I didn't tell the whole story because I'm currently negotiating with insurance companies and, as it stands now, may still go to court over what happened. I've been told it's a best to keep things quiet until it is resolved though I have no idea when that will be. I don't want to leave anyone in wondering what I'm talking about each time I post and, so I can keep you up to date with everything that's happening, I'll try to tell what happened. As it stands, very few people read this anyway.

I decided to move to Chicago and took a trip there to check out the city for neighborhoods, jobs and find a place. While I was there I met a woman, KT, and we got along very well. I ended up spending most of my time with her and didn't do everything I set out to do. I didn't find a place, didn't meet any job prospects but I spent my time there very happy. I really fell for her and she felt the same way. I'm usually very rational but when I was with her I didn't care. Within a few days we were talking about moving in and even hinted at marriage. On the way back to Boston I considered all the ways I could propose to her. I could see myself spending my life with her, which is odd considering I never wanted to marry or spend my life with anyone.

I had planned to return the week after but I had to get the last of my affairs in Boston in order. I had already started packing, I just needed to make arrangements for my friend Kam to come up and help with the move/road trip there, get a truck and go. Kam has always been reliable and I wouldn't want anyone with me on this trip but him.

I had heard bad things about U Haul, they were unreliable, they had terrible customer service and kept their trucks in terrible conditions but, pressed for time, I ended up choosing them. I reserved a truck beforehand though I was told it "should" be there the day I needed it, even though I already paid for it. I should add that I get very stressed when traveling, not because I hate to travel, I love it in fact, but there's so much I can't plan for and I have so little control over what happens to me. Putting my fate in the hands of a company that hopes to have a truck there for you the day you need it though they signed a contract that it will be there only added to my frustration.

Therefore it was no surprise when I got to the station and there was no truck available. When I asked why I only got confused stares in response. No one that worked there could give a proper explanation so, after an hour, I finally got to the manager who confessed that the truck was there but it was being worked on and they lost the key.

At least they have it, I reassured myself and, since everything I owned was packed and taped into boxes back at my apartment, all I could do was wait. I saw a mechanic working on a truck that seemed to be decades old. The cab looked in very bad shape. The truck seemed cramped and dirty. The manager saw me eyeing it and called out (to make me feel better?) that it was my truck. I naturally thought he was joking so I didn't think much of it.

Close to an hour later the manager came to me with a key. He was out of breath and seemed very pleased with himself. They had made another key, just for me, since they had lost the original. When I asked where my truck was he seemed confused and pointed to the out of shape truck. When I refused, he smiled and assured me that, not only was the vehicle in driving shape, but it's the only one they had.

The mechanic came out and asked where I planned to take the truck and laughed when I told him Chicago. The truck, he said, was only meant to be driven in town and not cross country as I had planned and U Haul was well aware of. This only upset me more and demanded another truck. The manager, who was already talking to another customer seemed upset and yelled at me that I had to take it.

Looking back, I realize I should have left at this point, demanded her rip up anything I signed and try my luck with another moving company. However, with time running out and already too stressed to think correctly, I took the truck back and loaded it with everything I had. Only when I locked the door did I find out there was no key to the back. Obviously this would cause a problem so we had to drive back to the U Haul station to see if they had "lost" that as well.

When we pulled in the manager seemed happy to see us and actually came running out. I got a burst of hope for a moment when I thought maybe we would get a new truck and it was all a gag. Instead he came up to the hood, opened it, pulled out the original keys and the paper contract attached to it that was left on the engine. Realizing the mistake and what damage it could have caused he quickly went back inside and I went on my way.

From the very beginning the truck was giving me problems. It drove slowly so you had to keep the gas pedal completely down just to keep it close to the speed limit, it made strange noises and shook when you used the brakes. Kam and I saw it as a joke. We had been in bad vehicles before and never had anything more than a flat tire so we pressed on, figuring whatever we encountered we could handle. Now that we were on the road everything seemed better. We were relaxing, laughing and I was glad I made the decision to finally leave Boston.

The truck was slow and didn't get good mileage. By the time we got to Wilkes- Barre it was the middle of the night. We had to stop to get some rest and had an uncomfortable sleep at a rest stop for a few hours. The next morning, cramped and lazy from bad sleep we started out. Around nine in the morning we were on the Western side of the side. By now the truck problems had become more aggravating than funny so when the truck started slowing down on a small incline on a highway we just shook our heads. We had been trading off driving duties and now Kam was driving. I was leaning against the door, trying to be as comfortable in the cramped cab as possible. I thought the worst thing that could happen was the truck would stall in the middle of busy morning rush hour traffic.

"Holy shit, it's on fire," Kam yelled. The truck had slowed to a stop and he had pulled over to the side of the highway. I thought it was a joke, considering we had difficulty going over forty. He leaped out and a moment later I did as well. I left everything in the cab of the truck. All I had was what was on me; my cell phone, my ipod, my palm and my wallet.

The truck was on fire. Kam said he had seen fire licking out from under the driver's side wheel and jumped out. Once out of range I could see flames dripping from the engine and soon after the cab was filled with smoke and flames. There was no way to go back and get what we left on our seats without getting seriously burned.

The fire blew out the first two tires then the windshield. It moved into the cab and started making it's way back. My clothes were the first thing back behind the cab and I just imagined everything catching fire. After that my furniture, computer, electronics, cds, dvds, books, everything caught fire.


Some rubbernecker gawking

I called 911 the moment I got out of the truck but it took them half an hour to come. I called U Haul right after I got off the phone with them and was greeted with a tired operate reciting what she'd been taught before; "Sir, you must call this number if you are in an accident." When I called the number I was hung up on. On the third try, with me practically screaming at the operator I finally managed to get someone else on the line. They offered no apologies or plans on what to do. They only wanted to know my location. By this time the state police had arrived and told me I was right outside of Snowshoe, PA. U Haul said they would send a truck to help.



The fire department arrived just in time to water down the embers of what I had. I was able to salvage some things, mostly dvds and cds. Everything else was melted or vaporized. The cab was burned down to the metal- no dashboard, no seat cushions, just the metal frame of the truck.



Some people arrived to take pictures and drive off. Lovely. Two people asked if they could help or if I needed to dail 911.

We stayed by the side of the road, nearby this town I never heard of, combing through my stuff. The truck arrived but it was only a tow truck and no replacement U Haul to get me on my way. Meanwhile Kam and I, as well as strangers collected everything that looked ok and put them in trashbags. I found the burned fragments of my college diploma. Each moment I'd find something that meant a lot that was too burned to take with me. I kept thinking of everything I would never see again; family pictures, my favorite shirts, my computer...



The tow truck drivers were a big help and made me feel better by telling me of worse accidents they'd seen. At least I was walking. True.

U Haul called. They finally understood what was happening and got their legal team to work. "At least you're okay," the incompetent operator said. "I lost everything...I...own." I was feeling sorry for myself but at this point I think I had a right to. I was still in shock. I had no idea what would happen next. I knew that I'd have to build everything back slowly and my life would be measured by "before the fire" and "after the fire". I thought of the future, when I bought a house, put together an office and relatives come over; "Where's your diploma, where are your photos?"

Enough for now, I don't want to think about it any longer.