It was a Ram 2500 with a Cummins 24 valve diesel engine. Why would anyone drive a rig like that?
And why would anyone be backing it up past her kitchen window at two thirty most mornings? If she'd been in bed at that time she wouldn't have known the truck existed, but she was awake, watching old movies and writing letters to the characters. The brave woman who owned a ranch and was threatened by a band of outlaws. The lonely fighter pilot whose wife did not understand him. The public health officer single handedly fighting a potential epidemic. She wrote them all advice, then she tossed the letters in the garbage.
Sometimes she'd bake a batch of cookies then throw them outside for the raccoons.
The truck was relatively quiet as it maneuvered past her window, but when it rained the engine roared and the wheels flung mud against her house.
In a way she didn't mind the truck. It meant another soul was awake on the planet.
One night someone came to the door. A man. She saw his head and shoulders in the glass panel. She did not know him. A little afraid she opened the door.
``Could you help me get my truck started?''
``Sure,'' she said.
``I saw you at the window so I knew you were up.''
``Yeah.''
She dug her battery charger out of a cabinet. ``My car don't run, but I got this.''
It took a while to recharge the truck battery. They sat in the kitchen of his trailer and watched an infomercial about an exercise machine. Dirty dishes in the sink. Brown and orange afghan on the sofa.
``So why do you go to work so early?'' she asked.
``I drive an hour to Sweet Home to get the crummy at 3.30,'' he said, ``I've missed it today, I'll have to drive all the way.'' He looked at her.
``So do you work?'' He knew she didn't.
``I got a mental disability. I'm on S.S. I don't do nothing.''
``You should get out more.''
``Yeah.''
When he was gone she suddenly felt tired. She turned off the TV for the first time in more than a year and she took all her clothes off for the first time in a week and she slipped into her bed and slept immediately.