I remember growing up when we would drive somewhere dad would always drive, mom would always sit in the passenger seat, Michael would always stretch out and sleep on the backseat, and I would always said right in the middle of the backseat looking out the front window through the windshield and watching dad drive. They would be smoking so there is always some sort of movement to watch. They would be usually quiet but sometimes they would talk. I would watch their mannerisms and listen when they talk to each other. And sometimes I would ask questions.
I remember one time I asked in the middle of the pouring rain storm how dad could drive through that. He kinda shut me down and said he needed to concentrate right.
I remember another time we were on a 2 Lane Rd. The cars coming from the opposite direction all seem to have their high beams on. Bright headlights in the nighttime. It made it really hard to see where you were gone and where the road was. And so I asked if they had their high beams on. Because he had always made a big deal about an hour flicking his lights at people he thought had their high beams on. He said no, it was just right tonight. And I asked him how he could see the road through that bright light because I couldn't see. He said oh I can't really see the road either. And I kinda got nervous and said will how are you staying on the road? He said well I look at that white line on the right side of the road. That way if I stay on the side of it I know I'm on the road.
In all my years of driving up thought of that answer often. I thought of how much I've had to look at that white line to make sure I stayed on the road. How much that white line has helped me.
I learned a lot from my dad. A lot of really good stuff.
