(names changed for anonymity)
It was around 4 in the afternoon or so when we were able to do the final connection checks for the horse trailers. I was working as a helper during that time and, along with 5 other people, were tasked with setting up & retrieving purchased trailers from the city of Jackson and delivering them to a location just across Memphis into Arkansas.
Jeff, Charlie and I were towing one trailer behind JB, Rick and Dan towing the other one.
We were pretty tired from cleaning the trailers and putting fresh hay in them so by the time the trucks were rolling, I was slumped in the back seat while Jeff and Charlie were in the front. The drive was just like any other drive on any given late afternoon on I-40. We were listening to a classic country music station, no problem there. All was calm.
As time drew on and the sun started to set, we were all just in the zone following JB’s truck barely noticing that a new song had come on.
As we listened to the woman’s voice and her words, we (or at least I) knew it was gonna be a sad song about life. Whatever, right? Sad, reflective country songs are a dime a dozen.
Little did I know…
There was a part of me that wanted to change the station as the song really started to tug at my heart. I wanted to call out to Jeff or Charlie to click the button but I felt like both of them two were also wrapped up in the words. We all really just felt it deep in our souls especially when she sung the chorus. I knew EXACTLY what the third verse was gonna be about and as I heard the chorus I really wanted to tell one of the two to change the station. But it was too late.
As the interstate signs for Memphis appeared, and the sunset now cast an orange hue in the cab, we faced the final verse.
We didn’t just have tears in our eyes, we were full out sniffling and trying to catch ourselves from skipping our breath. I was hunched forward, my tears hitting the floor of the cab, Charlie was looking out of the passenger side window at the sunset scorched fields. I honest to God don’t even know how Jeff kept the truck and the trailer straight.
It was a relief – and somewhat of a catharsis – as the song finally ended and we all could relax again but in a strained silence.
That silence, however, was broken by JB calling on the cellphone.
“Where are you knuckleheads??? We pulled into a stop to get some food and y’all just kept going!”
“Nah.“, Jeff replied. “We’re gonna skip a stop over so we can get the delivery done early.”
I think all three of us were glad we didn’t follow JB and his boys into the truck stop because if he had seen our faces we’d never have heard the end of it. So we just listened to him complain about us going our own way before he abruptly hung up. But we all knew JB. We just let him talk his talk knowing that if he was in the truck with us, he’d be the loudest crier of all lol. We spent the last half an hour or so of the drive recomposing ourselves so we could deliver the trailer. At dinner later on, we – reluctantly – had to acknowledge the power of that song, come to grips with its message.
I’ve never played the song since. And even now, as I looked for the lyrics so I could share it with you, I’ll never forget the depth of sadness I felt during those moments of the roadtrip.
*I know y’all are probably curious about the song so I’ll give you the artist/title – but I really do urge you to think carefully before listening to it lol. The title of the song makes you think it’s a breakup ballad when its actually something a lot more profound – and really intense. And i’m not going to embed the video on the post either because it’s that powerful! 😂🥲*:
Patti Loveless – How Can I Help You Say Goodbye
Feel Free To Leave A Comment!