
The girl was doing laundry when they announced her name over the loudspeaker. She was confused and went to the front desk. It was DK. She said that the girl’s dad had called and was worried about the SUV being repossessed and she wanted to let the girl know that she might be in trouble.
The girl then went back to folding laundry. She was separating her clothes from the guest’s clothes. She had already emailed a friend of hers trying to find a way to get home and she was just waiting to see what she could find out. She had also emailed those she felt were closest to her because she knew it might be dangerous to leave the guest because he might find a way to hurt her and also because she was going to go off on her own and try to figure out how to find a way home. It could have been very dangerous.
It was because of the later that this next part happened. Cops showed up at the truck stop. They were looking for her. When they found her they told her that they were doing a welfare check reported from DK. They asked if she was okay and if she was with anyone. She told them she was okay and was with someone and she was very scared. She told them she just wanted to go home. She described what the guest was wearing. They went in search of him. They didn’t find him and they told her if she needed help then she needed to call United Way. She asked them if it cost to call them. They told her it might and handed her $1.00 for the call then left.
The girl finished packing and the guest came into the laundry room. He asked her what they said to her and what she said to them. He said that they were packing up and heading to Jacksonville. He didn’t give her a choice. He had borrowed money from someone he had met and they were leaving.
When they were in the vehicle the guest told her how mad he was at her. He said it was her friend that set her up. That DK had called the truck stop to make sure she was there and then called the cops. He was so mad at her. He said that she could have gotten Don in trouble too because she had a warrant out for an unpaid ticket.
The girl was so upset. All her ideas and thoughts were gone again now. How would she ever get help again if they were on the run? She knew they were on the run now. The guest told her that they had no other choice than to get her home so that more of her friends could do the same thing. He told her that she was to contact no one and that if she did and he found out he would leave her.
The girl was so scared of being left and alone that she listened to what he said and didn’t contact anyone. With the money they had borrowed they made it back to the Flying J in Midway/Tallahassee.
Chapter 3...Part 7
The 3 of them had dinner then headed north back to Ocala. The guest said this was the best route to get to the island. It was very late by the time they got to Ocala. The guest said he would go inside and sleep in the movie room and the girls could sleep in the SUV.
After the guest got out of the vehicle the girl tried to explain the situation to Don. She told her that they had been away from home for 5 weeks and explained how the guest had kept telling her they were getting this place or that place and how every time they had money then he would spend it on cigarettes or find something else to do with it all.
Eventually Don said that she was not tired and that she was going to go inside. The girl fell asleep and the next thing she remembered it was early morning and Don and the guest were getting into the SUV. They had decided the best route to take. They had been awake for hours drinking coffee and had it all figured out. They said they were going to fill up the gas tank with the money that was left and head to Daytona Beach. From Daytona they could figure things out and head to Saint Augustine. The girl brought up the fact that they had little gas but both Don and the guest both told her it would work out. She felt she was completely out numbered and that the only chance was to head to Daytona.
They headed west across Highway 40. The drive was gorgeous. The girl was sad that she didn’t have her camera. They were driving through the heart of the Ocala National Forest and she couldn’t even take pictures. The guest and Don slept most of the way and they were soon at Daytona.
They drove past the car racetrack and right over the bridge to the beach. The girl had only ever been to the beach on the west coast and Don had never been to the ocean at all.
The day was overcast but the beach was beautiful. The sand was white and warm. The water wasn’t as warm as the girl had thought it would be but it was warmer than the water on the west coast.
They all spent a couple of hours picking up sea shells and playing in the water. Then it got windy and stormy. It looked like rain so they came in from the beach.
Once they were back in the SUV they discussed what to do next. Don said she had some jewelry that they might be able to pawn but she wanted a promise that she would for sure get it back.
Don and the girl went into a pawn shop to see what they could get. They were able to get some money and get ready to head to the island. They all drove back into town and the guest called about the bridge to Saint Augustine. He said the bridge was closed so they were going to have to figure out what else to do. They grabbed a cheap breakfast and headed to Saint Augustine.
The winds were horrible on the drive north. The rear end of the SUV was already having problems and the drive was very scary. It seemed like the vehicle was going to fall apart.
