As you may recall, last week I began a story about The Wife and I setting out for what we thought would be a relaxing four days at the beach.
First we had to get there, and that entailed a six-hour drive. I knew it would be difficult, but even I couldn’t imagine how difficult or how eventful the drive would actually become. Eventually this trip determined who would drive on all future trips.
The second rest stop marked the halfway point on our Florida excursion, so after snacks, soft drinks, and a well-needed stretch or two, we changed driving positions.
Even before we left the parking lot, a slight twitch started in my left eye. It does that when I’m nervous or under stress. At that point, I was both. What had taken me five minutes to accomplish, The Wife changed with a single push of one preset button. All my perfect car settings were instantly gone.
With my eye twitching I couldn’t be absolutely sure, but I think she was smiling as she did this. We pulled out into traffic and increased speed, which only increased my nervousness, stress, and eye twitch.
Since she doesn’t have the benefit of the almost three decades of emergency driving experience like I have, I know The Wife appreciates me watching out for potential dangers. This was apparent whenever I pointed out deer grazing nearby that could suddenly jump across the pasture, over the fence and into our path.
Being the helpful husband that I am, I also pointed out vehicles behind us that were speeding up, those that were trying to get around us, and that the speed limit sign we just passed in a blur read 70 not 80.
After each warning, she mumbled something under her breath. Not sure, but I think it was, “Thank you, honey, for being so helpful.”
As we came to the Florida state line, the clouds darkened, wind-blown debris tumbled across our path and rain started to fall. The climate inside our car seemed to be changing also. With every one of my helpful traffic and weather updates, things were turning a bit chilly.
Soon sheets of rain blanketed across our car, making driving almost impossible, just as I spotted three police cars under the overpass ahead. The Wife, noticing my nervous twitching, kindly reminded me she had been driving a very long time in every possible weather situation.
After glancing at the speedometer, I was again about to mention what the posted speed limit was when we passed the police cars. Just as we did, all three switched on their lights.
I started to look in the glove compartment for our registration and proof of insurance, but the lights refracting off the sheets of rain bathing everything in blue made the searching difficult. I just knew we were gonna get a ticket and started to calculate just how much the cost of our insurance policy would go up. With this thought, the slight twitch turned into an uncontrollable spasm.
Glancing between side and rear mirrors then to the windshield and back again, I couldn’t make out just where the blue lights were. Were they getting closer or farther away? The unmistakable warble sounds of sirens pierced through the pounding rain as I held my breath for what seemed like forever. Then I noticed. The Wife was smiling. Before I could ask why she provided an answer.
Without taking her eyes off the road she said, “Relax, they aren’t after us. They’re responding to that wreck a few miles back. A pickup truck and car skidded off the side of the road. Don’t know who, but one of them hit a deer.”
She saw my reaction to this news and added, “Everyone was out walking around so I don’t think anyone was hurt.”
Seems I’d been so busy looking out for police and checking the speedometer, the mirrors, and the cars around us that I never even saw the wreck.
Later, from my friends in the fire department, we found out no humans were injured in the collision.
With the realization that The Wife was actually a more cautious and alert driver than me, the uncontrollable spasm completely disappeared and, coincidentally, so did the rain. I actually started to relax. After all, we were about to be on vacation.
The rest of the trip was sunny and uneventful as we reached our beach destination in record time. With a four-day break from babysitting, it was time to relax, play in the ocean, walk the beach, watch romantic sunsets and be grownups once again.
As we did, one thought kept running through my mind: Who should drive the five-hour trip back home? I know the answer was obvious even to me: the better driver should. And that’s when my left eye started to twitch once again.
It’s really gonna be stressful watching out for vehicles in front, vehicles in back, vehicles on either side, and scanning the horizon constantly for law enforcement while keeping a sharp eye on the speedometer – all from my seat on the passenger side of our vehicle.
Of course, being a passenger, and not a driver, does have some advantages. Now I can send and receive texts, emails, and even write notes about future stories ideas.
Like when Dad took us all on our first beach vacation. The beach was also only a six-hour drive away, but when Dad drove it turned into 18 hours, a trip to the doctor, and him riding in the backseat with Mom driving all the way back home. But that’s a story for another time.
[Rick Ryckeley has been writing stories since 2001. To read more of Rick’s stories, visit his blog: storiesbyrick.wordpress.com.]
