I'll Be Back In The Minute ... Or Will I?

I'll Be Back In The Minute ... Or Will I?

I have been thinking this morning about how we take for granted we go somewhere, be back in the minute.

Our loved ones leave and say they'll be back in the minute. We don't always come back in the minute ... we don't always come back at all.

We have no way of knowing we will begin another journey our families can't go on ... a forever journey.

We don't always get to say goodbye ... we leave only your memories of us and many tears.

You can pick up the worldly possessions we left behind ... hold them close to your heart, weep.

You can call our names, beg us to come back.

Weep, grieve, beat your heads against the wall ... nothing will ever change the fact ... we are gone, we can't come back.

Quieten your cries ... your heart so ... you can feel the invisible hugs, kisses on your cheek. We are there ... you grieve so much you don't feel us by your side.

Feel the gentle breeze on your skin? Did a leaf fall on your nose of all places? Did you find rice in your shoe? Who would do that but ... me. I grin when you look up ... realize ...

I'm by your side. You don't hear me, see me ... I didn't want to leave you ... where else would I go other than your side? I loved you most in the world.

I'll be there forever ... watching over you until one day ... you leave on your forever journey to ... join me.

Written, owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee. Photo is also, owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.

Another One of My Ways of Thinking

Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Note: I am sharing here what I wrote on my Facebook Page today.  Another Gloria's Opinon.

I can see ... now ... (when I used to wonder 'how in the world'... ) how in the world was there a civil war where families/friends were divided and pitted against each other.

Friends and family couldn't be like that ... 'hell' yes, they can, they are ... and they pure hate each other ... I think I'm kin to all the haters ... that's what I grew up with. Not only that ... I should be 'at home' with all the Hell-raisers, haters, people who are trying to sabotage their 'friends', family.

I never could be at home with people who hate, divide ... I was always the different one making me the ... outsider ... of my family.

Do you know what's sad? Being an outsider not by choice but, because I didn't want to do bad things to others to be vengeful, 'pay someone's ass back', 'fix their ass', destroy someone and their family ... I didn't want to do drugs, alcohol, engage in sexual adventures with everyone ... the list goes on and on. That automatically made an invisible wall between me and my family my whole life.

There were times in my young life I did try a little to 'be like the ones I loved' ... only to make me more of an outsider ... do you know why? Because ... BECAUSE they ... expected BETTER OF ... ME. I was proud of that when told that. They didn't like me ... liked me less when I tried to 'be like them. Is that crazy or what?

Do you know what? It didn't keep me from loving them with my very, very Heart. I didn't care what they did ... I just loved them so much never judging them ... I even forgave when they stabbed me in the back. I just loved them ... so much. I treated them with such respect, love, caring ... why? Because I didn't think to judge them ... I just loved them ... so 'damn' much.

I don't want to give the impression that because I loved so much, don't care what others do ... that I just went on to forget. I NEVER forget when something ... hurts, affects me in a negative way ... just as in a positive, kind way.

I really am ... a 'bird of a different feather' ... I choose my friends like that ... I have wonderful, unusual friends. Some have been bad, some have been very, very bad ... some are so damn pure ... good, it's pathetic because they give the impression but, they really aren't. Some are so ugly, mean, rude, obnoxious ... dress awful, dress in the very best ... look like hell, look like heaven ... so on, and on, and on. My friends are many colors like me, not only in appearance but, in character.

My friends are colorful characters ... I love colors ... my friends are like the many, wonderful, exotic spices in this whole world ... flavorful, popping with personality ... some hide their personality but, I 'see' it. I look for things in others no one else sees.

Myself ... depending on who I am around ... do I let my personality show. I am different ways with different people ... I am what each makes me feel ... yet, I am the same person. I'm not one way or the other all the time yet ... I am.

I'm always the good, caring, honest person no matter what. I am trustworthy always. So ... when I am with you, around you ... you see what ... you ... pull out of me. You've heard how people say so and so 'brings out the worse ... the best in so and so'.

