My name is Christina and I drive a truck.
To be clear, my truck is not a dually, extended bed, monster vehicle. Itโs a short cab style that puts me up above the traffic and allows me full view when changing lanes and at intersections. And. to my delight, Ruby, (of course I've named my truck) is an adorable color of red.
This is not the first time that Iโve driven a truck. For almost 15 years, my family bred, raised and owned Morgan Horses, which we exhibited at shows across the United States.
In the later years of our equine adventures, our mode of transportation was a extended cab, extended bed, dually F-350 with a 24-ft, gooseneck four-horse trailer attached--- including space for everything needed for humans and horses to live and compete at a show for four-to-fourteen days.
If all of that reads like a foreign language, my best translation is a big-a** truck with an equally oversized trailer attached. The thing is, when I pull up at a location with Ruby the reactions of people range from surprise, to amusement, confusion and even disapproval.
Yet hands down, the times Ruby and I attract the most attention is in a crowded parking lot. People actually stand and stare, almost as if they are waiting for me to scrape the side or scratch the bumper of the vehicles around us. And when that doesnโt happen, they turn away seemingly disappointed.
Until this week.
I was shopping for a client, looking for items to decorate his new home. Of course, I journeyed to the mecca of all home dรฉcor ---The Boulevard South District, which offers a connected conglomerate of Home Goods, Home Trends and TJ Maxx. I'm pretty sure there is not a more congested parking lot in the world!
Undaunted, I eyed a spot that offered plenty of room for me and Ruby to glide between the yellow lines. Making the turn I employed the technique I have perfected over the years. I angled deeply to one side and at the last minute straightened the wheel, perfectly aligning to center.
I was feeling truly accomplished---until I looked up and saw a woman standing outside her car on the opposite side and one space down from where Ruby and I were parked. All I could imagine was that this person was winding up to offer some comment about how I almost hit the other cars surrounding us.
Taking a deep breath I opened the door and exited Ruby, ready to take whatever this woman was going to dish out. Immediately she yelled,
โYou're amazing! Iโve never seen anyone park a truck like that.โ
Then, with a raised fist she she called out,
โYou are a champ!โ
Yep. My name is Christina and I drive an adorable red truck named, Ruby---like a champ.