We just got home from Rancho Cucamonga after a Quakes baseball game and fireworks and as I was driving home with Death? asleep in the passenger seat and Addie asleep in the back as they had been for the full hundred miles with Death Cab For Cutie playing softly on the radio and the blinker making the loudest sound in the car, it reminded me of one of my favorite childhood memories.
Whenever we went to Seattle for a Mariners game or Tacoma for a Tigers game or Tenino to the races, I always fell asleep a few minutes into the drive but would almost always wake up just as we were getting off of the freeway in Olympia. I'd never open my eyes and look around, but I'd keep them shut and listen to our car's blinker and feel the turns and try to guess exactly where we were.
Was that the Martin Way exit? Did we just turn onto College? We must be on Sleater-Kinney now. We're only a few minutes away.
And just like tonight, mom and dad would be quiet up front. My dad steadily and effortlessly navigating his way home. My mom either asleep or watching the road. The music on lightly - typically tuned to The Mountain and it's hippie-ish brand of rock so it was nice and soothing. And the blinker signaling an upcoming turn of unknown direction.
Often, it was the best part of the trip even if the game was awesome or there were some wicked crashes. It was a very warm, safe, loving feeling and I hope that as a father I can recreate that often for our children. No cell phones, no DVD's, no mindless chatter, no crappy blinker-less driving. Just a nice, quiet drive home after an amazing day out with the family.
How can it get any better than that?
Whenever we went to Seattle for a Mariners game or Tacoma for a Tigers game or Tenino to the races, I always fell asleep a few minutes into the drive but would almost always wake up just as we were getting off of the freeway in Olympia. I'd never open my eyes and look around, but I'd keep them shut and listen to our car's blinker and feel the turns and try to guess exactly where we were.
Was that the Martin Way exit? Did we just turn onto College? We must be on Sleater-Kinney now. We're only a few minutes away.
And just like tonight, mom and dad would be quiet up front. My dad steadily and effortlessly navigating his way home. My mom either asleep or watching the road. The music on lightly - typically tuned to The Mountain and it's hippie-ish brand of rock so it was nice and soothing. And the blinker signaling an upcoming turn of unknown direction.
Often, it was the best part of the trip even if the game was awesome or there were some wicked crashes. It was a very warm, safe, loving feeling and I hope that as a father I can recreate that often for our children. No cell phones, no DVD's, no mindless chatter, no crappy blinker-less driving. Just a nice, quiet drive home after an amazing day out with the family.
How can it get any better than that?
1 comments:
That is a sweet sentiment.
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