I dislike being around people I truly don't like ... I smile, am respectful, quiet around them ... but, I notice (I study myself too!) ... I begin to answer, speak in a negative way ... I feel anger, hate. I try not to ... but, for the moment I am not the person I like to be and am. As soon as I'm away from them ... I am alright. 'They bring out the worse in me'.

I grew up thinking all of our country was solid ... all believing in good things. How sadly wrong I was ... and how just 'damn' naive I was. I think I'm related to the 'whole damn world' ... they hate, Hell-raise ... cause strife, division ... they keep all in chaos all the time. They aren't ever what you think they are ... smiling, pretending to get what they want. They get what they want then ... to hell with you.

I was very naive ... I look back at how abused I was, at how I learned how people were at their worse while smiling, pretending to be good people while their hands were sneaking around molesting little children, boys and girls. Then when the adults were off somewhere ... not only their hands were abusing a child.

Why didn't grown-up expose their children to all the wonders of the world ... at how they could be anything they wanted to be ... to just let children know that such things even existed? I never knew ... as a young person ... that I ... could be anything I wanted to be. I was always 'sheltered' ... held back from the things that pulled at me, attracted me ... made to feel ... I wasn't good enough for them ... that only others were. Can you imagine such a feeling? Walking around 'knowing I wasn't good enough' ... looking at the kids 'who were good enough' to do the very things I would have been wonderful at.

I couldn't have a Barbie doll, I couldn't go to the wonderful, special movies to see Cinderella, Seven Dwarfs and such wonderful things ... because I 'wasn't one of those kids who were worthy, good enough'.

I grew up automatically knowing 'who I was' ... and good at recognizing 'who was more worthy than I was' ... until I began maturing. I've never had that feeling again ... and my eyes opened to how people hurt children never knowing they were crushing their spirits.

That's 'why' today ... I am amazed at how smart, wonderful children are now ... so knowledgeable, and well-spoken ... so grown up! I love it! I love listening to children talk. That's the way children should be ... the parents today ... let their children learn everything in the world ... let them know there are wonderful goals to obtain ... the children are growing up with their eyes wide open ... I grew up ... blind. I had to learn the hard way wasting years, valuable time when I could have been doing so many wonderful things.

Getting back ... I can 'see' in TODAY'S TIME ... there are so many FIRST TIMES in how people do (how about these public officials who won't leave their jobs when they are fired? See?)

People are very rude ... they step in line in front of others ... they yell over others when they are speaking ... I won't even begin on our politicians ... these people reflect the state our country is in. Don't even try it with me ... those who want to argue politics, religion ... I don't play that game with anyone ... no one comes out the winner. No one knows better than the other who is right. All I will do is block, delete, and report if necessary. I respect you, you respect me.

How about our weather? Wow ... have you ever seen so many hurricanes that reach here through our time? How about all the awful, awful flooding everywhere? Our weather has gone crazy in areas never known by people today ... scary.

How about how easily policemen are ambushed, killed deliberately? How about the 7 officers shot, one died just lately in South Carolina? For the past year at least ... officers are killed everywhere.

How about the innocent people officers are killing? And ... some because of their color? Oh my. How about invading innocent people's homes only to find out it's the wrong house ... leaving someone is beaten, shot dead, tazed until they have a heart attack ... their dog dead? How do they feel when they realize they ... had the wrong house? Are they like the criminals? Do the officers not care ... go on never thinking what they, the good guys ... have just done?

How about all the school shootings? People gathered at a concert? Churches? How about that! Little children, people that are strangers ... innocent.

How easily people kill now never caring they give up their freedom? How no one expresses remorse anymore when killing all their family, friends, strangers?

I could keep on ..... Look at the faces on the news as they are sitting in a courtroom ... sneers, smiles, contempt ... they just KILLED someone. How about the people who raid the refrigerator just after committing a heinous crime full of blood, gore ... they go eat their victims' food. Probably pouring catsup over everything, never thinking of all the blood they just spilled.

I can 'see' ... everyone has gone beyond the common things we used to know we had to be no matter what. We used to have rules we had better abide by. Now, it's okay to melt down at anything that displeases us in public whether in a cab, airplane, office, supermarket ...

