Trey's Story - Family over Everything

Trey's Story - Chapter 12 (Keep Trucking)

Other than the incident with the cop, life was going well, and as far as I could tell Rico was staying out of trouble. He had done everything right and actually gotten his CDL. Rico had applied for several job openings for truck drivers and was nervously waiting to hear back. I could tell that he was cautiously optimistic, because he did not want to get his hopes up too high, only to be turned down again.

At first, Rico was very reserved and quiet as he waited for an answer concerning some of the jobs. I was so proud to see my brother trying to be a productive citizen and get his life right. I had a surprise for him.

"Rico, it's Saturday. I want you to teach me how to drive", I said to him.

"I got a friend with a rig, and he is going to let me use it for today", I explained as I tried to get him out the door with me.

While riding to the yard where the truck was stored, Rico expressed his fear of failure.

"Bro, what if I don't get a job? I can't keep living off you and your wife, and honestly I'm scared that something is going to suck me back into the streets if things don't change soon", he stated trying to be as open and vulnerable as I have ever seen him.

"Rico, we all have that struggle every day man. The thing is, you have to remind yourself that you have too much to lose, and you can't risk it by doing that stuff in the streets. Once you feel like the lure of the streets is greater than the risk of losing what you have, you are going to be headed back to the streets."

"Only look back at your past to use it as a lesson, you can't live in it. Living in your present will only make you make bad decisions. You got to live in the light of your future where you are chasing your dreams. Chase your dreams bro", I said to him as we pulled up.

I pointed to the red rig with artwork on the door that said, "Rico's Trucking" and in a nice trucking logo, go chase your dreams.

He looked at me and he looked at the truck.

"Are you serious bro?", he asked in complete shock. The joy on his face broke through the hardened smile of a life on the streets.

As I promised him when he got his CDL, I would help him get his own rig. As a man, I keep my promises. We got a rig, Rico would drive it and pay me back with the loads he is going to run.

I wasn't sure who was happier at that moment. Me, for being able to give my brother a new life, or him for getting a new life.

He was extremely excited, "Let's go for a ride Trey!", he was so excited.

"Naw, go look in the front seat. You actually got a load you need to go run. The guy I bought the truck from short on drivers and expecting you today to make some runs for him", and just like that, Rico was in the trucking business.

He ran the truck as much as he could, he was extremely proud of it. He was so proud that he spent more nights sleeping in that truck than he did at the house. He had picked up a pretty steady load of work in a relatively short period of time.

Things were going well enough that he was able to get his own place. That was another huge accomplishment and I knew he was proud of that. His sense of value and self-worth were different when he did things for himself and legally, especially since he was used to hustling backwards.

He invited the family over to his place to have dinner and to celebrate. I think it was his way of saying thank you. Sometimes being sentimental was a little difficult for people like him, but I knew what he was trying to say without saying it. We enjoyed a family dinner there and headed out for him to get ready to make a run that night.

Rico left his place about to make the overnight run, and was pulled over by an officer. The officer and his partner approached his truck, "Rico, I need you to step out of the truck", the officer said.