Hard to Follow!

Today was my mom's birthday party. She decided to have it at our ranch which is just under an hour from town. She invited several of her friends and some of mine, too, so that the kids would have company. My friend and her son came to our house first so that she could follow us to the ranch. We traded kids around since we had a neighbor girl going with us and our oldest son was riding with them. We loaded the car, including the dog. I had to run back inside for a hat and sun glasses. I grabbed a bottle for the baby. Then we pulled out of our garage and hit the road. Big D and I had lots to talk about so we were just chatting away. After being on the road for about 25 minutes I mentioned casually that I hoped my friend was still following us since I hadn't given it a thought since we left the house. Big D looked at me with an expression of horror and said, "Oh, no! I never pulled around in front! I told her to stay right there and I'd pull around! We left them!"

Big D immediately pulled off the highway and we just sat there for a minute absorbing what we had done. He asked me if I knew my friend's cell phone number. I told him that I didn't, but that it didn't matter anyway since we don't have a cell phone. (Note to self: Get a cell phone.) So, we sat there for a few more minutes. And waited. The kids got unbuckled and turned around in their seats so they could look out the back window. Everyone in the car was straining their eyes toward the horizon on the lookout for a grey Honda minivan. After a few more minutes Big D asked me if my friend was a risk taker. "You mean besides being friends with me?" I quipped. He went on to explain, "You know, either she's the kind of adventuresome person who will set off for a destination she's not sure she can find, or she's the type to just say forget it and go home." I said that I thought she would give it a try. So we waited some more, all the while feeling really stupid for leaving them and wondering how in the world two grown people could be so dumb.

Big D was the first to spy them. We all let out a sigh of relief and Big D and I laughed with embarassment. We got back on the road, sped up, and tried to muster our best we-feel-really-bad-about-what-just-happened faces. Big D was pointing at me as we passed them as if to say it was all my fault. I was rolling my eyes as if to say yeah right, he's the driver. (I'm reminded of the time I fell asleep on our way to Indiana, Big D's home state, and woke up in Illinois. But that's another story.)

We did find out later that my friend once jumped off a 50m platform with a parachute. Yep, she's a risk taker, and I for one am glad.

I know there's a lesson to be learned here somewhere. There's definitely one for you. If Big D and I ever offer to let you follow us anywhere, you might want to come prepared with a map. We can be hard to follow.