A long time before the use of seat belts in cars became mandatory (come to think about it, they didn't even put them in the cars when I was a kid) we used to see what we called "two headed drivers" from time to time.
There would be a man's head on the left, with left hand on the steering wheel and right arm around the girl of his dreams whose head would be on his shoulder. Young love's embrace hurtling down the road.
Seat belts and driver training have made the two-headed driver obsolete, except in my case.
Observe Halle, two-headed driver, heading down the expressway of life, never quite sure which of the two sides of her persona has a hand on the wheel, or even whose feet are on the pedals. It may not be dangerous for the rest of the world, but personally, I am used to feeling a lot more in control than the present situation allows and to be honest, it is scaring me a lot. There are just too many situations where being of two minds makes for dangerous travel down the road of life.
Still, I am doing the best I can, and if that means fighting over the controls for a while, it seems that is what I will do. Good form dictates that sooner or later it will be one driver and one passenger, or perhaps just a driver.
I remember wondering how those two-headed drivers of my youth managed to stay alive with only one hand on the wheel. Heck, I still wonder sometimes.
They say women are better drivers. I guess I know who will eventually be in control :)Suzi
ReplyDeleteNot only do I remember two-headed drivers...I was actually one of them...er...two of them? Me thinks Suzi may be right.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Cynthia
I don't always know what to leave for a comment, but you know I'm here. Thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteAh, but we are forgetting the other key ingredient ... bench seats up front. Untrammeled access to ones companion, no great intimacy-killing bucket seat gulf between friends.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it is amazing that we survived at all.
I hope you find thought that the combined vision helps you find clearer perspective Halle. The frights you feel are hallmarks of change and growth. Embrace them.
Much love
@Suzi; I remember who the best driver in our family was: my Mother. Sadly, she was never in charge however.
ReplyDelete@Cynthia; By the time I started driving the bench seats had disappeared, as Petra says.
@Petra; I am trying not to run from these new perspectives. Thanks for the encouragement.
Ariel, thank you so much, as always.
No bench seats when you started driving? My first car was a 1965 Dodge Polara. It was huge, with a great big bench seat. It was also on its last legs, but that's another story.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a '55 ( that's 1955 ) Chevy with a 283 cu.in. engine and posi rear. Not the fastest one in town but not bad either. Built it up myself.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a new one at the time, a '76 Chev Malibu with a 350 cu.in. It had a center console shift and bucket seats.
ReplyDeleteThose old Dodges were like boats weren't they? Must've been a pain to parallel park! :)
'55 Chevy... a classic! Two tone paint?
New! Who could afford new? In my world you had to build what you wanted. I don't remember how much I had tied up in that car... more than I got out of it when I sold it... I know that much.
ReplyDeleteMy '55 had a custom paint job. Oh so much body work before I could get it painted. Did Mediterranean Blue, a terrific dark but bright blue. Beautiful! That car had a little bit of everything from '55 to '59 in it. Every time you wanted to do one thing, you had to find parts from some other year and/or model to make it all fit. Even made a couple of parts. Oh the joyful world of a young man... oops... girl.
Wish I still had my dad's '46 Chevy pickup. One beautiful truck. I wanted to restore it so bad. Alas, some kid in a '59 Chevy hit him and totaled it. At least he wasn't hurt to bad.
Have you ever seen a '58 Volkswagon Pickup? Had one of them too. Really neat. At least I didn't say 'keen'. Oops again!
Hugs, Cynthia XX
Hehe, growing up in apartment buildings there was nowhere to put a 'wreck' to work on it, so I took advantage of public transit. It wasn't until I was in my mid 20's that a car became part of my liability/asset collection.
ReplyDeleteThe only old Volkswagon I can relate to was a van whose steering was loose enough that the first half rotation did nothing at all.
The car I sometimes dream about having is my Dad's '59 Olds super 88.
Now that was a car to reckon with.
ReplyDeleteLate '50's and early '60's... big and bad!
I got my driver's license at seventeen. Then the '55 followed. My first new car was a '70 Camaro. Really cool car.
Maybe I'll write about that '58 VW sometime. Not many people know what it looks like. I'll try to find a picture of one.
Hugs,
Cynthia
For now, however, there are two spirits and only one Halle. I hope the ride can be smooth for you as long as those two spirits exist.
ReplyDelete