I was an Over The Road truck driver in the early 2000’s, long before anyone gave a crap about your logbook.
I was passing through Kansas, driving down US Hwy 281, it was the dead of night, and I just wanted to get back to my home in Oklahoma.
Not a single car was on the road, and my eyes were getting heavy, but I was confident I could make it back home. I took a swallow of my warm Pepsi to help keep me awake, but the drowsiness was persistent.
As I was driving the 65 mph speed limit, I saw a shadow of a figure off to the shoulder of the road and outside of my headlights. I figured it was just a deer, and so I kept on driving.
About a mile later, the shadow figure once again appeared, this time it was just inside the beam of my lights.
It was a dog, but not just any dog, a black dog with burning red eyes that stared right through me. I was freaking out when I passed this hellhound, my heart was racing, I sped up just a little more in hopes that I could get some distance between me and this beastly canine.
To my horror, I saw the dog in my rear view mirrors chasing after me, not only that, but it was keeping up with me going 75.
I turn my attention back towards the road, but all of the sudden, my Kenworth’s engine began to cut out like it was out of fuel.
I was screwed, especially with that monster chasing me. I frantically try to start the semi back up, but it was almost like the batteries were completely dead.
I check the mirrors and the surroundings, I couldn’t find the hellhound anywhere, so I made the decision to get my flashlight and tools to see what was the matter with my semi.
I climb out, and quickly pop the hood to check the fuel lines, the fuel lines were fine to my amazement. I try to move on to the batteries, but before I could remove the battery covers, I got the sensation that something was watching me.
I quickly turnaround and was horrified to see the monstrosity that had been following me. I was frozen in place, this is surely my end.
The beast comes closer to me, baring it’s teeth that shined in the night, I comeback to my senses and point my flashlight at the creature but…
It wasn’t a monster at all, it was a taller than average Black Labrador Retriever. Still scared as hell, and my mind frozen in fear, all I could mutter out was:
“Hey buddy”
The dog comes up to my Jean leg, tail wagging, and licks my hand. I scratch behind the friendly dog’s ears, as I crouch down, and the dog happily licks my cheek.
I finally speak up and say:
“What are you doing all the way out here?”
The dog gets back out of arm’s reach and looks to the direction I was heading, I look that way too, and was astonished to see the lights of a semi running the stop sign dead ahead.
The dog gives me one last lick on the cheek, and disappears into the night. Curious, I point my flashlight in the direction the dog went, but he was no where to be found.
I finally get my mind back in order, and try starting my semi back up. To my surprise, the semi starts like nothing was ever wrong with it. I get out and pull the hood back down and pack my tools into the cab.
I turn the dome light on and look at my map to see that I’m 2 miles from the next truck stop, so I decided to drive there and park there for the night.
Arriving at the truck stop, I cleared off my bed in the sleeper, and tried to get some rest, as tough as it may be. I remember waking up the next morning, feeling refreshed from my slumber, but the encounter with the Black Dog was still on my mind.
To this day, I’ve always wondered if that Black Dog saved me from an impending doom, and for that, I can’t help but feel thankful for that guardian watching over me.