E’volvo’lution Chapter 3

He looked so radiant I gave him a peck on the cheek, much to my wonderment. Then we were back to photos and explanation but this time I was also being asked about the specifications and was able to hold my own.

I tried to get them interested in the electric just a couple of trucks away but most wanted to talk about lots of capacity and brute strength.

Eventually the crowd dissipated, and we were able to have some time to ourselves. I was glad that we’d looked at the rest of the display yesterday as I’d hardly moved a metre today.

The parents joined us, and the three of us were enveloped in hugs. I thanked Astrid for all her help but didn’t book a removal appointment just yet. We were told that there would be yet another family dinner but tonight it would be a little more upmarket.

As the afternoon drew to a close we gathered at the stage area to hear the awards. The winner of the artwork prize was one that Greger had done recently and the owner called for him to come on stage to get some acknowledgement for his great work.

There were lots of awards for small trucks, best restoration, and other things. Many of the awards were by public voting and we were all over the moon when ‘Answer’ was announced as the ‘Truck of the Show’

Greger took hold of my hand and pulled me up to the stage with him to a great applause and some wolf whistles.

He was asked to give a speech and he thanked the organisers for a great show.

“I know that we would never have won this if it hadn’t been for Antonia today. For those who just think that she’s eye candy, she does have a licence and experience on one of these trucks and is qualified to drive a double trailer. She’ll be driving Antonia’s Answer for us, starting Monday, so let that be something you girls should learn; with modern trucks you don’t have to be a macho guy to operate a big rig. I thank you all and goodnight.”

As we left the stage there was a bit of a hubbub and then the Emcee announced that the band would start playing in fifteen minutes. We got back to the truck and there were a couple of guys there who Greger introduced.

They were here to take the other two trucks back to the depot. I was given the keys and told to follow them back; he would go ahead in his car to open up. The guys went to the other two trucks and we got into the cabs and fired them up - or, in the case of the electric, the main switch flipped on. We warmed the two big ones up and I turned on my CB to hear one of the other drivers call for full running lights.

We weren’t the only ones leaving and it was a colourful convoy that we joined, the electric first with me following up at the rear.

We had to be really careful in the enclosed space as this was, by far, the longest rigid chassis I had ever driven. There was a big cheer as I eased out and I had the window down to give everyone a wave.

I felt uplifted, I felt strong and, most importantly, I felt needed. We kept the light show going all the way to the depot and, when we arrived, Astrid was there to film our bright entry.

I waited to see what the other guys did and they reversed into a shed each. The driver of the electric would have to put it on charge but the other guy just shut down in the usual way and then came out to me and climbed up on the steps to point out where this one lived.

I swung it around and reversed into its shed and shut it down, rolled up the window and waited for him to get clear of the shed before making my descent and locking the truck.

I went to give the keys to Greger but he told me to keep them in my bag as the truck would be my responsibility come the morning. He opened his passenger door for me and I got in to wait for him to close up the sheds.

The other two drivers had their cars parked outside and they both gave me a wave as they left. Greger got in and drove out of the gates, then stopped and closed them.

We drove back to the chosen restaurant in silence with the trophy on the back seat. He was driving with his right hand on the auto stick so I put my left over his.

“Don’t sweat it, Greger, we’ve both had strange feelings today and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I had a lot of fun and I don’t even feel strange here sitting next to you in a dress. Last night I had a dream where no-one could upset a girl in a red dress and today proved that it was actually true.”

That broke the ice, “All day I’ve never thought of you as anything but a girl; you really nailed it. Even yesterday when I first spoke to you I thought that you were a girl and finding out that you weren’t didn’t worry me in the slightest as, by then, I was feeling very easy chatting. You’re a very easy person to talk to.”

At the restaurant he parked outside and a doorman helped me out, and the car was driven away by a valet as we entered. Greger had the trophy in his hand and we joined quite a large table.

The parents were there as well as Astrid and Erik, Agnetha and her partner, and another couple who I found out were his older brother, Bjorn, and his wife Ezuli. The brother ran the crash repair side of the business, and was the creator of the great interiors.

It was a very merry meal, and I’m ashamed to say that I had a couple of glasses of champagne which went straight to my head.

I use this as an excuse in agreeing to dance when the band started playing. Greger held me close and we danced cheek to cheek.

I had the odd feeling of his manhood against my lower belly and it was a very odd thing that it made me empowered rather than upset. If this is the power that women have over men then I was warming to it.

Before we finished his father gave an impassioned speech about the day being one of the best in his life. He said that everyone had pulled out all the stops.

Greger gave him the trophy for his mantle. Astrid told me that I would be living with her and Erik for a while, and it was just a walk to the depot.

She added that the shopping from this morning was already at the house and that she had been to her shop and got me more things. We would go to the hostel after work on Monday for me to get the rest of my luggage as well as my motorbike.

That I didn’t complain or stamp my foot was a sure sign that I had gone over the top. Perhaps I could revert again once I had all my old clothes but, right at this moment, I was starting feel very tired.

