So it started back sometime in July. I received a call concerning some recruitment from within the company I work for about a job I applied for. They said they wanted an interview, so that happened over the phone for several minutes. After that, they wanted to bring me in a few weeks after for a second interview. So it goes that I flew into Raleigh on Friday, July 27th, for the interview. Abby picked me up to greet me since her & mom were in Peru the last time I visited. So I had a few minutes before I needed to head south to Fayetteville for the business part of the day.
After leaving the great interview I headed back towards Durham to spend the remaining time of the night with Charlie, Abby, and Tucker. A nice meal at a Japanese steakhouse ended the night well. All this time, mom & dad are kept out of the loop so that maybe it'll spawn into an even better surprise. I leave out of Raleigh on Saturday the 28th back to Abilene and wait out the decision to be made. Since there were others to be interviewed and me the first, I had some time to wait.
It wasn't long, maybe one to two weeks that I received the call involving the good news...still the parents didn't know about it. Now comes the planning and organizing a new place without leaving Texas, all from the help from Abby & Dave. Now things are rolling well. Casey & Collin help out with the packing up, and everyone is super nice the week that I am to leave. So, I leave out of Abilene just a couple days ago, on the 31st, after work...driving as far as my eyes will allow before taking a couple hours of nap for myself. The calls and text messages did help Brent, Dave, Mike & Abby, but I'm not so sure about the safety of me trying to text while driving a 40 foot long vehicle, including my car.
After crashing for an hour or so, I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to start out too late in the morning and get caught in traffic, especially in Atlanta. Somehow I managed to drive 3 more hours before finally getting a couple hours of sleep somewhere in Alabama. It was concluded that is and will always be extremely hard to nap in a truck with bucket seats and nothing to lay on, also considering the seats don't recline. So anyway, I was making good time. The truck was governed at 78 mph, and yes I reached that...even though the trailer recommended staying under 55 mph. I figured I would take the risk of going faster than driving the extra 5+ hours.
Then Atlanta came...yes the traffic was horrible and people brake for no reason, or maybe they were just too busy on their phones to pay attention to traffic. Someone after losing an hour in traffic I managed to make up the time in South Carolina. It was good timing. Dave had just picked up the key for me in Fayetteville to my new place(which I had not seen at all). Abby was in the works of formulating a plan to trick mom into coming to Fayetteville for the surprise. And, I was on my way to Mike & Misty's for the night after some Japanese with them & Dave. All was looking good, no wreck on the long drive and I'm not hungry after a good meal. Now comes my first night's sleep in a real bed after several days.
On with more driving...7am EST I pick up Dave at his apartment in Charlotte so we can go unload all my belongings at the new place. Since my dad had other plans outside of staying to help Abby on Sunday, I had to break him the news of my arrival & new place. He agreed to help us out as well. So, we have a couple of hours to unpack everything at the new place before mom gets there. Things go well and we are done in very little time...it's hot, humid and we are relaxing. Ab & mom show up, and the surprise happens. The bomb drops, and it is a success.
So, today after work I finally pushed myself back into the gym. It has been quite hard after leaving Abilene to stay going to the gym. The people in general at the gym here are totally different...a negative vibe is easily seen just walking in, especially compared to Hendrick in Abilene. For the past two months my gym bag has been in a corner and has really messed with my daily energy. Now, hopefully I won't be getting tired so easily and will keep my place to release stress.
plus side, this will make it two years that the Cress side of things are giving money to a needy family. Anyway, Dave, I'll be in town on the 14th...and since you are leaving NC for a nice imaging job in Florida we'll have to make the best of it. Still though, I'm sure it's a huge Christmas gift to you that you have a definite position before you have even graduated...something huge to look forward to at the beginning of the year. You're the man Dave!
