Flashback Friday #244

Mr. Instructor's Favorite Story


In my last post, I discussed the Driver's Ed class that I was taking. My Driver's Ed teacher, Mr. Instructor, had a story that he like to tell all his beginning students. To set the mood, I need to tell you that the driving part of our class lasted two hours. Each of the four students in the car got 30 minutes of drive time. that means the other 90 minutes were spent riding with two others in the back seat. We were supposed to observe, not to chat and especially not to disrupt the driver. A ride like that could make someone sleepy, and that's where this story comes in.

Mr. Instructor had told the back seat kids to quietly observe & listen to what he was saying to the driver. One of the students observed all he could, then began observing the backs of his eyelids. His light snore gave him away to Mr. Instructor.

Mr. Instructor told the driver and those awake in the back that he was going to slam his brake on and scream "Whatch out for that tree!" The driver was told to expect the car to lurch and to make sure it was kept in control. Those in the back were advised to hang tight. At the count of three the plan was to commence.

1...2...3 "WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Skreech went the brakes. The guy in the back came awake rapidly and let out a scream. His scream was soon drowned out by the laughs of the others in the car.

He told us that story to advise us to remain alert while observing. None of us fell asleep during that class.

Flashback Friday #243

Driver's Ed



Hello. Care to take a stroll down memory lane with me? If you do, please make sure you look both ways before you cross seeing that there are some new drivers around here.

I told you back in Flashback Friday #219 getting my learner's permit to drive. One other thing that had to be done before I could get my driver's license was to take a driver's training course. My high school offered this class. I was put into a car with three other beginning drivers and an instructor that should have been awarded a medal of courage.

 His name was Mr. Instructor. He was a math teacher at the Junior High. He was also an assistant football coach. I had never had him for any classes while I was at in 7th or 8th grade. But he knew two of my fellow students.

Jeb Laton was a tall, lanky guy that had played football in Junior High so he was well known to Mr. Instructor. Lydia Duckling (whom Lady Nottaguy-TYG knew as Lydia Corridor when she worked with her) had not only been in Mr. Instructor's math class, but also in his home room. The other student driver was Cindy Sax. She had moved here about a year before. I knew her pretty well seeing that she was Toni's neighbor.

Seeing that I had never had Mr. Instructor for any classes, I figured he didn't know me. He said right off that he knew Jeb & Lydia. When he asked the names of his other two students, Cindy gave her's then I gave mine. A shock of revelation came across his face. He did know me, but he hadn't seen me since Junior High and I had lost twenty or so pounds since then. He said "I didn't recognize you". I had forgotten that near the end of my 8th grade year, I had wanted to play football, and got the physical sheet for the doctor to sign (see Flashback Friday #115). He must have done some scouting on those that had signed up. He would have been my coach if my parents would have allowed me to play. He was quite impressed with the shape I was in.

But I digress. This is a post about driving, not football. We each hade to do several laps around the school parking lot before we were ever allowed to go out onto the open road. Mr. Instructor wanted to make sure that we knew all the controls so he wouldn't have to use the brake petal on his side. Prehaps that's why he still had dark hair. That or he had a good suppy of Grecian Formula.

Flashback friday #242

Kissing Your Sister




Hello. Once again I will either enthrall you with tales of a wild upbringing or bore you to sleep. Either way, here goes.

As you have read in earlier posts (and if you haven't read any earlier posts, you really should), my love live in the 10th grade was erratic to say the least. When Toni broke up with me, instead of venturing to new and better adventures, I chose to walk a path that was familiar. And Kelly was there to facilitate my every step.

Kelly not only had been "around the block", she had been around the entire city. She dated several guys in several different towns at the same time. I knew this going in, but desperation make you do strange things.

One day we were going to a semi-large city that was about 40 minutes away. We were going to see a movie or something. We wound up doing the something. We met one of Kelly's friends on the way and went to her house. There we met a girl that knew that Kelly had a boyfriend in that town and knew him well. She wanted to know what she was doing with me in tow.

Kelly quickly made up the story that I was her brother. Her real mother (she had been adopted) had given her up because she felt she was too young to care for a baby. Shortly thereafter, she got pregnant again and once again gave that baby up for adoption (that would be me). We only had recently discovered that we were sister and brother due to a geneology project we had to do for Social Studies. Believe it or not, they took the story hook, line & sinker.

Later, I asked her "Does it feel odd, kissing your brother?" Her reply was "Shut up and kiss me again."

A Bit Of A Rant

Recently, our government has shut down because a compromise between the House and the Senate cannot be reached. What I don't understand is how something can be open 24/7 under normal circummstances but if there's a government shutdown, barricades and gaurds are brought in to keep people out? Wouldn't it cost more money to close something up than to leave it like it always is? Veterens monuments and parks are being locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Even if money is offered from outside sources to keep something open, the answer is "NO!". I really don't understand. I'm not sure I want to.

Flashback Friday #241

My Class Ring (Part III)


Greetings, one and all. It is highly unusual for me to have a post go into three segments, but this will be my third about my class ring. I described it in my first post (Flashback Friday #233) and told of what I did with it (Flashback Friday #234) but you have yet to see it.

The reason you haven't seen it yet, is because it wasn't where I thought it was. I recently came across it and took a few pictures to show you.

This is the first side view. It has my initals on a red and blue shield. Red and blue were our school colors.

This is the second side. It shows our school mascot. It's a "Fighting Scot". He looks a bit tipsy to me. Perhaps that's why he's fighting.

Finally, here is a good look at the stone. You'll notice that it's not my birthstone. I'm not a big fan of topaz.

This ring used to fit on the ring finger of my right hand. It now fits my pinky on the same hand. It must have shrunk.