It had been a long day and both Astrid and I were starting look wilted. She announced that we were heading home and there was a general round of hugs and kisses.

I got a hug and a kiss on the cheek from senior and one of the juniors. Greger walked me out to the pavement as we waited for the car to be brought out. He stood behind me and put his arms around my waist and I just leaned back in to his embrace.

When the car arrived he said, “See you tomorrow, beautiful,” so I turned and intended to give him a kiss on the cheek. Was it fate or just him being devious that resulted in me kissing him on his lips. It was something I pondered on all the way to the house and my new abode for a while.

At the house I was shown where everything was and when I saw the bedroom I was to use I was amazed. It was huge with an ensuite.

Astrid showed me where my new underwear and nightwear were placed. The earlier purchases were hanging in the wardrobe, along with more that I hadn’t seen before.

She explained that Agnetha had gone back to her shop this afternoon and picked out some things I would need for normal working so I now had two pairs of jeans and a pair of skinny leather jeans for when I was on my bike. She gave me a hug and told me to sleep well as I would be a working girl in the morning.

Before she left the room she pointed out a cosmetic case and some bottles on the vanity. She told me that there were wipes and remover in the bathroom and to make sure I cleaned thoroughly or else my first job would be washing the pillowcase.

So much for the welcome to the wonderful world of beauty, threatened with a cleaning job. As I cleansed I realised that I hadn’t had my phone with me so hadn’t sent any pictures to my family.

Never mind, there would be plenty out there and I’m sure that there would be a few in the family that they could send tomorrow. I put on a new nightdress and got into one of the softest beds I had ever slept in and, as they say, went out like a light.

Monday morning I was woken by a knock on the door and Astrid called for me to put the gown on and come down for breakfast. I went into the bathroom first and then pulled the gown on over my nightie and went downstairs.

Erik had already left so the two of us sat, ate, and chatted. Astrid said that she still had to pinch herself with our success and the way the day went. She had had a lot of fun but now, she said, it was the first day of the future.

She predicted that we would hear about the centrefold today as we were the Truck of the Show and located here in Tallinn. Usually the award trucks are on their way home to EU countries by now.

After I had helped tidy up I went up to the room, stripped off and showered. Today I dressed in a pair of jeans and a nice top and finished off with some black boots I found.

There was a shoulder bag and I transferred everything from the red bag to it. For make-up I just used a bit of mascara and lipstick as today I would be driving. It was the start of my new life and I really hoped that it continued to be as satisfying as the weekend.

The house was just over the main highway so it was an easy walk to the trucking yard. I found it odd to hear my heels on the pavement and did my best to follow yesterdays’ instruction to lead with the groin. I could feel my walk altering as I got closer to my first true day at work.

I found the main office and spoke to a young girl who manned the desk. She was called Berget and, of course, already knew who I was. She stood up to give me a hug, telling me that I was a heroine that she and her friends could look up to. I told her that I was just an ordinary person doing an ordinary job, and she told me that I was too humble.

Greger then came to see what the fuss was about and he took me to another office where he already had an employment form filled out under the name of Antonia Berg. I was given an inductee form with the safety instructions and issued with a company hi-vis shirt and a couple of spares.

I was also introduced to Ludvig who, I was told, had driven the route I was allocated so many times he could do it in his sleep. He would be with me today as my guide as well as my examiner. We went to the staff area where I was given a locker. I went into the ladies and changed my shirt.

He and I then walked out to the shed where I had parked ‘Answer’. He was a bit quiet so I let the silence drift on. In the shed I had a walk around the truck, looking at the tyres and checking the hydraulic lines for any signs of a leak.

This truck was so new and little used I didn’t expect anything. When I unlocked the cab I asked him if he’d been in this truck before, and he said he hadn’t.

“This was built as a show truck. The inside is all white so I’ll see if I can get a couple of sheets that we can sit on.”

He said he knew where they were and it only took a couple of minutes before he was back.

I took one from him and opened the door to climb in. When he got in on the other side he smiled, “I see what you mean. It would be a pity to mark this with oily overalls.”

I started the truck and checked all the readings before raising the lazy axle for our trip to the port. The fuel gauge was close to full so we didn’t need to stop for anything.

We left the depot at just before eight and went north to the port. I already had a good idea of where to go and his instructions were few before we got to the port gates.

We had a clipboard with our loading details, and I handed it to the guy on the gate. He checked it over and told us the loading bay we should go to.

As I went to leave I saw him nip into his office and pick up a phone. Ludvig directed me to the right bay, explaining where we would usually go. He said he would give me a map of the docks when we got back to the depot.

When we pulled up in the bay there were about a dozen guys standing around. I put the brakes on and left the engine running, and put the window down. Someone called out something.

Ludvig laughed, “You had better get out. You have a fan club waiting.”

I got out of the cab and we had a session of selfies for the guys. I got Ludvig down to take a picture of the whole group on his phone for me as I hadn’t retrieved mine yet.

It took about fifteen minutes before our container arrived and he gave me a quick lesson on the use of the locking pins when I told him I hadn’t used these before.

