Bessy gripped the steering wheel tightly as she maneuvered the massive tanker truck through the busy highway. She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the familiar logo of Cloudgas, the company she worked for. She had been driving gas tankers for five years now, delivering fuel to gas stations across the state. She enjoyed the challenge and the independence of her job, but she also knew the risks involved. One wrong move, one careless driver, one mechanical failure could result in a disaster.
She had seen it happen before. Just few months ago, Bessy was driving behind another tanker when it suddenly exploded in a ball of fire. She managed to swerve and avoid the blast. He carried a load of pure ethanol. She wondered if he had checked his valves and hoses before leaving the terminal, or if he had noticed any leaks or cracks in his tank. She herself saw no fire on his tanker truck. A tanker can't just explode like that. Bessy always did a thorough inspection of her vehicle before and after every trip, but she knew that some drivers were more careless or lazy than others.
She shakes her head thinking back, trying to focus on the road ahead. Bessy still had an hour before she reached her destination, a small town near the border. She checked her GPS and realized she had to take the next exit and follow a back road for a few miles. She slowed down and motioned for her turn, hoping no one was blocking her path or chasing her. Bessy hated driving on those narrow roads where she had to contend with impatient drivers, sharp turns and potholes.
One day Bessy got an offer as a crude oil driver. Crude oil drivers are always wanted and well paid. Basically, she's always been curious about the crude oil business, how it worked, what it yielded, and what it took to get into it. An advantage is to drive fixed routes to the refineries.
She wondered if it was worth it. She wondered if she could handle it. She wondered if she would ever get a chance to find out.