Greatest Driving Moments..........

[Mark Reis]

I have that same 3 a.m. driving experience in my resume -- albeit with a
different ending.

Dad's Toyota had a very distinct sounding starter and thus, merely rolling
it into the street wasn't prudent (hah -- as if *anything* about sneaking
out for a drive at age 14 is prudent).   Opted instead for pushing it down
the block a bit before starting it.
Trouble was, the neighbor across the street didn't see two miscreants
emerging from my garden level bedroom window -- he only saw two miscreants
pushing Dad's car down the street before taking off.

I must admit this wasn't the first time I'd kept Dad's car warm at night,
and the ritual was always the same.   Out to cruise chicks (hehe) at 3 a.m.
in our sleepy residential district.   Our  house was on a corner lot, so
would loop back around in five minutes to where I could check out Dad's
bedroom window to ensure that the lights were still off.  On this particular
ill-fated night, they weren't.

Turns out that the neighbor across the street called my folks and bemusedly
related how he'd witnessed the crime.   So, when five minutes later  I pull
up to the side of the house and see the bedroom light on, panic sets in.
There on the front doorstep is Dad, arms crossed (and at least 13 feet
tall).   I crapped the proverbial brick on the spot -- to such an extent
that while trying to gauge the expression on his face I proceed to run his
car up the curb.

At this point, Dad still has no idea that the perp is his flesh 'n blood.
And I mean to tell ya -- he went from being upset at the inconvenience of
having his car stolen to positively LIVID once he recognized the driver.
He strode towards the now-stalled-on-the-curb car like a panther measuring
it's quarry.   Opened the passenger door and very calmly, to my accomplice,
said "Hit the road, Troy".   Troy doesn't say a word.  No "Good luck, Mark".
No "Nice knowin' ya, Mark".   Just takes off at a full sprint.

My Mom was literally trying to take my head off with this unholy
roundhouses.   I'm running for cover towards my bedroom, where only moments
before I'd taken the added precaution of arranging pillows under the bed
covers in the proper posture so as to appear to be "Mark sleeping".
Once Mom calms herself, and leaves Dad & I for the man-to-man talk, Dad
notices the pillows:  "Nice touch, that".   Sarcastic as hell.

OK, I've rambled on long enough here.  But I'll bet that more than one of
you have guessed that my Dad has had more than a few good chuckles over the
years recounting this episode in parenting.   He admitted to me years after
the fact that it was only by virtue of paternal duty that he came across as
livid.   All the while feeling like a hypocrite, because one night when HE
was 14, HIS Dad had mistakenly left the garage door open and his keys on the
kitchen table..............




----- Original Message -----
From: <edkellock at juno.com>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 9:30 PM
Subject: Re: Greatest Driving Moments..........


> I've read a couple dozen of these and something of mine finally came to
> mind...
>
> My first driving experience.  I was 14.  I had been lusting after my
> mom's
> 1973 Mercedes 450SL for 4 years.  So I devised a plan...
>
> I set the alarm for 3am.  Woke up, listened for any other creatures
> stirring
> and then went downstairs to the garage.  I opened the garage door and
> waited, listening.  Finally, I pushed the car just out of the garage,
> jumped in
> and let it roll backwards, down the driveway and as far down our street
> as
> it would go.  Then I sat, staring at the house.  Nothing.  So I started
> it and
> backed further down the street until I was out of sight of the house.
>
> I drove around for over 30 minutes.  At one point, an LA County sheriff
> car was right next to me... might have been at a traffic signal.
> Nothing.  I
> returned home and was prepared for the wrath of my parents.  I had left
> the garage door open and just drove smoothly into the garage and shut
> off the engine.  Nothing.
>
> To this day, they are still unaware of this event.  Not a top speed
> event,
> but still, an event I'll never forget.
>
> Ed
> Colorado Springs
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