We used to have to be courteous to others ... be polite in public ... open doors (people open doors for me and I do them) ... take moments out of your life to walk over and help someone who needs help ... go out of your way to be kind. Through time I've watched people let go of the door knowing someone was on their heels ... and seeing someone walk into the door. That hurts my Heart.

Remember how your parents 'tore your ass up ' ... if you dared to be ugly out in public?

Parents not punishing children to do right (I don't mean to beat them at all) ... videoes full of such violence played hours on end ... our 'role' models ... rules are broken constantly by people who are rich and expects the world to cater to only them.

There's nothing wrong with breaking a rule when it's deemed okay ... it doesn't hurt a thing ... there are good reasons to do so at times. Remember what I said about you being the only person left ... driving to a stop light ... sitting forever because the light is stuck on red?

I don't know about you ... I'm going to break a rule sometimes in Life ... sometimes there are situations that call for common sense. Do I encourage YOU to break rules? No. You use your mind to decide your own actions. I speak for me. I'm not perfect ... I don't do everything perfectly though I do try to do my best at everything. I try to be the best person all the time ... but Life has a way of twisting at times to bring the worse out of anyone. I'm no exception.

I will say this ... I don't want to kill family, friends ... even enemies in a civil war because they don't believe all I believe in ... like everyone in politics I like, dislike.

I don't want to kill anyone because they aren't the 'right' color ... what color is better than another color? In my artwork ... all my colors are wonderful and only compliment, help all the other colors pop, look beautiful.

My friends are all wonderful colors, flavors ... that's the spice of Life. I was thinking ... none of us had any choice of the color we would be born no more than the choice of being able to walk, or not walk one day. I don't remember any checkboxes before I came into being ... I would have checked the 'Rich' box if there had been any :) Oh! and the 'Perfect' box!

These things are on my mind this morning ... and these are my Gloria Opinions only about them. You form your own. I shape, form my own opinions on all that affects my life ... no matter right or wrong. I do change my mind ... when I learn better. I'm not close-minded ... I keep my eyes, ears open. I study all around me.

I am not an expert on anything ... I write only what I think, feel ... sometimes, I change my mind and think another way. I respect your opinions, you respect mine.

My words, photo owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates Bates/aka Granny Gee.

Photo of me, Gloria Faye Brown Bates, today. 10-05-2018...

Photos of Mailbox I Just Finished ... A Promise Almost Kept

Photos of Mailbox I Just Finished ... A Promise Almost Kept
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

I am in process of spraying coats of clear gloss on the mailbox, building them up to protect it.  Later when the special person gets this mailbox I promised her some time ago ... can protect it by spraying Pledge on it and gently buffing it, dry.  The mailbox will last for years.  We still see a mailbox I did for a lady in 2004 ... that has lasted through time.

Soon ... once the mailbox is the special person hands ... a promise will be kept.  That's the best feeling in the world.



Photos owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Photos of My Weight Loss as of Today ... 9-30-2018

Being Rewarded for Bullying, Being Ugly, Intimidation

Another Gloria Opinion

Just now · 

(I wrote this article on my page at Another Gloria Opinion...)

Being Rewarded for Bullying, Being Ugly, Intimidation

Written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee 

Thinking about what I witnessed 2 days ago ... my Gloria's Opinion is ... I don't think you should be rewarded for for-real, nothing but, obvious ... bad behavior.

When you come in showing your ass, bullying everyone ... not answering questions but, returning questions back when you know better and you wouldn't tolerate it in your courtroom ... coming up with all kinds of childish things to get off subject when asked important questions ... it's not because you are stupid ... you are wanting to divert attention away ... I would go after the 'whys'.

People don't do that when they are telling the truth. There are people you don't want talked to ... why? Because they'll tell about the real you?

My Gloria Opinion is a bad one of you ... you represented yourself in a poor way showing your real colors ... when as smart as you are in your world ... you could have shown how good a person you were. You left me wondering if there was any good in you to show.

I was upset as a lot of America was ... watching you 'perform' in the most ugliest way I am seeing many Americans do now. You are in a position to influence others in a positive way ... you are one of the many role models for our young people and adults alike ... yet you failed. This is why so many people have taken to bullying others to get their way ... show their asses to intimidate, divert attention ... just walk all over everyone for your own desires.

