Truck

     “Here you go, buddy,” Jason said as he handed the check to Robert. “Two thousand big ones, although I still think the truck is worth more.”

     “You’re a friend, I’m not trying to milk you dry,” Robert said, taking the check and handing Jason the keys. “Besides, I’m hoping you and your new truck will be around to help me move a sofa next week.”

     Jason smiled. “Sure thing. Anytime you need a favor, you let me know. You have lifetime truck privileges after the bargain you just gave me.”

     “Glad to hear it.” Robert pulled out his cell phone and started texting.

     “What are you doing?” Jason craned his neck trying to look at the phone screen.

     “Oh, nothing.” Robert continued to text quickly. “Just letting a few people know I sold the truck to you.”

     “I never knew you were so tech savvy,” Jason said with a laugh. “I’ve gotta run, but let’s grab a beer this weekend.”

     The two men shook hands and Jason climbed into his new truck. Robert continued to text furiously as it drove away. When he finished, several minutes later, he closed his phone and took a good long look at the sunset before him.

     “Free at last,” he said aloud. “Free at last.”

     Ten minutes later, Jason pulled the truck into his driveway. His phone rang three times while he was driving, but he let all the calls go to voicemail. He climbed out of his new vehicle and was just about to check his messages when the phone rang again.

     “Hello… Hey Jimmy! I haven’t talked to you in ages… Why yes, I did just buy Robert’s truck… What? You need to move some lumber next Tuesday… Sure, I’d be glad to help…”

     As he spoke, he followed his usual habit of grabbing the mail, unlocking the front door, walking straight to his computer and logging into his email account.

     “No problem…. I’ll see you then. Later Jimmy.”

     Jason hung up the phone, which immediately rang again. He didn’t answer it, though, because he was astounded by what his saw on his monitor. He normally received two or three emails a day, but seventeen messages arrived in his inbox in the past ten minutes. New messages appeared every few seconds, and each one had “borrow truck” or “favor to ask” in the subject line.

     Only then did Jason begin to comprehend the curse of truck ownership.