My Adventure

I realized this evening that I mix "adventure" with "dangerous". Or maybe "exciting" with "stupid".

I realized this as I was attempting to get back home from a place 90 miles away in winter weather conditions while driving a twenty year old "well-loved" stick shift car whose brake light is out and whose passenger side rear tire went flat, as well as other problems we won't mention out of respect for the faithful well-worn car.

It was my first time driving a stick.

Technically, I'd driven one before--ten years ago. For one week I drove a manual transmission car and I never got the hang of it. What little I learned then was mostly forgotten now.

I had thought I'd make a day trip to St. Louis as I really don't get to go anywhere anymore. The house is beginning to feel like a prison cell and my daughter like a ball and chain, albeit a super cute and lovable ball and chain. But after numerous obstacles I downheartedly headed back home. Dull household errands needed to be ran, and who's the dull household chore doer? Me. Reality set in like congestion in the lungs. The fantasy that I could be free of this place faded.

My adventure of getting away for a day driving a stick for the first time in winter weather was, I'd say, despite its hardships, better than another day at home doing housework. However, as I slid around the road trying to figure out what gear I should be in and which pedal to push and what to do when you suddenly need to stop because there is yet another accident on the road to navigate, I was well-aware of how stupid I was being in attempting the trip, especially with no one near to rescue me and my precious little one strapped innocently in the back seat. It was exciting! Harrowing! Action-packed! And very stupid.