With the container in place and our new friends waving us off, I took us back out of the docks after being checked off by the guard. Then we were back on the road past the turn-off for the depot and heading south to Tartu.

Ludvig spent some time chuckling to himself. I asked what we carried and he told me that this was one of the oldest accounts that the company had. We carried rolls of paper, three in the container, and we would be delivering to Kroonpress, a little south of the city of Tartu.

Most days we would do just the one run as it was about two and a half hours each way, and there’s about an hour at each end with the loading and unloading. If we were given an empty container to bring back, we would deliver it to the docks before going to the depot. Sometimes we could pick up a full container and then the next day we would just head south from the depot.

For the next two hours I followed Highway E263, and then onto the Route 2 for Tartu. It was a good drive and fairly flat. Estonia is a flat country with most of it only varying by fifty metres.

We listened to the chatter on the CB, and had the radio playing on a local station. At the city we swung to the right onto the Ringtee and then it was a left turn or two and we were inside the Kroonprint property.

He directed me to where we would be unloaded, and I pulled us up where he said. We both got out and I went into the office with him to meet the worker there who checked our paperwork, and called up the lifter to take our container.

I was trying to follow all that was said in Estonian and Ludvig saw my concentration, “Don’t worry; I’ll give you a sheet of the usual instructions with Swedish translations so you can get by on your own.”

While we were there a guy wandered in and looked at me. “Antonia?” and I nodded. He pulled out his phone and had a yabber in Estonian. The only words I understood were “Antonia” a few times.

As our lifter had arrived I got back in the cab and unlocked the pins. Ludvig said we had one to take back and, while we waited, we had another group of guys wanting selfies with me and the truck. It turned out that this was where the magazine was published and there were a lot of truck fans in the plant.

I discovered that it was an extremely rare occasion to have the ‘Truck of the Show’ doing a delivery and, before we left, a chap from the main office came down with a photographer to record the event for their internal news.

As we left and I headed north again Ludvig gave a bellow of laughter.

“This is one of the strangest runs I’ve ever done. I’m so glad that Greger asked me to mentor you, my girl. You don’t need a mentor, you really need an agent. Ha! Wait until I tell the other guys that we were held up because the photographer wanted some more pictures! That’s been priceless.”

It was a bit quicker heading north as we were lighter and we stopped for a lunch before getting back to Tallinn where we went to the docks again. I showed our delivery sheet, and was directed to where I would be unloaded.

As we waited for the lifter he smiled, “Greger asked me to check your ability and I’m going to tell him it’s top rate. You’ve been careful and accurate in your placings and really do know your way around the truck. Even with all the oddness, it’s been a pleasant day.”

I thanked him for his kindness and help and, once we had been unloaded, went back to the depot, arriving just before five. He showed me where the truck wash and refuelling points were and I quickly cleaned the bugs off the front and then filled the tank. In the office he reported to Greger, and then asked me to wait while he got the maps.

When he gave them to me I gave him a hug and thanked him for a good introduction. Greger came out and said that I should go to his car as he would take me to the Hostel where I could check out.

He would take my luggage while I rode the bike to Astrids’ house.

In the car he smiled, “Ludvig is one of the hardest guys around to get on with and he told me about the day, and showed me some pictures on his phone. He says that you’re a top line driver and he enjoyed the day. I also got a call from one of the top guys at Kroonprint. He said that most companies only use show trucks for advertising so it was refreshing to see ‘Answer’ doing normal work the day after winning ‘Truck of the Show’. He said that they would talk to the person submitting pictures from the show about adding one of it in his plant.”

At the Hostel I spoke to the reception about leaving and settled up. We went to my room and I put all my Anton gear in the panniers and then we carried them and my backpack down to the car.

I had to go back and get my new Antonia stuff in the bags they came in and then checked that I had left nothing in the room. It was good to have my own phone with me and I would be talking to my mother tonight.

I put my helmet on and started the bike, following Greger to my new residence. There, he helped me take everything to my room and then sat with me and Erik having a chat until Astrid got home.

I walked with him to his car and he asked me to come in early next morning, around six, as he wanted me to help the mechanics pull a motor out of one of the electrics so it could be looked at.

It was the first one that needed this to be done. He said that if I finished helping I could then take another container to Tartu.

He gave me a hug and said ‘Well done, girl,” and then got into his car and left. I don’t know why I stood for a while as he went down the road but I eventually went back inside and helped Astrid with the evening meal.

That evening I went to my room and plugged the phone into a charger and then put away my clothes. I went through the back-pack and took out all of my paperwork to put in one of my new bags.

I would now carry it with me at all times. With the phone on charge I called home and spoke to my mother. I told her about the big day yesterday and gave her the website address so she could look up the photos and report.

I also told her to look for herself and Halina in a red dress and tell me what she thought. I had to hold the phone away from myself so she could see what I looked like now.

She chuckled and then told me that I was a credit to my Scandinavian heritage.

Marianne Gregory © 2022