Common denominator - cars

I saw something on the way home that reminded me of some of the unique and strange things Bette and I have seen while driving together.

Back when we were dating in the winter we would fairly regularly see the Northern Lights.

Probably the scariest thing was as we drove south on route 495 near Haverhill MA. There was a light in the sky. Then we realized it was a meteorite and it was coming toward us. It seemed like it lasted for minutes but it was probably less than 10 seconds. It was not as big and impressive as the one on the news the other day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RGscgYb7tY).

Then there were the various animals that decided to commit suicide by car. The turkey on the Conn. Mass. line that hit my new car. The duck family that decided to cross the mass pike at rush hour. The pheasant that tried breaking off my radio antenna. Then there are nature’s speed bumps squirrels and chipmunks.

Driving on route 146 near Worcester MA. One hot summer day we saw what looked like snowflakes in the air. We did not say anything to each other for about a mile. Then the “snow” grew heaver and we admitted to each other our concern about how it could be snowing on this bright sunny summer day. As we drove on the “snow” grew heaver. We rounded a corner at near blizzard conditions and all of our questions were answered. There driving down the highway in front of us was a semi with a trailer full of ducks. What we saw must have been duck down being blown off the birds.

The funniest sighting was in 1978 or 1979. We were driving from Pepperell MA. to Shirley MA. on a back road. We rounded a curve and got a quick glimpse of something red. Rounding the next curve we got a slightly longer glimpse. Yes it was red and about the size of a man. We both turned and stared at each other not saying a word not believing what we saw was possible. I sped up a little hoping to be able to get a better look. At our next look we turned to one another and said something like (remember this after over 30 years - because it was so unexpected Bette and I would always speak of it when we drove down that road even three decades later) “is that….?” We dared not say without more investigation. I sped up a little more and there we saw it or should I say him at the end of a long straightaway. In unison we looked over at each other and said “Santa!” I caught up and yes there was Santa standing on the back of a fire truck waving at us. We were always suckers for Santa sightings.

I will end this now with anther humorous Santa sighting story. We had recently all moved into this great big house in Merricacport MA. It was December 24^th and we were all coming home from the Mall, or having dinner together, me and Bette, my Mother and Father. My Mother was driving her new Subaru. We were almost home and we saw a lot of flashing lights and on the cross road Santa went flying by. About five cars all pulled over and we all got out to see what was happening this Christmas Eve. Apparently every Christmas Eve Santa his sleigh and reindeer gets escorted up and down almost every street and lane in Merrimac, escorted by the Police before he sets out for appointed rounds. We all returned to our cars. My Mother, Bette, and I got in the car and waited for my Father. Then we saw him get into the car in front of ours. We had a good laugh, and then I drew the short straw and went and got my Father before the car’s real owners returned. Everyone still gives me a hard time for getting my Father back saying that would have been the perfect time to get rid of him. I still say we were close enough to the house he would have eventually found his way home.