They arrived in Saint Augustine and it was raining. They went to the Flying J truck stop to wait out the storm and hope that the bridge would reopen soon.
After the guest got out of the vehicle the girl tried to explain the situation to Don. She told her that they had been away from home for 5 weeks and explained how the guest had kept telling her they were getting this place or that place and how every time they had money then he would spend it on cigarettes or find something else to do with it all.
Eventually Don said that she was not tired and that she was going to go inside. The girl fell asleep and the next thing she remembered it was early morning and Don and the guest were getting into the SUV. They had decided the best route to take. They had been awake for hours drinking coffee and had it all figured out. They said they were going to fill up the gas tank with the money that was left and head to Daytona Beach. From Daytona they could figure things out and head to Saint Augustine. The girl brought up the fact that they had little gas but both Don and the guest both told her it would work out. She felt she was completely out numbered and that the only chance was to head to Daytona.
They headed west across Highway 40. The drive was gorgeous. The girl was sad that she didn’t have her camera. They were driving through the heart of the Ocala National Forest and she couldn’t even take pictures. The guest and Don slept most of the way and they were soon at Daytona.
They drove past the car racetrack and right over the bridge to the beach. The girl had only ever been to the beach on the west coast and Don had never been to the ocean at all.
The day was overcast but the beach was beautiful. The sand was white and warm. The water wasn’t as warm as the girl had thought it would be but it was warmer than the water on the west coast.
They all spent a couple of hours picking up sea shells and playing in the water. Then it got windy and stormy. It looked like rain so they came in from the beach.
Once they were back in the SUV they discussed what to do next. Don said she had some jewelry that they might be able to pawn but she wanted a promise that she would for sure get it back.
Don and the girl went into a pawn shop to see what they could get. They were able to get some money and get ready to head to the island. They all drove back into town and the guest called about the bridge to Saint Augustine. He said the bridge was closed so they were going to have to figure out what else to do. They grabbed a cheap breakfast and headed to Saint Augustine.
The winds were horrible on the drive north. The rear end of the SUV was already having problems and the drive was very scary. It seemed like the vehicle was going to fall apart.
They arrived in Saint Augustine and it was raining. They went to the Flying J truck stop to wait out the storm and hope that the bridge would reopen soon.
Chapter 3...Part 6
From where they were, the couple had a couple of different choices where to go. They could continue east along I-10 toward Saint Augustine or they could head south along I-75 toward Ocala. The guest said that the shop for the cars and where his friend PH was Inverness and that was right next to Ocala. If they headed that way then they could just go to the shop and PH would help them.
Off they headed toward Ocala after stopping at the Pilot for hot dogs. They arrived in Ocala late that evening and slept in the parking lot of the Petro truck stop. The next morning the guest again tried to reach PH with no answer.
The girl called friends again to see what she could work out. A friend of hers agreed to send her some money so they went in search of a place to retrieve that money. This took the rest of the gas they had. They searched for a pawn shop first hoping to gain enough gas money to make it to a place to retrieve money. They finally located one and pawned a stereo that the guest had gotten from his brother. It was not much but more than they already had. They stopped for gas and of course cigarettes.
This has not been mentioned before but cigarettes upset the girl to no end. First of all, the guest got her to agree to let him smoke in her vehicle which was something she had never allowed anyone to do in the past. Then whenever they had money the cigarettes came first, then meds or food or gas or whatever needed to be done. It upset her very much but the guest was always so insistent that this was the most important thing that she got used to it. She just agonized over it each time it happened. She swore that if she ever got out of this mess, cigarettes would never rule her life again. She never even smoked so why were cigarettes taking over her life and her livelihood?
They headed on to pick up the money and keep going. They still could not reach PH and the guest told her their best bet at this point was to head to Tampa. The girl was so frustrated at this point that anything sounded better than being stranded.
They headed to Tampa and stopped at the Flying J. Right next to the Flying J was an RV park. The guest told her they should go look at RV’s and that if they found one they were looking for they would forget the one in Mobile and just buy one since they were right there.
They spent a couple of hours looking at RV’s. It was so easy to get caught up in the excitement of something new. It was like buying a house to the girl. She would be able to cook meals and they would be able to sleep in a real bed. It was something they would have with them no matter what happened. Anything stable at this point was what the girl was looking for and truly needed.
