Chapter 1:
As I woke up I realized that I will soon be turning 40. Me, a middle aged truck driver with no family, few friends. Suddenly, I was feeling a sense of urgency, urgency to rekindle my youth, to not feel so damn old...if only for a few days.
With that in mind, I asked my dispatcher to find me a load to Tampa, FL. You see one of my favorite beaches in the USA is Clearwater Beach, FL. I have vacationed there several times and try and take time off there whenever I am in the area.
Finally, and just in the nick of time, dispatch pulls through and gets me a load to Tampa, FL. Arriving on Friday morning. As soon as I get loaded in Ohio heading that way I grab my phone, open up hotels.com app and book a room at Clearwater Beach Hotel for 3 nights. I am starting to get really excited now. Midway down to Tampa, I decide to stop and do a little shopping. I want to look 20-something again....at least for this weekend.
After hitting the mall and picking up an entire new wardrobe I realize I am still overweight and the age on my face/head shows badly. So off to the beauty salon to get a makeover. Yes I got a makeover. I seriously didn't want to look 40 on my 40th. After a nice hair cut the sweet young girl doing my hair died away the grey. Then she set to work on my face. The lines, bags and recessed eyes would be hard to hide, I thought, as she grabbed a small jar that said Firming Creme on the side. Within minutes I hardly recognized myself, I looked better than I did when I was 20-something.
When she finished with my makeover and began explaining what she did and why I couldn't help but thank, I wonder if she would do me if she met me like this. She then took the time to explain how I could reproduce her work once I was on my own. I was so happy and handsome by this point that I way over paid. The bill came out to $50 but I gave her a nice new crisp $100.
Feeling like a million bucks I headed back to the mall to pickup some more of the fancy Firming Creme she had used on my face. The young woman working the makeup counter at Macy's looked at me and as serious as I have ever seen someone say something like this said "Awe how sweet you buying makeup for your mom?". She thought I was a kid, cha-ching it worked, I thought!
While the young woman found my Firming Creme and proceeded to ring it up, I told her "you know, my mother has advanced altzheimers and is in a nursing home. The only time she smiles is when I go over and make her look pretty again!". Apparently, this got her hot and bothered because when she handed me my bag she grabbed my hand, leaned over the counter and proclaimed "I get off work in 5 minutes and I really want to screw your brains out". If I hadn't already booked a room 600 miles away I would have taken her up on that offer, but I had to go. No time for youthful adventure just yet.
The next morning, Friday, I finally pulled into my delivery in Tampa, FL. I hurriedly unchained my load and got it off as quickly as possible. Then to the truckstop to park for the semi and in a cab I went. Fourty five minutes later we pull up to the hotel in Clearwater Beach. As I walk into the front lobby I notice the lady working the desk is the same one who I have seen half dozen times in my stays here. I walk up to her half expecting her to welcome me back and already be making my room key. She had done so my last two visits. This time however, she didn't. So I told her "Robert Collins, I have a reservation". Then this dumb founded look washed over her face and she uttered "You aren't who I was expecting! You must be a different Robert Collins....the one that normally stays here is much older!". I wasn't sure whether to feel anger or gratitude at this point but I played along...."yeah I am his son, he recommended this place" and without even checking idea she checked me into my room.
By checked me into my room, I literally mean "checked me" in. She took me to my room, helped me get my bags in then closed the door behind her, except she was still in my room. Apparently she had fantasized about being with me (the older looking me) but was even more turned on by the thought of doing my son. So within minutes we were going at it like a pack of wild dogs getting their first meal in weeks. When we finished she dressed to head back to work and I found myself grinning thinking "Yes! It's working!".