I was so proud of you, when you got your CDL.
I told you that the road was tough, sometimes a living hell.
You would smile and you would laugh at the stories I would spin,
About the different things I’ve seen, and all the places I’ve been.

I loved to show you my OTR trucks;
nice and shiny and chrome
And you would always take me to the one that brought you home.
I envied you and I was jealous; you got to sleep at home at night.
But when we would talk while I was gone, it made everything alright.

You loved the road and respected it, like so many do out there.
You always did the right thing to make sure safety was there.
You weren’t afraid to face the devil, or the storms in the night;
If you ever thought it was dangerous, you would pull it to the right.

You pulled a tanker local; I was pulling flats over the road.
You would always wait for me to make it safely home.
You would always pray for me, to safely make it back,
And would always make me check my load, to make sure there was no slack.

I was never so proud of you, as I was that August morn,
When the love and respect you had for the road, saved hundreds of people from harm.
You were coming north out of Atlanta, having just delivered your load,
Listening to the radio and the hum of the open road.

You felt the pain in your chest and you did the bravest thing.
You pulled over to the shoulder and stopped amidst the pain.
You called for someone to help but it was already too late;
The truck that always brought you home, had other plans for you that day.

It started you on a journey, one you waited for your life,
One to end your suffering, and end your life of strife.
You went to be with our Lord, on that stretch of Interstate 75,
But just by simply being safe, you saved hundreds of lives.

You made the journey home; one reserved for all the heroes.
We laid you down to rest, underneath where the big oak grows.
I have not pulled a trailer since, and probably never will;
For when you died, I died, and it hurts me still.

But when I hear the thunder, or see the lightning race the sky,
I know you’re up there hammered down, watching the miles pass you by.

Gettin’ paid nothing at all.
Last time I was home,
I can’t seem to recall.

This wheel is all
I’ve got to hold,
feelin’ like I’m doing time,
too young to be feelin’ old.

Feeling I’m stuck in gear;
I can still see home
in my rear view mirror.

Listening to country and rock ‘n’ roll,
gets me through another mile, and to the next toll.

Chasing the hours
one by one;
mile after mile,
into the late day sun.

Just got another ticket,
keep breakin’ the law,
can’t drive the speed limit.

Is it the sun or the moon,
driving into forever,
just want to get there soon.

Thinking of this and that,
lookin’ for the next exit,
wondering where it’s at.

Heavy eyes I try to fight,
blinded by another headlight.

This tiredness I try to shake,
trying not to pass out,
gettin’ harder to stay awake.

I’m out here all alone.
My best friend is the radio and cell phone.

Sometimes I don’t know;
is it east or west,
rain or snow.

Stoppin’ here and there,
strange faces everywhere.

Up ahead I see the signs,
closer to my destination,
oh, how I hate deadlines.

I’m restless and bored,
gotta keep truckin’
time off I just can’t afford.

I’ve seen the world time and again,
haven’t seen myself,
since I don’t know when.

Down this road I cruise,
just me and my rig,
and my highway blues.