They left the RV place and went back to the Flying J for the guest to get a hold of Merrill Lynch. They spent the next few hours waiting to hear a go ahead from Merrill Lynch.
The guest thought it would be a good idea for them to head over to the TA truck stop so that it was not as obvious that they had been sitting there for a while. They sat in the TV room for a while and ended up watching “Charmed” and “Law and Order”. There was a girl there that was very loud and commented a lot. The girl was getting irritated over her but didn’t say much.
After a while the guest was out smoking and the irritating girl came in and told her that her husband wanted to talk with her. The girl went outside to see what was going on. The guest told her that the irritating girl, Don, had been left there by her boyfriend and she had no place to go. She was stranded and needed help. He asked her if she minded helping the girl out. She had a little bit of money and wouldn’t she make a great secretary for the business? He said that they could all get to Saint Augustine, get money and be able to take care of things from there.
The girl thinking they were finally getting to the house agreed that this was a probability. She was very concerned that the girl was going to get stranded as well but felt like at least this girl would not get into any other trouble if she was with them.
Off they headed toward Ocala after stopping at the Pilot for hot dogs. They arrived in Ocala late that evening and slept in the parking lot of the Petro truck stop. The next morning the guest again tried to reach PH with no answer.
The girl called friends again to see what she could work out. A friend of hers agreed to send her some money so they went in search of a place to retrieve that money. This took the rest of the gas they had. They searched for a pawn shop first hoping to gain enough gas money to make it to a place to retrieve money. They finally located one and pawned a stereo that the guest had gotten from his brother. It was not much but more than they already had. They stopped for gas and of course cigarettes.
This has not been mentioned before but cigarettes upset the girl to no end. First of all, the guest got her to agree to let him smoke in her vehicle which was something she had never allowed anyone to do in the past. Then whenever they had money the cigarettes came first, then meds or food or gas or whatever needed to be done. It upset her very much but the guest was always so insistent that this was the most important thing that she got used to it. She just agonized over it each time it happened. She swore that if she ever got out of this mess, cigarettes would never rule her life again. She never even smoked so why were cigarettes taking over her life and her livelihood?
They headed on to pick up the money and keep going. They still could not reach PH and the guest told her their best bet at this point was to head to Tampa. The girl was so frustrated at this point that anything sounded better than being stranded.
They headed to Tampa and stopped at the Flying J. Right next to the Flying J was an RV park. The guest told her they should go look at RV’s and that if they found one they were looking for they would forget the one in Mobile and just buy one since they were right there.
They spent a couple of hours looking at RV’s. It was so easy to get caught up in the excitement of something new. It was like buying a house to the girl. She would be able to cook meals and they would be able to sleep in a real bed. It was something they would have with them no matter what happened. Anything stable at this point was what the girl was looking for and truly needed.
They left the RV place and went back to the Flying J for the guest to get a hold of Merrill Lynch. They spent the next few hours waiting to hear a go ahead from Merrill Lynch.
The guest thought it would be a good idea for them to head over to the TA truck stop so that it was not as obvious that they had been sitting there for a while. They sat in the TV room for a while and ended up watching “Charmed” and “Law and Order”. There was a girl there that was very loud and commented a lot. The girl was getting irritated over her but didn’t say much.
After a while the guest was out smoking and the irritating girl came in and told her that her husband wanted to talk with her. The girl went outside to see what was going on. The guest told her that the irritating girl, Don, had been left there by her boyfriend and she had no place to go. She was stranded and needed help. He asked her if she minded helping the girl out. She had a little bit of money and wouldn’t she make a great secretary for the business? He said that they could all get to Saint Augustine, get money and be able to take care of things from there.
The girl thinking they were finally getting to the house agreed that this was a probability. She was very concerned that the girl was going to get stranded as well but felt like at least this girl would not get into any other trouble if she was with them.
Chapter 3...Part 5
They spent a good night there. The girl asked the guest what was happening with the RV and he told her that Merrill Lynch was working on it and they would be able to come back later to retrieve it. The couple got into the SUV and headed to Florida. The girl had never been on a bridge so large before and was very excited as well as nervous. Everything was so green and beautiful.