Have you noticed people 'now' ... when asked to leave a job ... they refuse? It's like road rage where ... if you don't get out of my damn way I will run you over ... I will do anything I want to ... I am more important than you ... I am entitled to all I ever want, desire. Are you like this? If so, I am so sad for you ... the only way you will have friends is if you have money or something others want so bad that they'll lick your a___ for hoping for a tidbit from you.

I watched with fascination at this person act out in the most ugliest way ... no courtesy, respect for the ones in charge who talked nicely to him no matter how ugly he was. I watched, amazed at how ugly he was in public ... as educated, smart as he was ... and especially the job he holds and is seeking now ... did he not know the whole world, not just country ... is watching him? Wow, he didn't bother to ... hide his true colors ... at all!

He is a prime example of what I see in many people today. Maybe I should be a bad person to get what I want ... I don't have the things I could have obtained by being an attractive woman 'back in the day' like other women did ... why?

Because I don't have it in me to take advantage of others because they like me and would give me anything. Damn ... I have too much respect, caring for others ... I'm not a taker, I am a giver. I can't bulldoze over others to get what I want ... I can't live with myself if I go around being ugly. I think about what I've done, said throughout each day ... every night. If I hurt someone's feelings ... done something bad-wrong ... I feel pain. The next day I begin on making up for it.

Does that mean I'm perfect? Oh no, it doesn't ... I just try to be good, caring, honest as I can be ... I still don't do ... perfect. I just try to be the best I can be in any situation ... sometimes I don't do as much as I feel I want, should.<3

I am sure a lot of you recognize the person I speak of here. That's okay. I'm sure a lot of you approve of his behavior ... I've listened in fascination at the news showing how many people approve ... gracious! That says a lot about people 'today', too. Though so many approve doesn't make me approve ... I respect your opinions as I know things in your life that are different than mine ... help to shape you to what you believe, think.

I voice my opinions in the nicest way possible not to upset anyone as that isn't my purpose of expressing my opinion. I have the most respect for others, their beliefs even if I don't agree with them.

I don't argue politics, religion with anyone ... no one at all. Why? Because like me ... your experiences in your life shaped your thoughts ... today. Just like mine have shaped my thoughts, beliefs ... today. It's like two people who have separate medical issues ... they can't take the same medicines because there are other things affecting the condition.

I know when you come here to read you respect my opinions just as I respect yours. Here ... is a quiet place to come, read, leave if you are interested in anything I have to say. Ugliness isn't welcomed here ... this is a dead-end street to bring it ... it won't go any further as it wouldn't gain ammunition here to continue.

All you are going to find here is pure respect for you because I would know ... something in your life affected your thoughts, actions today. We can be friends, get along as we meet, remeet ... as we go our ways in Life. Good day.

Note by this author:  article, photo of drawing are owned, written, drawn, painted by me (painted in nail polish!) ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.

Regarding the hearing for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh

Just Another Gloria Opinion: Regarding the hearing for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh

Note: I am sharing on my Blog what I wrote today on my Another Gloria Opinion page on Facebook. My opinions are just what the word implies ... opinions only.  Many thing shapes, molds my thoughts ... I don't stay stuck on any one thing once new details are learned.  I realize I don't know everything ... and there are many sides unseen by me.  That's why I continually 'walk around things' in my mind ... feeling, sensing if there's something new I didn't see ... so I can change my thoughts if need be.

I am going to watch closely the hearing for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh this morning. Why? I'm not for anyone in particular ... truthfully, I wouldn't discuss it ... if ... I was. I don't discuss politics, religion with anyone.

The reason I'm watching closely is that I used to be a 15-year-old girl ... and today looking back ... I KNOW people today who did such to young girls ... but, they never have to worry about some girls who grow up ... they won't tell. Does that mean I'm on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's side? No ... but, it could be true ... and could most likely to really have happened.

If you are female ... look back into your secrets as a young person that you never-ever talk about ... that's all I need to say. You KNOW it's possible from your own experiences. We just don't talk about such. As young girls we experienced things we shouldn't have but ... they DO happen, always will happen to innocent people.

