When our family gets together for weddings and such, you see people you haven't seen in years. Everyone start reminiscing about the old days when they where younger. I always like to listen in on the stories they share. They get so wrapped up in the stories that they forget that your there and don't sensor them.
At my sister's wedding a cousin and I sat in the living room with all the Uncles and Grandfather's and listened to the stories. What did we find out?
These men sitting in front of us ... the same ones who lecture us on our driving ... Who tell us daily to be careful .... And complained loudly that we drove too fast, when we drive 6 miles over the speed limit. So what were they reminiscing about ... Drag Racing.
These same men use to meet every week and hold drag racing events. They talked about the cars and how they would spend every penny they had trying to build the perfect car. They talked about the engines they rebuilt and blew up in the races.
How nobody could ever beat my Granddad's blue Ford Fairlane
with the big cop car engine in it. 
My Uncle's tbird
had come close until he souped up the engine so much it blew up during one of the races.
The talked about the red sports car my Dad had that he loved to drive, until he spun out and wrecked it. They tried to recall exactly how many cars each of them had wrecked drag racing.
These are the men that complained that we didn't know how to drive safely. These are the men that had made such a big deal out of hitting a shopping cart in the grocery store parking lot and scratching the bumper. These men told us daily how we needed to be better drivers, and stay within the speed limits.
These are the safe drivers, who took it upon themselves to educate us on the way to drive. And educate us they did.
My cousin and I just sat there smiling, listening ...... and taking notes.
5 comments:
Lovely! I can't point the finger either, I cartwheeled a car off the road when I was young and silly.
Incidentally, I don't know where you got the first image, but it is clearly of an Aussie drag-strip.
You probably aren't interested, but the car in the front is a 1978 model Holden Commodore and the red one is an Aussie built Ford Falcon Ute (ute = utility = pick-up).
I consider myself to be a fairly good driver, even thought I got two speeding tickets and one fender bender under my belt in 8 years. But you know how it is, when you're on the free way and you get coasting in that inside lane, how easy it is to go over the limit. Now cruise control is my friend.
As for the fender bender, it was winter (you know when you clear off your back windshield from snow, and before you can get back in your car to pull away its covered in snow again), I was backing out of the driveway and someone was dropping someone off across the street but didn't pull into their driveway, they stayed on the street. Took their side view mirror off and left a nice white streak down the side of their black car! 1K in damage paid in cash, no insurance involved!
But honestly I feel more in control of my vehilce doing 120km/hr than I do 80km/hr! Is that wrong? lol
Hi Al, Thanks for the info. I found the image on wiki. And yes I am interested. It's great to see the similarities and dereferences between different places.
Hi blogger girl, Glad to see you back. I got you beat in the wreck department. Only 1, okay 2 were my fault.
My dad use to tease me that I was trying out for an Indy race team. I told him yep and one day I'll make it.
Do take note because before you know it, you'll be the one telling stories about "when I was young, I used to..." haha...who knows what secrets will come spouting forth!
You got that right Sandra. At holiday get togethers I already have to check out where my nieces and nephews are before opening my mouth about the good old days. They remember everything and call you on it.
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