Afton---Along for The Ride

So I became motivated to get my driver's license after all. Dad had told me no one passed the written test on the first try, so I determined I would show those GIs over there what a real woman could do. Kind of felt my reputation could use a lift. I studied diligently and aced it. Aced it. So there!

However, getting behind the wheel was an altogether different matter. Did you know there is absolutely no speed limit on the Autobahn? We lived in a land of fire breathing dragons. Well, of Mercedes and all. And we would limp along in our little handicapped VW, as the race car wannabees sped by. Thump thump! Thump thump!

But that was OK. The traffic circles were NOT OK! There was one with at least four levels of circles from inner to outer. You had to enter the outermost circle, merge into the innermost, and get back to the outer one to exit. It was impossible to avoid this evil place, as it was right outside the base on the way to Neu Ulm. I would have happily driven north to Finland in an effort to avoid this particular trap, but one Saturday, as luck would have it, we were going south, and I was driving!

I entered this nemesis, and like a pinball on course, entered the inner sanctum circle. There I froze. I lost all courage, and began crying hysterically, begging your Dad to take the wheel. Of course he refused. He was laughing hysterically, he had streaming tears as well. It was impossible to take the energy from my overwhelming fear and channel it into any other emotion, like anger and hate, so he was plain lucky. I just kept crying and going round and round the inner circle. Round and round. Round and round. Yep. Round and round. He just kept laughing. Finally, finally, just before running out of gas, the way was cleared. No cars in any of the circles. I gingerly moved over into one level after the other, and got the heck out of there. He was still laughing.

But I learned I could do anything. Just not effortlessly. Or gracefully. Never let the details stop you.

I confess this to you now because I'm just curious about after effects. You have much problems with dizziness? Maybe it's not just because you're blonde....