weekend in review [thursday through mid-friday]
1. Mom called me on Thursday afternoon and told me to drop by after work. This was her big final effort to get me to fly down to LA rather than drive. When I told her that we were going with the cheapest option, she logged on to Expedia and found a flight for $118. I countered by pointing out that that was a base rate, not including taxes and fees, and even then couldn't compare to the base rental car fee of $25.95/day divided between two people. So she called Dad. They spent some time talking about what a bad idea it was for me to drive down, and then he asked to speak with me, just in case I hadn't yet made up my mind. Ordinarily, I might have caved, but a couple of factors were adding some steel to the backbone.
1) winterredwood had already nixed all other options and I didn't fancy traveling alone.
2) It had occurred to me at some point in the negotiation that I'm just a little too old for this.
So, I let Dad know that my mind was made up, and then followed up with the 'You guys never let me do anything!' whine. (This made them chuckle, at least.)
I handed the phone back to Mom. Dad broke the news to her that since I'd made up my mind, there was nothing they could do. She reluctantly agreed and that was that. But she looked so unhappy. I decided to use my last bit of ammunition; I'd been holding it back, not sure if it would help or harm my case.
"Mom. Would it make you feel better if someone else came along on the trip to help with the driving?"
"Who?"
"First answer the question and then we'll get to the who."
"Well, yes, I would feel better."
So, winterredwood has a new beau. He offered to take the day off work and come along with us. I didn't mention this initially because of mom's tendency to bad reactions re: the concept of me hanging out with boys she doesn't know (or like). In this case, I sensed that the 'hanging out with boys' concern might be outweighed by the 'will kill herself on the freeway' concern. And I was right. In fact, all three of the relevant family members (Mom, Dad, and Cousin C) were relieved to hear that (a) there would be another driver, and (b) that driver would be a man. Because not only are winterredwood and I unsafe behind the wheel, we are also apparently in need of a male guardian.
But at least this didn't involve all the rigmarole of the time I first suggested that I wanted to drive cross-country (to get back to VT for the start of the school year). That story ended with me getting one of my co-workers to pretend that she and her husband were going on a road trip and that I would be riding along with them, and not driving myself at all. She came to the house. My parents took her hands in theirs and said "Take care of our jewel."
We both felt a bit bad after that, but got over it quickly. She dropped me off at the home of my actual driving companion and then went back to work. The actual driving companion was another co-worker/summer fling who'd quit his job and was headed back to Michigan, so offered to drop me off along the way. Memories of the trip include:
- Getting out of the car in Sacramento and almost passing out, such was the contrast between the air-conditioned inside of the vehicle and the solar-heated outside.
- Napping while curled up in the front seat. (He'd rented a boat.)
- Finally finding a Motel 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska that wasn't filled to the gills with conventioneers.
- Him flipping out at White Castle because he thought I was being a snot at the drive-thru and thus worried that the server would spit in his food. (Come to think of it, he deserved that freak-out. Once, after I let him know that I was really looking forward to having a Cinnabon when I got to the airport since I hardly ever get to, he said "I hope you open the container and there's a gigantic roach sitting on your roll." He was joking, I hope, but I was so grossed out I couldn't even think about eating one. Jerk.)
N E way...
The drive was uneventful. The beau drove the whole way. I mostly slept, despite the awkwardness of trying to stretch out in the back seat of a Kia Rio. At one point I awoke to hear the sounds of Tarja, former lead singer of Nightwish. I'd told Mom I'd be extra careful just so she wouldn't be able to say "I told you so." At that moment, I hoped the beau was being extra special careful just so Tarja's Celtic-y, gothy, wtf lyrics-y music wouldn't be the last I'd ever hear.
And then, five hours after departing, we arrived in Northridge.
1) winterredwood had already nixed all other options and I didn't fancy traveling alone.
2) It had occurred to me at some point in the negotiation that I'm just a little too old for this.
So, I let Dad know that my mind was made up, and then followed up with the 'You guys never let me do anything!' whine. (This made them chuckle, at least.)
I handed the phone back to Mom. Dad broke the news to her that since I'd made up my mind, there was nothing they could do. She reluctantly agreed and that was that. But she looked so unhappy. I decided to use my last bit of ammunition; I'd been holding it back, not sure if it would help or harm my case.
"Mom. Would it make you feel better if someone else came along on the trip to help with the driving?"
"Who?"
"First answer the question and then we'll get to the who."
"Well, yes, I would feel better."
So, winterredwood has a new beau. He offered to take the day off work and come along with us. I didn't mention this initially because of mom's tendency to bad reactions re: the concept of me hanging out with boys she doesn't know (or like). In this case, I sensed that the 'hanging out with boys' concern might be outweighed by the 'will kill herself on the freeway' concern. And I was right. In fact, all three of the relevant family members (Mom, Dad, and Cousin C) were relieved to hear that (a) there would be another driver, and (b) that driver would be a man. Because not only are winterredwood and I unsafe behind the wheel, we are also apparently in need of a male guardian.
But at least this didn't involve all the rigmarole of the time I first suggested that I wanted to drive cross-country (to get back to VT for the start of the school year). That story ended with me getting one of my co-workers to pretend that she and her husband were going on a road trip and that I would be riding along with them, and not driving myself at all. She came to the house. My parents took her hands in theirs and said "Take care of our jewel."
We both felt a bit bad after that, but got over it quickly. She dropped me off at the home of my actual driving companion and then went back to work. The actual driving companion was another co-worker/summer fling who'd quit his job and was headed back to Michigan, so offered to drop me off along the way. Memories of the trip include:
- Getting out of the car in Sacramento and almost passing out, such was the contrast between the air-conditioned inside of the vehicle and the solar-heated outside.
- Napping while curled up in the front seat. (He'd rented a boat.)
- Finally finding a Motel 6 in Lincoln, Nebraska that wasn't filled to the gills with conventioneers.
- Him flipping out at White Castle because he thought I was being a snot at the drive-thru and thus worried that the server would spit in his food. (Come to think of it, he deserved that freak-out. Once, after I let him know that I was really looking forward to having a Cinnabon when I got to the airport since I hardly ever get to, he said "I hope you open the container and there's a gigantic roach sitting on your roll." He was joking, I hope, but I was so grossed out I couldn't even think about eating one. Jerk.)
N E way...
The drive was uneventful. The beau drove the whole way. I mostly slept, despite the awkwardness of trying to stretch out in the back seat of a Kia Rio. At one point I awoke to hear the sounds of Tarja, former lead singer of Nightwish. I'd told Mom I'd be extra careful just so she wouldn't be able to say "I told you so." At that moment, I hoped the beau was being extra special careful just so Tarja's Celtic-y, gothy, wtf lyrics-y music wouldn't be the last I'd ever hear.
And then, five hours after departing, we arrived in Northridge.