The Volunteer

I am having my 1984 maverick passing through North Carolina into “The Volunteer” state as stated on a billboard as I enter off route I- 40 on the way to a volunteer football game in early November.

As I enter into volunteer territory, Knoxville is my destination of approximately 65 miles. The road has numerous switchbacks going up and down left to right as well as right to left curves. At times my car drifts into other lanes and I am met by a convincing horn or a number one signal by a passing car with either their left or right hand. Gosh, I feel important that the drivers on I- 40 show me that I am number one.

The early morning is sunny with 15 mph winds so it makes it difficult to maneuver even a small car in the wind. Only 10 miles into the volunteer state the car’s gas meter shows only 1/8 of a tank of gas remaining. I notice a sign on the right side of the road that shows 2 miles to a couple of gas stations Texaco or Exxon. So I take that right hand turn and I go a half- a mile to the Exxon station. I pull into the gasoline stall and notice a pickup truck next to me at the stall painted white and orange waving a volunteer flag with the same colors. The pickup truck even has a volunteer description on his license plate. As I fill up with gas, I say hello to this nice man in his mid-40’s wearing his orange and white shirt with the description volunteers on his back. “How are you doing sir this nice sunny day with that howling wind on the highway”? “Mister I am looking forward to seeing those volunteers in Knoxville and a beatdown of those razorbacks from Arkansas. The game starts at 1 PM and are you going to the game”? “Yes sir and enjoy”, I said to the man and drove off after finishing my gas fill up.

As I entered the highway I saw a sign saying 55 miles to Knoxville. Since there is a gameday and being a late morning, the traffic east and west is getting heavier. Also going through the Smokey Mountains and Cherokee National Forest makes for still curvy driving until I get north of Dandridge.

As I continue driving, I pass Kodiak and now have only 20 miles to my destination. The traffic is only getting more dense while closing in on Knoxville. I notice a billboard sign that shows a group of volunteers celebrating another win. There are male and female cheerleaders showing excitement as the football player reaches the goal line for the win.

About 12 noon, I get to the exit for Neyland Stadium and drive towards Phillip Fulmer Way. There are many orange and white volunteer shirts and a whole bunch of volunteer license plates. After getting to my parking spot, I start walking to the stadium with thousands of loud, excited volunteer fans with their orange and white volunteer shirts.

When I get inside the stadium I look around and see over 100,000 volunteers decked out in their orange and white outfits. What a great place to be with a bunch of volunteers on a sunny day in November.