No one would believe the good judge or doctor, lawyer, teacher, preacher, priest, babysitter, cousin, uncle, grandpa, grandma, aunt, brother, sister, father, mother ... on and on ... could 'do such things' ... they are too good, too perfect, too godly to think otherwise. Oh my God, we KNOW Grandpa couldn't ever do such a thing! Yes, he can, has, will if ... he has been like that through time, gotten away with it.

YES ... they do such things. They aren't perfect 'just because they are a pillar of the community ... they are somebody important'. Just because someone wears a title, uniform ... doesn't mean they don't or never have done anything bad. Just because someone has the look of a clean-cut, beautiful person doesn't mean they can't be bad. That's how the wolf catches his prey ... he ... appears ... to be a good guy ... and when it's believed by the victim ... the wolf strikes.

Think for a minute about something ... if someone 'appeared to be what they really were, have been' ... could they get away with everything they do, did?

Really ... stop ... think about it ... could they? Do you like the idea of someone who acts 'high and mighty and as if they haven't ever done anything wrong' ... when you know they've done bad things and probably still doing them in secret?

Suppose when they go into most important jobs where it matters who, what you are, have been? For example ... priests, policemen, so on ... you want them to be for-real good people so they won't harm your loved ones, you ... anyone. They get into these jobs based on integrity, honesty, decency, so on ... I've never seen a job listing dishonesty, a person who does, has done really bad things.

These people are role models for our children. I'm sad to say our role models have changed drastically ... now, our role models can be ugly, rude in public ... not step down from jobs when asked to, tear down other people in public saying awful things just to sway others' opinions, the list goes on. Have you noticed today ... how people have changed? They aren't as nice anymore ... they don't mind being ugly. Of course, there are many, many people who still care about courtesy, manners, rules ... I am one of them to a certain extent.

I will break a 'rule' if I feel I need to ... yes, I will. 'Rules are made to be broken' ... I believe that old saying. I believe they are made to be broken out of necessity. People's lives are saved, good things come from that when a rule needs to be bent.

If I break a rule ... I would do it only in a good way to help not hurt ... only if it helps not hinders good things to happen. You see where I'm coming from ... I would do it in a positive way.

Does that mean I'm right? No, but ... you would to if it meant life or death, or good things that need to happen. Rules need to change to keep up with ... today, the present.

Suppose I was the only person left in the world ... I'm driving and have to stop at a red light ... I can't go anywhere until the light turns green ... it never changes ... does it mean I sit there ... forever? See, what I mean? I'm NOT going to sit there, waste time when all is okay for me to go. I'll do it safely, looking all ways ... just in case.

Sometimes ... old, outdated rules that don't apply to our present time ... should be broken. Yes, that's my Gloria Opinion. If I felt I should ... would I break one in a bad way? NO. Would I break one in a good way to help someone in distress? In a heartbeat, if it meant saving a life, preventing something bad.

So now the hearing has begun ... I have a very good impression of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford at this moment. She appears to be credible ... she hasn't spoken yet. She appears to be everyday, normal ... not haughty, arrogant. I like that. People spoke, greeted her with smiles when she came in.

I have a feeling ... who ... is going to be caught in a web of lies woven over time fooling loved ones, the workplace into believing they are ... so perfect, good. Life won't be the same after this hearing. Yes, this is going to be interesting.

Oh, this might be a case of something I always cautioned my son as a young man against ... I always told him not to do anything 'now' ... because things have a way of coming back at the most inopportune time 'to bite you in the ass'. Then after telling him I would look him straight in the eyes and ask him ... would you want something ugly you've done in the past to come back when your life is good ... to destroy it?

Well ... these are my thoughts, opinions only. I am not an expert at anything ... even in my own life. I'm constantly learning, changing my opinions if I see better to sway them. I try to be the best person I can ... I'm not perfect. I care about everything.

I just looked back up at my tv screen directly into Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's face ... she still hasn't spoken ... yet, looking at her something tells me she is ... honest, a good person. We'll see if I'm right. She is credible ... I listened to her speak.  I like her ... she comes across as honest.

