Friday, April 9, 2010

DRIVING WHILE WHIPPED

Trust me…
Talking on a cell phone…
Or texing…
Are not the most dangerous activities you can do…
While driving in a car. Or van.
At least for me.
I was babysitting my three grandchildren and needed to run some errands.
So I needed to use my daughter’s van with all the car seats.
 “Grandma. Turn the volume up.”
And I did. I thought.
“Grandma, that’s not the right button.”
“I can’t drive and look for buttons. It’s not safe.”
“Grandma, it’s the button with the red on it.”
“Honey, I told you, I can’t drive and look for red buttons.”
“Grandma, make the movie go back.”
“Movie? You’re watching a movie?”
“Yeah, mommy lets us.”
“Well, I have no idea how to do that.”
“It’s that other button, grandma.”
“I told you, I’m not looking for any buttons. It’s not safe. Why don’t you look outside at all the pretty trees?”
“Grandma, we’re hungry.”
“Oh, alright, how about McDonalds?”
“Yeah! Happy meals!”
Five minutes later…
Heading for home…
I could only use one hand on the steering wheel…
As I turned the corner…
So that centrifugal force wouldn’t-
“Grandma, your coffee drink spilled!”
My Frappé!
Whipped cream and caramel sauce all over the passenger seat!
“Grandma, my shamrock shake is leaking.”
“Why are you holding it? I told you not to drink it yet.”
“Hurry Grandma! I need napkins.”
Reaching over and digging in the McDonald’s bag, I grabbed the wad of napkins and threw it in the back seat.”
“They fell on the floor, grandma!”
“Then use your jacket!”
“Grandma! The baby is choking!”
My head whipped around in his direction as my eyes darted looking for a place to safely pull over, all the while my mind spun wondering if I would have to do the Heimlich maneuver…
On a toddler!
“He’s OK now grandma but the French fries spilled.”
“Why did he have the French fries in the first place?”
“He grabbed them from me.”
Just then a cop car pulled up next to me at the red light.
I realized I must have been driving erratically.
I looked over to him.
He looked over to me.
I nodded.
He nodded.
The light changed to green and…
He drove away.
Phew!
Safe!
At least for now.
But I then wondered…
If it's ever really safe…
(at least for me)
To drive while…
I have three grandchildren in a van.

Always, Em-Musing

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