The couple drove into Florida and made it to Defuniak Springs. They stayed overnight. Their money was again getting meager at this point. The girl wanted to keep driving and had made it past Pensacola where the guest had originally said he wanted to stay. He had fallen asleep in the back of the SUV and she thought if she kept driving they could drive the entire way to Saint Augustine. It wasn’t that far on the map and since she was doing all the driving she couldn’t think why it would matter to the guest if they kept driving.
When they got outside Defuniak Springs he told her to pull off because they could see motel/hotel signs. She knew the money was getting low and didn’t want to stay. She finally gave in and they stayed for the night.
This was the night she really experienced how humid it was in Florida. She washed their clothes in the sink and hung them to dry, something she had done a lot since the beginning of this trip. By the morning everything was still fairly wet. This made her realize how humid it really was.
The next morning they were back on the road and headed to Saint Augustine. They drove to Tallahassee and stopped at the Flying J there. The guest told the girl that he would try calling his friend to come pick them up. He said that they barely had the money to get to the island so it would be better to have PH come pick them up.
The girl was again starting to worry. She knew they didn’t have much money so she thought this was a good idea. The guest kept trying to call PH originally to no avail. Then he finally got in touch with him. He told them to stay there and he would come get them later in the evening because he was still at work. The guest convinced the girl that they should eat and spent most of their money on playing video games.
By nightfall they had not yet seen nor heard from PH. The girl knew this was a bleak situation. They didn’t have enough gas to head on and they also didn’t have money to eat or stay anywhere with.
The couple was again back to sleeping in the SUV in the parking lot of the Flying J. After 2 days of doing this, the couple got lucky. They met a man that needed to get to a doctor. He was a driver and needed to be cleared before he could move on. The couple offered to give him a ride into town to the doctor. In return the driver bought them lunch and gave them cash. The girl never did find out exactly what the guest had told the driver but it meant they could move on.
The couple drove into Florida and made it to Defuniak Springs. They stayed overnight. Their money was again getting meager at this point. The girl wanted to keep driving and had made it past Pensacola where the guest had originally said he wanted to stay. He had fallen asleep in the back of the SUV and she thought if she kept driving they could drive the entire way to Saint Augustine. It wasn’t that far on the map and since she was doing all the driving she couldn’t think why it would matter to the guest if they kept driving.
When they got outside Defuniak Springs he told her to pull off because they could see motel/hotel signs. She knew the money was getting low and didn’t want to stay. She finally gave in and they stayed for the night.
This was the night she really experienced how humid it was in Florida. She washed their clothes in the sink and hung them to dry, something she had done a lot since the beginning of this trip. By the morning everything was still fairly wet. This made her realize how humid it really was.
The next morning they were back on the road and headed to Saint Augustine. They drove to Tallahassee and stopped at the Flying J there. The guest told the girl that he would try calling his friend to come pick them up. He said that they barely had the money to get to the island so it would be better to have PH come pick them up.
The girl was again starting to worry. She knew they didn’t have much money so she thought this was a good idea. The guest kept trying to call PH originally to no avail. Then he finally got in touch with him. He told them to stay there and he would come get them later in the evening because he was still at work. The guest convinced the girl that they should eat and spent most of their money on playing video games.
By nightfall they had not yet seen nor heard from PH. The girl knew this was a bleak situation. They didn’t have enough gas to head on and they also didn’t have money to eat or stay anywhere with.
The couple was again back to sleeping in the SUV in the parking lot of the Flying J. After 2 days of doing this, the couple got lucky. They met a man that needed to get to a doctor. He was a driver and needed to be cleared before he could move on. The couple offered to give him a ride into town to the doctor. In return the driver bought them lunch and gave them cash. The girl never did find out exactly what the guest had told the driver but it meant they could move on.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Chapter 3...Part 4
Monday morning came and the driver had to leave to take care of some family business but he gave them directions to get to the business office. He never knew what was going to come next and he was probably incredibly mad about what did transpire.
The girl and the guest headed to the business office. The guest did fill out an application and needed to head over to find out about requesting a copy of his social security card. He told the girl that they should go get the money from her friend, head over to social security and then go from there. This seemed like a good plan and they headed to Sparta, Il to pick up the money from Wal-Mart.