I won't say my opinion on Judge Brett Kavanaugh ... so far I sensed dishonesty. I won't go on to say bad things about anyone. 

It's sad ... but ... there is going to have to be one out of these two people ... who is going to be believed ... the other's life may be destroyed. That's why young people need to be careful in their actions as ... young people/teens.  Things do have a way of coming back to 'bite you in the ass'.

Again ... this is only my opinion ... you have to form yours. I respect your opinions as you respect mine. I don't argue with anyone ... you will have to go elsewhere. Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.

I Wish I Knew Everything!

Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Have you ever been too smart to learn?  Too smart to listen, learn from others?  I believe that comes from being so smart having accumulated so much knowledge ... there's no room in your mind to add anything else.

What do you think?  We all know someone who is like that ... probably a lot of ... some ones.  I do.  Through time when younger I ... thought I knew it all.  I had to do it my way.

Thankfully as I matured I realized it would pay to listen, learn from others.  I made room in my mind to learn.  Learning, exposing oneself to new things is wonderful.

Of course, I haven't learned everything ... which is a good thing because I would hate to become bored with Life thinking there's nothing else new in it.  

I do become sad when I see someone banging their head against a wall all the time trying to figure out 'why' this went wrong, that went wrong.  When someone points something out to them ... they pay it no mind and keep on the same path they're traveling until after much wasted time ... boom!  The answer comes to them ... it was the answer someone gave them months before.  It took that long for the information to travel to their brain ... what do you think?

Or maybe they discarded enough old information and left a little room for something new to reach their mind.  Who knows?  I don't even bother to worry myself about it ... but, I can't help but notice when I see it.  I'm just glad I am open-minded and have learned ... I don't know everything, never will. I have lots of room to store new knowledge.  Isn't Life interesting?

Just keep your mind open ... a closed mind has no room for any new ideas ... things you need to know in order to go about your everyday life.  

Anyway ... this has to be your decision.  I don't tell you what to do ... I write about how I think about it, my experiences.  I do suggest though ... make room for new ideas, knowledge ... your life will be more interesting the more you know.  I wish ... I knew everything!

Note by this Author:  I don't think it wise not to listen ... one never knows what they will miss in Life to make it easier, happier.  I'm guilty sometimes ... wishing I had been listening when I should have been.  I'm not perfect. 

Photo, story owned, written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.

I Used To Be a Truck Driver ... Stories From the Road

Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee ... from my truck driving days ... out west somewhere.

I used to drive a truck ... a big truck.  I was Skip's co-driver ... we drove team.  It was the most amazing, unusual experience of my life. I got to see the good side of truck driving as well as the very bad side.  I had worked in an office at the hospital dressing to the max every day ... makeup, being pretty.  I went to wearing slacks, nice blouses ... and didn't worry about the make-up so much.


We drove in every state ... we stayed out 11-14 days at a time.  We went to the wonderful places where the most beautiful vegetables, fruits were grown.  Lots of them loaded straight onto the truck once processed, washed, packed and put on pallets.  We would bring them to North Carolina to the many places that waited for them.


We were given all kinds of wonderful vegetables ... exotic fruits.  Sweetest of oranges that were imported ... I've never had oranges like them in my life.  The biggest of big of strawberries!  Giant onions, seedless watermelons, cantaloupes, bok choy, fruits I'd never seen ... tangerines, apples, more than I can name. We would get the load back in 3 days.  We would leave on Friday evening, be in Ontario, California on Sunday night to deliver tires the next morning.


It was fun when people would pass the big truck, look up to see me driving!  The expressions were wonderful.  Women loved it and would blow their horns, lean out to yell something to me.  Men ... well, men will be men ... they would play with me on their big trucks passing, slowing down, passing again. They would talk on their CB radios ... Skip and I would have fun talking back to them.


Truthfully, if I said driving a truck was wonderful all the time ... I would be lying to you.  That would be to make you think it all was perfect.  It wasn't.  We went into places in Los Angeles, California that you wouldn't believe until you actually saw with your own eyes.  Dangerous places, dangerous people ... trucks have to park overnight to wait for a company to open the next morning in these bad places.  You wouldn't believe what you saw as you drove slowly through ...


