I needed to run my
car to the shop, and it was a little bit complicated – and left me without a
car. So I made a few phone calls and found a friend who could give me a ride
home.
As I stood there on the street, waiting for my ride – it
reminded me of when I was a kid waiting for my dad. When I was little, my mom
never drove – not once – so Dad was in charge of all of errands. And since I
grew up in Oakland, it was a lot more driving than most. Even with a very
important job with the American Red Cross, and all the things that Dad had
going on, he was always there to give me a ride.
He took me to school, and picked me up from school – even in
elementary school, which was only four blocks away. I was hospitalized for a
leg injury in 5th grade, and it left me needing to walk with a cane for a while
– so Dad would leave work early to come and pick me up from school. Then on the
way home – even though it wasn’t on the way – we would stop at the 7-Eleven and
he would buy me an afterschool snack (which ALWAYS included a Slurpee). After,
he would drop me off at home, and rush back to work to finish things up
and have a few more meetings.
Because I grew up in California, I also had Early-Morning
Seminary – and Dad was great and would wake me up every morning to give me a
ride. He was even willing to make extra stops on the way to pick up friends who
needed rides. And then an hour later, he was back, often to give me a ride home
so that I could get dressed for school – or to just run me up the hill to the
high school. No complaints, but lots of running around.
pic: 1976 Ford Fairmont, just like my first car
Because Dad’s job required him to be available 24/7, it was
very difficult for me to ever borrow the family car. We always only had one
car because Mom didn’t drive. But a few months after I turned 16, Dad bought ME
a car. It wasn’t anything fancy – in fact it was “radioactive blue”, a 1976
Ford Fairmont. But it was mine, all mine – and I loved that I could come and go
as much as I wanted.
Yesterday, when Jasmine Wilcox picked me up, she mentioned
that she had just been giving her grandfather a ride – because her grandpa just
doesn’t drive anymore. We talked about how her grandparents, and even my
parents, all got to where they needed to not drive anymore. And how difficult
that was for them, that loss of independence and needing to ask for rides.
I have been very fortunate in that I have always had a car –
ever since I was 16 years old. And I have been very blessed in my life that
every time I needed a car one “magically appeared”. It’s true – every time I
needed a car, one would suddenly become available. Early in my marriage, when
we needed a second car, a family member was selling a van that he was selling at a good
price. A few years later his mom went into assisted living, and we ended up
with her car. Then just as that car died, my dad’s car became available. And
just as that Grandpa Car started to go out, my niece was selling a great car at
a good price. Even the truck I drive now, was an amazing deal from some friends
who were selling it at a good price and it was a good deal for both of us – and
it has been a great car for me.
But again this
morning, because my car was still in the shop, I needed to bum a ride to work.
Since I couldn’t call Dad, I called a friend in my neighborhood, who happens to
work only a few blocks from my office. There was a momentary flashback of
getting a ride from Dad – but Brian Hollingworth was very kind, a perfect
gentleman – even opening my car door – and dropped me off right at the front
door at work. I don’t think it was a big deal to him, but it was a great
blessing to me.
And maybe it’s a little late, but I sure appreciate all the
running around and sacrifice Dad did for me all those years. And I’m grateful
for friends I can call in a pinch to bum a ride from too.
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