After the girl picked up the money the guest started to talk with her about what should be done next. Didn’t she think it would be a better idea to head to Florida and take care of things then return to give the guy and his family the money back that he had spent on helping them? This did seem reasonable for the girl and she agreed.
The couple picked up supplies from Wal-Mart, including an atlas, and headed back on the road. The girl was excited to see an actual map. She could finally see all those places they had been. For the first time in her life she had crossed the Mississippi (and yes, it really is muddy) and she was seeing things she had never seen. Before they left town she even saw the Popeye statue that her brother had taken a picture of while he was on a mission. She was excited about seeing things and an end in sight to this journey.
The couple drove and stopped in Arkansas for the night at a Motel 6. They ordered pizza with the thought that it would last for a few meals. That didn’t happen but it was the thought at the time and it was different from what they had been eating.
They continued on and when they got to Alabama they stopped at a Red Roof Inn near Mobile. It was at this point when the girl realized how little money they really had. One of the agreements the couple had made earlier on was that they would both have some of the money so it would last longer. After she paid the room rate for the night the guest told her that he didn’t have any money.
The girl didn’t know what else to do except try to get a hold of her friend in Missouri again and see if she could wire them a bit more money. They were right near the border between Alabama and Florida. How much further could they really need to travel?
The friend wired them more money. This is when the dreams started to happen again. While waiting for the money to be wired the guest told the girl that they should go look at RV’s because he would be sending her home soon and she needed something that she could travel and sleep in on the way home. He said that once they got to Merrill Lynch he would need to stay but he could send her home. They went and looked for RV’s that she could handle driving. He told the girl and the salesgirl that he could get a cashier’s check from ML/BofA and it wouldn’t be a problem. The girl was confused by this because how would they agree to buy an RV but not to send them money? The guest gave her an explanation that sounded good at the time. They filled out all the paperwork and said they would be back with a check.
The couple went to Wal-Mart to wait for money and the guest went to the pay phone to talk about the cashier’s check for the RV. He told the girl that they were working on it and they should have it by the next day. He said that they needed to stay overnight again to wait for the check to be processed and then they could move on.
They spent one more night in Mobile. It was very peaceful there. It was warm and green, so much green the girl had rarely seen before in her life and never in October. The one very sad thing the girl experienced was the death of a crow. The couple was standing on the balcony when a crow clothes-lined himself on a power line. The girl rushed down to see if there was anything she could do but the crow’s neck was broken. The girl later realized this probably should have been a sign but she didn’t recognize this at the time.
The girl and the guest headed to the business office. The guest did fill out an application and needed to head over to find out about requesting a copy of his social security card. He told the girl that they should go get the money from her friend, head over to social security and then go from there. This seemed like a good plan and they headed to Sparta, Il to pick up the money from Wal-Mart.
After the girl picked up the money the guest started to talk with her about what should be done next. Didn’t she think it would be a better idea to head to Florida and take care of things then return to give the guy and his family the money back that he had spent on helping them? This did seem reasonable for the girl and she agreed.
The couple picked up supplies from Wal-Mart, including an atlas, and headed back on the road. The girl was excited to see an actual map. She could finally see all those places they had been. For the first time in her life she had crossed the Mississippi (and yes, it really is muddy) and she was seeing things she had never seen. Before they left town she even saw the Popeye statue that her brother had taken a picture of while he was on a mission. She was excited about seeing things and an end in sight to this journey.
The couple drove and stopped in Arkansas for the night at a Motel 6. They ordered pizza with the thought that it would last for a few meals. That didn’t happen but it was the thought at the time and it was different from what they had been eating.
They continued on and when they got to Alabama they stopped at a Red Roof Inn near Mobile. It was at this point when the girl realized how little money they really had. One of the agreements the couple had made earlier on was that they would both have some of the money so it would last longer. After she paid the room rate for the night the guest told her that he didn’t have any money.
The girl didn’t know what else to do except try to get a hold of her friend in Missouri again and see if she could wire them a bit more money. They were right near the border between Alabama and Florida. How much further could they really need to travel?
