Well, as the days pass, so the information also comes rolling in.
They relieved that temp driver of his duties today.  However, they told him I am probably going to quit so they may be calling him back.  Now, it's not surprising that they know I have been applying elsewhere for jobs - they have been calling and calling for verification of employment.  However, those calls are going to corporate, not the local management.  Not that I didn't believe that corporate wouldn't come along and tell them what I am doing.  I knew this before I started this process.

However.  I didn't expect management to tell a non-management person that information.  I think that's unprofessional if nothing else.  I have been intentionally keeping a very good attitude and keeping my work ethic up, doing what I have been doing all along.  At least I'm not giving them any "good" reason to get rid of me.  They could release me at any time which is fine, I can be in an orientation as early as this coming Monday if that happened.

Regardless, I did tell the GM today in email that I still wanted to stay at this company, that I could get along with the new manager if his demeanor remained "mostly" at what it is now and that I await his decision.  I am carefully wording everything I say and leaving nothing to subjective interpretation. Well, people can subjectively interpret whatever they want, but I am carefully thinking through what i say to anyone and keeping my conversations at a minimum.

Whatever the case, I'm going to bite my tongue and wait for the GM's decision.  It is at least possible he could make a favorable decision.  I don't know but I won't wait forever.  I have made up my mind and the gears are turning.  I have 2 companies now that I have narrowed it down to and when I am pressed to make a final decision, it will come to me which one to take. I have no idea if Addler will take to being in a truck but I wanted the option open and at least try it if it comes to that.  They offered without my asking - I wouldn't ask them to do that really - to take care of him while I am gone but that means I would only see him 4 days out of the month and I do not think that would work.

He is very attached to me now.  Very attached.  It would be a tragedy in my mind to have to give him up to yet another owner/family after going through 2 already in his relatively short period of time he has been alive on this earth.  In fact, I would contact the original owners and see if they would take him back.  The lady loved him dearly and she was devastated to have to let him go - as I would be.  It will be a matter of whether he takes to a truck life or not.

It is unfortunate but I do have to think through all of this and be prepared for what may come.  To be honest, I have had thoughts of asking my oldest brother - of whom I have no relationship with - if he could get me into Boeing.  I have no qualifications so that would be a longshot even if he agreed to try.  I've also had thoughts that if I do go OTR, to spend my free time doing online education.  But in reality, I am 52 years old and it is difficult for people over the age of 50 to get into much of anything without ample experience in any given field.  I can make excellent money OTR I just know that it is a sacrifice.

I've called the waterworks company within 100 miles and no-one is hiring.  For any position, not just trucking.  It's serious hard times out here with the oil fields being shut down.

Well, I can take solace that at least I have something to turn to even if it isn't optimal.

As I posted the other day, I wasn't going to wait around to hear back from the general manager. I went ahead and emailed him from my company email account today to ask him about the pay raise. It was worded with respect and professionalism, I have not yet determined to burn my bridges with this company.

I got a reply email from him within a few minutes actually. He stated that he had just gotten back from Dallas and needed to make a phone call to my new manager and that he would try to make a decision by mid week.i'm not holding my breath but you know it was worth a try anyway.

Eddie, the Driver that was fired for failing a drug test, started today. From the perspective of trying to get a pay raise that is really good news at all.if I were to quit today they would just pick up with them where I left off. Of course he is a pothead and who knows whether he has been able to give that up or not. He was using a coworker's urine drug test in the past. One would presume that the company would force him to do regular from, but this company doesn't seem to be normal in that aspect.

Regardless I am starting to warm up to the idea of being in a truck for extended periods of time. It would be tough to face two weeks at a time out on the road with a dreadful outlook up on it. There are plenty of cons with OTR driving but there are some pros to it as well. 

Unfortunately I would not be at all surprised if they came back with nothing. My current company that is. But I still think an ounce of faith that there is a remote possibility that they might agree to enough of  a pay raise to keep me there. 

Meanwhile the time draws nigh for me to go to one of the orientations. So I am going to look up the things that they have made for truck drivers make their life easier while they're driving on the road. One nice thing that many trucking companies have nowadays is electronic logging. No more logbooks, you just input the information into a device which is sent back to your company and kept on file. It warned you when you're getting close to the end of your allowable driving hours. I only know this because I asked a driver into our yard last week about it. He showed me the device showed how it works.

I have stopped putting out applications for jobs. The only ones that I wouldn't lie for now our local jobs and I have done all of those that I could find. There were some great jobs that are local but they are in my area. I do not believe that I want to relocate again unless it's completely out of this entire area.