The Truck Driver

“Do you have a preference on which arm I use?”

I laughed, “No, the needle feels the same in either arm.”

As the technician prepared to draw blood for my annual physical, I took note of the name tag on his shirt.

“Slight pinch.”

As Tom inserted the needle into my arm, I looked into the distance to distract myself. It really was only a slight pinch.

Occasionally, I strike up conversations with strangers I come across. It’s normal for me to feel anxious beforehand, but I’m usually happy with the outcome.

“How many of these do you do each day?” I inquired.

He laughed, “Lots.”

He drew my blood, removed the needle, and bandaged my arm.

“Well, you’re very good at it… was it hard to learn?” I asked.

He smiled, “Yeah, at first… I used to be a truck driver.”

I was surprised by this response. “Wow, how did you get into this?”

“Well…” he said. “I cared for my brother for about six months till he passed. I got practice at this and kinda good at it. My wife was a nurse, so when he finally passed away, I decided to change careers.”

His first response surprised me, but this left me in awe. “Wow, that’s quite a story. Are you a nurse, too?”

“No, I took the test a couple of times, but it was too hard to pass… so I’ve been doing this now for fifteen years.”

As I contemplated what Tom had said, he started to package up the gear he used to draw my blood.

“All Done. Have a good day.”

I stood and put my shirt on, and said. “Same to you, and thanks for sharing your story.”

“No problem.” He said.

I walked out of the doctor’s office, happy with myself that I opened up to Tom and contemplated on his life and the twists and turns it took. Tom made a drastic career change from truck driver to caretaker, providing critical assistance to dozens of people every day. He’s been doing it for fifteen years, and I’m sure he will do it much longer. As I got into my car and drove home, I thanked God for people like Tom. I am sure the world is full of many Toms, and they all make our lives a little better.

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