The friend wired them more money. This is when the dreams started to happen again. While waiting for the money to be wired the guest told the girl that they should go look at RV’s because he would be sending her home soon and she needed something that she could travel and sleep in on the way home. He said that once they got to Merrill Lynch he would need to stay but he could send her home. They went and looked for RV’s that she could handle driving. He told the girl and the salesgirl that he could get a cashier’s check from ML/BofA and it wouldn’t be a problem. The girl was confused by this because how would they agree to buy an RV but not to send them money? The guest gave her an explanation that sounded good at the time. They filled out all the paperwork and said they would be back with a check.
The couple went to Wal-Mart to wait for money and the guest went to the pay phone to talk about the cashier’s check for the RV. He told the girl that they were working on it and they should have it by the next day. He said that they needed to stay overnight again to wait for the check to be processed and then they could move on.
They spent one more night in Mobile. It was very peaceful there. It was warm and green, so much green the girl had rarely seen before in her life and never in October. The one very sad thing the girl experienced was the death of a crow. The couple was standing on the balcony when a crow clothes-lined himself on a power line. The girl rushed down to see if there was anything she could do but the crow’s neck was broken. The girl later realized this probably should have been a sign but she didn’t recognize this at the time.
Chapter 3...Part 3
The next few days were a blur to the girl. The girl drove the journey to Missouri. They met up with the driver’s brother and she drove the SUV in between the two trucks. That first night they stopped at a huge truck stop to sleep. They slept in between the 2 trucks in the truck parking lot. This was a first for the girl.
The next day they drove 1,000 miles and the girl was completely worn out. She didn’t make it the last 100 miles. They had to stop to let her switch with the guest and have him drive. She climbed into the back of the SUV and slept as long as they would let her sleep. The next morning they stopped to drop off the loads and the driver had said he would let them stay the weekend with him and his family until Monday when the guest could go apply for his job.
The weekend was nice. They slept on couches but they had access to the computer and they got to watch TV’s. The girl watched her first endurance race on TV. They went out to dinner the first night and had meals at the house the rest of the weekend. The family was very welcoming to them and very nice to them. The girl was very grateful for these people taking them in.
This weekend was another heartache for the girl. She felt she kept losing parts of herself on this journey and the guest took one more piece from her. They were outside with her SUV and he said it needed to be washed. This was true. It had not been washed since before they left Utah. What broke her heart was that he said they needed to remove all of her stickers from the windows because it made the vehicle stand out too much. The stickers the girl had were all related to who she was like her name or to her religion. It seemed the guest was taking one piece of her at a time. It was easier to let him take them off than to argue and she finally agreed to his taking the stickers off her SUV.
That weekend the girl did something she would later very much regret. She got a hold of a friend of hers that lives in Missouri. She asked if she could help them and gave them a brief description of what had been going on. The friend agreed to send them some money. Ironically she was not in the state of Missouri at that time. She agreed to wire them much more money than they had asked for. If the girl had known then what she later learned, she would have lied about the amount or not gotten the money in the first place. The girl was excited because she was sure this time this was going to get them to Florida.
The next day they drove 1,000 miles and the girl was completely worn out. She didn’t make it the last 100 miles. They had to stop to let her switch with the guest and have him drive. She climbed into the back of the SUV and slept as long as they would let her sleep. The next morning they stopped to drop off the loads and the driver had said he would let them stay the weekend with him and his family until Monday when the guest could go apply for his job.
The weekend was nice. They slept on couches but they had access to the computer and they got to watch TV’s. The girl watched her first endurance race on TV. They went out to dinner the first night and had meals at the house the rest of the weekend. The family was very welcoming to them and very nice to them. The girl was very grateful for these people taking them in.
This weekend was another heartache for the girl. She felt she kept losing parts of herself on this journey and the guest took one more piece from her. They were outside with her SUV and he said it needed to be washed. This was true. It had not been washed since before they left Utah. What broke her heart was that he said they needed to remove all of her stickers from the windows because it made the vehicle stand out too much. The stickers the girl had were all related to who she was like her name or to her religion. It seemed the guest was taking one piece of her at a time. It was easier to let him take them off than to argue and she finally agreed to his taking the stickers off her SUV.