I had never seen as many homeless people as I did in Los Angeles pushing their meager belongings in a shopping cart.  We sometimes saw things we couldn't do a thing about ... people beating each other up, doing things we don't see in our 'perfect' life.  We usually go through life never realizing there are for-real homeless people.  Their world is a whole different world, way of living.  I was fascinated ... at the same time I cared so much.  They made an impression on me ... I would see them laying on benches, newspaper covering their thin bodies ... laying up against the side of buildings ... sleeping in what looked like big mounds of cloth ... I saw things I couldn't identify and can only describe it as 'what it looked like' to me.


Prostitutes were everywhere in all their sexy garb.  Some were doing the deed in an alley where one could see if they happened to look that way.  Others were strutting their goods along the sidewalks as cars slowed down, drivers propositioned them ... they would hop in the car and go do the deed.


I was amazed at the prostitutes who would proposition me, too.  They would come up anywhere in our travels ... proposition Skip and look at me ... saying 'I'll do her, too!' They jump on the sides of the trucks as they pass through areas having to drive slowly.  Sometimes, there would be groups of men who would try to get into the trailer ... break open the doors so they could steal the goods inside.


There all kinds of sob stories used on truck drivers to make them feel sorry for the people telling them ... all they wanted was money.  These people went from one driver to the other in the parking lots of truck stops, anywhere a truck would park.  They told the saddest stories ... they would have several little pitiful-looking children with them to make the drivers feel sorry for them.  We always gave a few dollars knowing a lot of the time it was a scam.  The way Skip and I felt was .... if it was a scam that person had to live with cheating for money ... we walked away with a good feeling in our Hearts knowing we were kind, gave for the right reasons.


Oh, the truck-driving stories I could tell.  I don't have the time to tell them all ... because living on a truck ... traveling to so many, many places day after day ... the memories go to a place in my mind that only are remembered if something triggers that memory.


The inside of our truck was absolutely beautiful ... I had a beautiful bedspread, pillows on the big bed that always looked inviting to lay one's tired head on.  We had colored tv, our cell phones, refrigerator ... everything we needed to make our trips comfortable.  We took our showers in the nice truck stops and even some not-so-nice truckstops all over the United States. There were some women truck drivers besides me ... a lot of them would play with the men truck drivers ... the things people do when they are away from home.


Traveling on the interstate ... truck drivers get all kind of entertaining shows.  You wouldn't believe what people do as they pass ... repass in their cars, vehicles.  I  would drop my mouth wide-open at the nerve of people ... then later on ... it became funny to me.  Women would pull their blouses off and shake their breasts at the drivers all the while laughing at them.  They would play with themselves as they drove by a big truck ... men did the same things while they trolled the roads to find another man to meet at rest areas. 


Don't get me started on the things that go in rest areas the average traveler isn't aware of.  A trucker's world is different from a vacationer's world ... though both are hand-in-hand ... walking in both worlds knowing how each was ... I saw, recognized things just the average person wouldn't ever notice.  Why would they? They knew nothing about a trucker's world.  How can you see things if you aren't aware of them?  I remember a particular rest area one had to be careful at when stopping at nights ... all kinds of unsavory characters hid in the bushes, shrubbery to slip out as they targeted their people for sex, money. At our company, one of our truck drivers was beaten almost to death, robbed there. 


You can see I've touched only a fraction describing to you the trucker's world I got to live in for several years until I became deathly ill ... later to find out 'now, I know why I kept getting sick, not feeling well'. I was diagnosed with cancer ... non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The next 3 years I was in another whole new world, experience ... I was battling for my life ... I became a warrior ... after knowing I was going to die ... until one day laying in bed waiting for death ... my fighting spirit kicked in.  The determination to live, get well became so strong until I could vision me living, doing things again I couldn't do anymore. Oh my ... the stories I could tell from this whole new world my illness threw me in.


I learned to accept people as they really are while living on the road, traveling ... being around every walk in life.  I began to understand prostitutes ... yes, I began to see past the 'bad' things they were doing and why ... they did them. I got to talk to lots of people ... I was curious about everything so, I learned as every mile went by. 


