I contacted my manager twice yesterday about today.  Today? I haven't contacted him at all. I literally don't feel like doing anything. 8 grueling days have taken their toll on me, I need to rest.  I know that's not going to happen but I'm dragging it out until check out time anyway.  Which isn't far off I guess, it's already past 10:00 am.  

So I guess in a half hour from now I'm going to text him: I only have to return the truck to the yard 7 miles away. After that I need to either get routed home or go somewhere else.  

Gag, changed that.  I thought it was noon checkout, it's actually 11, so I had to text him.  I didn't ask what's next tho, lol, I just said "I only have to drop truck off 7 miles away. Checkout time at this hotel is 11 am which is 45 minutes from now".  

There. Not asking for another assignment before going home, but not going to turn it down either. I just need some motivation I guess - and probably some sleep and rest.  I'd actually like to fly home. I doubt that's going to happen, but that's how I'm feeling right now. Like, I got this over with, 2 separate assignments, can we be done with this? Or give me a day's rest at least.  Just go to Walmart, buy another bag for my stuff that doesn't fit in the first bag, get to the airport and leave here : )

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So what happened? My manager finally calls me and tells me "I hope you like your last rental car because you are going to have to drive it all the way to Longview!".  Umm, dude, that car is 210 miles away, turned in, I don't have a rental car now.  So he got me another one, and yet another hour and a half ordeal to get to the airport - far away - get the thing, drive it back to the yard and get my stuff out of the truck.

While getting my stuff out of the 4th truck and loading it into the Jeep, the head mechanic comes over.  Do you have the keys to all of these trucks? No, I left them in the ignition.  The conversation was changed to the horrid interior condition of the trucks. Yes, I agreed with him, they are horrible. One of them has a smell that I couldn't even define, it was horrid and foul.  He gave his explanation what I won't repeat here, he instantly jumped on my statement about that truck, he knew which one it was, gross, doesn't even halfway define the smell in that thing, Even with the windows open...  I said all of those trucks need detailed by professionals, if they think drivers are going to come and just move into this disgusting garbage, they have another thing coming.  

I was glad at least that someone actually got into all of them and were looking at the condition of them.  I simply couldn't believe that anyone could actually have done OTR in them.  How did they stand their own vileness?  I'm not overexaggerating this, these trucks were awful.  They have their work cut out for them if they want drivers to actually drive those things.  I would quit.  I would literally quit before being forced into that trash.  

I spend too much time in my truck, it's got to be clean. It can get a little messy, but nothing even remotely close to the landfillishness of these aberrations.  I have an actual garbage can and carry the 4 gallon plastic trash bags. I have various cleaners and paper towels.  I take out the carpet and the bedding frequently enough and machine wash them.  I have air fresheners in both the cab and the sleeper vents. I carry 2 bottles of spray to eliminate any odors.  I do occasionally spill food in the cab onto the flooring - which is rubberish type material and I always clean it up right away.  

Anyway, I got on the road, got 564 miles and had already predetermined I would stop here.  That by texting my manager - I need a hotel.  Sikeston, Missouri.  It's more than half way and I wasn't about to drive 1,036 miles straight through. I could have if I wanted to - but I didn't want to.  I'm burnt out from working so many long days in a row.  And there isn't any real need or rush to get home. I want to be there, yes, but not at the expense of my sanity or sleep.  Another free night's hotel stay, finally had the hot meal I've been desiring, I'm filled and content.  Sleep 7 hours, get up and drive out the rest of this trip and be done with it.  

So there it is. I had half hoped for more work, tbh, just needing a bit of time off.  Instead, I'll be home tomorrow early afternoon and I'm sure my doggies will be happy to see me : ) 

G'nite.