That weekend the girl did something she would later very much regret. She got a hold of a friend of hers that lives in Missouri. She asked if she could help them and gave them a brief description of what had been going on. The friend agreed to send them some money. Ironically she was not in the state of Missouri at that time. She agreed to wire them much more money than they had asked for. If the girl had known then what she later learned, she would have lied about the amount or not gotten the money in the first place. The girl was excited because she was sure this time this was going to get them to Florida.
Chapter 3...Part 2
The drive to Flagstaff was pretty and uneventful. However, the girl noticed it was definitely getting colder. It was now October and Flagstaff is one of those Arizona cities with four seasons. The arrived at the Little America in Flagstaff very late that night. The girl did not know that Little America was a truck stop but she had heard of it before since they have one in Salt Lake City, UT.
They went inside and watched the TV for a couple of hours then went back to the SUV to get some sleep. It was one of the most painful and cold nights the girl had ever spent. They had no blankets and the back of the SUV was really hard. The girl had been sleeping in the driver’s seat but the guest convinced her to sleep in the back with him to keep warm. It didn’t work.
The next morning they woke up to snow. It was beautiful but not what she wanted to see. The couple went inside to get warm and cleaned up. They had saved enough money to do laundry and the girl spent part of the day washing clothes.
The guest had met a driver when they were in Kingman who told him that he might be able to help them get as far as Missouri and that he would be in Flagstaff later that evening. He had given the guest his phone number. The guest spent most of the day trying to reach the driver.
Late in the afternoon the guest finally got in touch with the driver. He was picking up a load in California. He was supposed to load early the next morning then he would be to Flagstaff late in the evening the next day. He said he would stop and speak with the guest and see what he might be able to do.
The girl had a spiral notebook with her. She spent a couple of hours writing “It WILL work out” on pages of the notebook. She was so scared and the only way she could keep herself from stressing out was to believe that things were going to work out.
Finally the driver got to Little America and talked with the guest. The girl was watching a movie when the guest came to get her. He told her to go get the SUV and to pull it into the fuel aisle. The driver paid for them to fill up and then they were off, following the driver.
While they were driving the guest explained to the girl what was going on. The driver’s company would not allow anyone to ride with him so what he had agreed to do was to buy them gas from Arizona to Missouri then the guest could apply for a driving job with the driver’s company.
The girl was excited that they were being helped out and that the guest would get a job. This was good news as far as she could tell. The guest would get a job and they could take care of whatever they needed to and she would feel more secure about everything going on.
They went inside and watched the TV for a couple of hours then went back to the SUV to get some sleep. It was one of the most painful and cold nights the girl had ever spent. They had no blankets and the back of the SUV was really hard. The girl had been sleeping in the driver’s seat but the guest convinced her to sleep in the back with him to keep warm. It didn’t work.
The next morning they woke up to snow. It was beautiful but not what she wanted to see. The couple went inside to get warm and cleaned up. They had saved enough money to do laundry and the girl spent part of the day washing clothes.
The guest had met a driver when they were in Kingman who told him that he might be able to help them get as far as Missouri and that he would be in Flagstaff later that evening. He had given the guest his phone number. The guest spent most of the day trying to reach the driver.
Late in the afternoon the guest finally got in touch with the driver. He was picking up a load in California. He was supposed to load early the next morning then he would be to Flagstaff late in the evening the next day. He said he would stop and speak with the guest and see what he might be able to do.
The girl had a spiral notebook with her. She spent a couple of hours writing “It WILL work out” on pages of the notebook. She was so scared and the only way she could keep herself from stressing out was to believe that things were going to work out.
Finally the driver got to Little America and talked with the guest. The girl was watching a movie when the guest came to get her. He told her to go get the SUV and to pull it into the fuel aisle. The driver paid for them to fill up and then they were off, following the driver.
While they were driving the guest explained to the girl what was going on. The driver’s company would not allow anyone to ride with him so what he had agreed to do was to buy them gas from Arizona to Missouri then the guest could apply for a driving job with the driver’s company.
The girl was excited that they were being helped out and that the guest would get a job. This was good news as far as she could tell. The guest would get a job and they could take care of whatever they needed to and she would feel more secure about everything going on.
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