I learned to have compassion, empathy for the types of people I had grown up despising, thinking they were the scum of the earth.  I began to see people standing in front of me instead of ... trash.  This is not to say I agree with all they did but ... I got to understand the 'whys' of they chose to live like that. Some didn't choose to live that way ... life threw them into such situations while they survived instead of living like we do.  Do you know you can get so deep into life ... that it's hard to find your way back to 'normal' life? Did you know you would do things you'd never dream YOU would do?  That's right ... YOU would do them to survive ... or not do them and just ... die.


I have studied people since being little to gauge their moods to be ready to survive being beaten, treated badly.  I've done this all my life to make sure I wasn't anywhere I wasn't wanted or shouldn't be ... to feel for others ... sense danger ... and all the things we depend on our senses for.  I survived many physical things as well as ... mental things.  That's for other stories, not now. 


Driving a big truck took me into worlds I'd never gotten to visit otherwise ... took me to see, hear, smell, feel the things I only saw on tv ... wasn't sure such existed.  They exist alright ... Hell is everywhere if you look for it ... sometimes, people don't get the opportunity to visit all the different Hells on this earth.  I got to live, survive in a Hell as a child ... that doesn't even compare with what I saw on my travels on the big truck.


I can say 'back in those days' Skip and I cared about so many people.  We were always giving money, buying food, even putting some people up in a motel for a night ... we always cared. I remember once we were going through a bad section in a city ... it was dark excepting for the night lights. There was an old, broken-down man struggling to walk, push his shopping cart down the sidewalk. We had stopped for fast food and were enjoying our sandwiches, and big drinks.  I choked up when I saw the man, I noticed him before Skip did.


I pointed the man out to Skip ...and said let's turn around ... go back ... I wanted to give the man my food.  Skip and I always think so much alike ... so, it wasn't any problem to convince Skip to turn around ... even on a big truck.  You don't know the trouble a driver goes through to turn a big truck around ... I will tell you Skip Bates is the best driver I've ever known ... and if you had an emergency ... you'd want him on your side.  I've seen him talk young truck drivers down the biggest of mountains while scared to death driving their big trucks ... talk to drivers to help keep them awake when he saw them swerving all over the road.


Getting back to the homeless man ... Skip turned the truck around, came back and pulled to the side of the street.  I took the bag of food plus our sandwiches we'd just began to eat ... and our drinks ... carefully stepped down off the truck.  I went to the man after calling to him ... and told him I wanted to give him food, would he take it?  That man looked at me in my face ... his eyes lit up and he smiled, said thank you.  I told him I would see him later ...ran back to the big truck. 


My Heart felt so wonderful ... Skip and I smiled at each other ... we loved to do something kind, good for others.  We always did ... we do now ... even in our way while living on a limited income.  We aren't perfect people ... but, we are good people with good Hearts.  We like to give ... don't want to take from others because they might need it.


These are only a very few stories from ... my trucking days :)  I wish I could tell you all the happy feelings I had seeing the seeing a big, lighted truckstop knowing we'd soon get to sleep, rest ... such things one learns to appreciate out on the road. It was wonderful knowing we would get our showers, and get to relax, eat our meals in comfort.  It was wonderful to see unusual things to buy in the gift shops/stores of the truck stops.  Taste the foods that were common in that region.  Everything was ... exciting ... even when we encountered the bad things.


Finding this photo (above) triggered my writing today ... I have several more photos from those days.  They all, including this photo ... survived a house fire that claimed all our belongings. I'm lucky to have my photos ... sometimes, you'll see damaged photos from the firemen hoses, smoke.  I sneaked up a stairway left standing to part of the second floor to find the big suitcase of photos I'd put up there.  I was told not to go up those steps because they could come crashing down ... the photos stayed on my mind ... sometimes, I'm known for doing things ... I shouldn't.  Later ... I'm glad I did.


From this Author:  Photo/story is written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee. Photo/story are owned by me.  I really wish I could tell all the stories from my trucking days ... it would be impossible to. No one would believe just as no one would believe all the stories inside me from my whole life.  I don't worry about telling them ... I'll just tell them as I feel them.

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