December 31, 1972
Back at the end of June, 1972, I had just graduated college and purchased a brand-new Pinto Runabout for the sticker price of $1500 out the door! Believe it or not! Those definitely were the good old days of car-buying for me!
I dearly loved my car! I was the first owner and she was mine! For six months I kept her spotless! No tar! No dirt! A bath every week or more! No one was allowed to drive her but me! Especially not my untrustworthy boyfriend, Barry! Oh, he tried! He showered me with sweet-nothings in my ear whenever he needed to borrow it. I stood fast and firm.
So when New Year's Eve came around, he asked me to drive to Cleveland and pick him up at work. I really hesitated because there was a snowstorm coming furiously off Lake Erie. I lived in Akron so it was no short trip. He KNEW about the storm, so I rationalized that this would be a cozy night, just us and his fireplace.
The weather was still calm when I left Akron. I made it to Cleveland in great time. Pulling into the secured parking lot, I noticed the first snowflakes gently falling. I wasn't worried at all...until his co-workers started leavng work early with no sight of Barry. I waited and waited and waited! He was no where to be seen. This was before the days of cell phones and this being a secured plant, I wasn't allowed in. An hour before I began turning the engine off to conserve gas. My tank had only been about 1/2 full or less when I started out.
I had been waiting for hours! I was cold, hungry, thirsty and now I was downright MAD! Where was he? Had he left with someone and I hadn't noticed? I was on my last nerve! He had done many not very nice things to me in our relationship and I had just about had it! I was a nervous wreck with the weather worsening by the minute! I couldn't even see across the parking lot as the wind whipped the ice and snow around like bullets!
Admitting defeat, I was just about ready to try and rescue myself when he appeared at the door-the driver's door! He shouted at me to climb over to the other seat. Believing we were going to his apartment just a short distance away, I complied! That complance almost cost me my life!
As we pulled out of the lot, he turned the opposite direction from his complex right onto the freeway! He headed back toward Akron!
Needless to say, I was furious, scared and astounded! The storm had hit full-force. The roads, including the freeway were closed! Now not only being against the law, driving was horrific! The snow drifts were huge across the road! The blowing sbow made it impossible to see. My little Pinto was thrown about by the wind and pelleted with ice! I was so scared I couldn't speak to ask what he was doing! When I get angry, I cry. That was all I could do! Our speed crept along at 15 mph hour as that idiot driving my car fought to remain in control! Even the snowplows we saw were getting stuck in the drifts. Absolutely no one else was on the normally busy freeway between Cleveland and Akron. My world consisted of the interior of my brave, little car with a maniac at her helm. I could see nothing but the snow blowing and swirling. I could hear nothing but the wind growling and the ice smashing! Normally the drive would have been about an hour and a half. Now we had past that point long, long ago! If we ran out of gas now, we'd die!
After traveling for more than 4 hours, we made it to my home! Thinking that it was now all over, I breathed a sigh of relief! As I climbed gingerly out of the car, he shouted to me that he was going to get some cigarettes! As I shook my head no and screamed for him to stop, he gunned the engine and slid back into the street!
By this time I was livid! After several hours when he did not return, something told me what was going on! I called his ex-wife and told her that if my car wasn't back in an hour that I would call the police. I heard her telling him.
He risked both my life and his own in order to spend New Year's Eve with his ex-wife.
So now I'm sure you are wondering how this could possibly be my favorite road trip!
It's my favorite because I learned much about myself that day. But much more than that, I cut away 200 pounds of conniving and cheating male. I rejoice in that!
Note: These pics show similar conditions.
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1 comment:
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