Thursday, September 1, 2011

King of the Road

When my son asked me if I wanted to go to work with him for a day I didn’t hesitate. He has a lonely job that requires an immense amount of concentration, steady nerves, and patience. He is “The King of the Road”, a truck driver who wheels his way through the tight streets of Oslo every day. 

King of the Road 4.10 meters high and 11 tons of steel
 
If you follow my blog you have heard me talk about him before.
My son who I call “The Actor” has a very busy life, so the chance to spend some time with him is something I treasure. His job as “King of the Road” makes for very long days but when he is finished with work he is involved in many projects. He is the leader for Rounen Events-Banzaicon, which is a convention for those interested in Asian pop culture. This year the convention in Larvik is expecting 500 guests and a crew of 100. He is also on the board of Larvik Theater and Utgard L.A.R.P. Live, responsible for technical support, lights and sound. He has worked several festivals and now he is joining a group of Renaissance musicians playing the Jews harp and guitar.

Climbing up a ladder into his truck, I fastened my seatbelt and waited in anticipation for him to turn the key. The sound of the engine was quieter than I expected but I could feel the power as we rolled our way out of the parking lot. We started the day picking up deliveries which consisted mostly of paper and organic products. His deliveries change every day so he never knows where he is going or what he is hauling. Sometimes his route is treacherous. The haul can be very heavy to handle and the roads can be very small and winding, with mountains on one side, and cliffs on the other. My daughter asked me while I was talking to her on the phone, “Has he scared you yet?” She had driven with him the week before and from what she told me, there were several times when she had to close her eyes and pray. I guess I got lucky that day because the only thing that made me nervous was that he would get a ticket for parking illegally while we went off to eat lunch in Oslo. Finding a parking place for a big truck is not an easy thing.

 
Trucker Momma for a day
At the end of the day, after all deliveries were made, I climbed out of the truck happy that I had spent the day with my son. When your children are little it is easy to take for granted the time you spend with them. I remember wondering if I would ever have any time to myself. Those years go by way too fast, and before you know it they have moved out, and the time you get to spend with them is limited. Time with your children is precious so grab it whenever you can.

What fun have you had with your child lately?

15 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad you got to spend the day with your son! I don't have kids - does spending time with my inner child count?

Linda said...

That sounds like a wonderful day! It's so nice that he asked you to ride along. I hope 'the actor' gets paid well for what he does!

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Lovely! I can't think of a better way to spend a day.

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, that sounds great! It definitely is a job with some visiting time, even as you (meaning he) is productive...

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you got to spend the day with him! As for me I'm just waking the buggers up for school. Thanks for the reminder though. It's easy to miss Kyle since he is gone but the two here I sometimes take our time together for granted. I'm going to rectify that right now.

shelly said...

I spent yesterday with three of my daughters and grandson yesterday. Lunch and shopping.

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

That sounds like so much fun, and you have inspired me to spend special time with my kids today ;)

Hilary said...

Hi Siv .. that sounds just such a wonderful day - so pleased he asked you .. and you had time together .. so precious - as you say .. Hilary

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Trucker Mom. I don't think you'll lose that tag for a while. heh heh.

#1 and I went to lunch and to run a few of her errands. Seven hours later I was exhausted and starving. Next time we run a few errands I'll pack at least some snacks.

Susan Kane said...

What a wonderful day. Being with grown-up kids is so special--getting a chance to know and appreciate their adult selves.

Li said...

I have always wanted to ride in a big rig!
The last fun time with grown son was eating pizza and watching a movie together during a thunderstorm :-)

Deb Claxton said...

It is special to spend the day with our grown children. I too have a son, he's a musician, and I treasure the few and far between times that we spend together now that he is grown and living in another state.

McKenzie McCann said...

It sounds like an educational day. You make a nice trucker chick.

Well, at sixteen I don't exactly have children, but yesterday I drove my mom and myself to heck and back running errands. We chat quite a bit, which probably isn't the best idea, but we do it anyway.

Talli Roland said...

Love that photo of you behind the wheel! :) I don't have a child yet. I'll let you know what we get up to when I do.

Anonymous said...

How awesome is that! Not only is that an awesome experience, but it's so nice to be able to share an experience like that with your son- or have your son share it with you.

Just stumbled across your blog, really enjoying reading all the playful posts, totally digging it and will be coming back for more, definitely.