My husband is the eldest of five boys, so his experiences were quite different than mine…the only child! He and his brothers would climb into the back seat of their parent's old Buick, his Dad driving, his Mom in the passenger seat. All would be good until one of the ‘boys’ started something then pretty soon his Dad would be reaching blindly over the front seat, landing a slap on any of the ten unruly legs behind him, and if that didn’t work, his Mom put ‘Plan B’ into action. Just picture five little boys, dressed in their Sunday best, all together in the back seat…sitting on their hands!
My Dad’s first car was a 1949 Plymouth, he had never owned a car until we came to America and it was his pride and joy. He washed it, he waxed it and polished it to a shine worthy of new Rolls Royce. For Dad the Sunday drive was an adventure; he was the pilot, Mom the backseat driver co-pilot. I, alone in the backseat, was the navigator. As you can see, Dad wasn’t quite ready to give up all of the Air Force life, so sometimes the conversation went like this…
Dad: Pilot to Navigator.
Me: Navigator here.
Dad: What’s the coordinates for the ice cream store?
Mom: I hope you’re watching where you’re going while you two are acting silly!
Me: Navigator to pilot.
Dad: Carry on Navigator.
Me: The ice cream store is dead ahead, 12 o’clock high.
Mom: Look out for that car pulling out!
Dad: I see it.
Mom: There’s a boy on a bike up there too, be careful!
Dad: I see him.
Me: Dad, I mean Pilot…you just went past the ice cream store! As I slipped into my teenage years, I started to outgrow the Sunday drive ritual. It seemed suited more for young children or older folk.
Now, 50 years later, it’s a hot Sunday afternoon in August; my husband and I are reminiscing again as we head down the road; he’s driving, I’m the co-pilot, and our dog, Lucy is in the back seat navigating the way to the ice cream store.
13 comments:
I do remember and I loved those Sunday drives as did my two older brothers. It was probably the one time we didn't squabble but would play road games. "I see something the starts with a W" or the brothers would pick a car make and see who could spot the most, plus name the year. They lost me there. I just loved seeing new places. Thanks for reminding me.
What a delightful post. It took me back fifty years to Sunday trips to the seaside in my fathers' old van. With my father the tended to be Sunday morning drives rather than afternoon drives : he had a deep desire to "beat the crowds" and therefore we would set out at 7.00am. It always gave him great pleasure to be on his way home when everyone was on their way out for the afternoon. I could never work out why. Anyway, thanks for the trip down Memory Lane
We didn't have a car so I missed that whole thing.
Sunday afternoons in an Italian house is when every relative, even those you only know at a distance, show up for pasta and dinner. Similar conversations took place, but it was in broken English with a great deal of yelling.
Over & out.
Oh yes, I do remember the Sunday drives. Me and my two younger sisters fighting and scooting as far back in the old station wagon as we could get so we would be out of the reach of slapping hands!
Great memories, Sunny!!
I remember it well, I also am an only child, but often took a friend with us, and we got into as much trouble as siblings...haha!!
Remember when we layed up across the back of the car under the window, now kids are seat belted in and tied down, too..good times !
I haven't thought about Sunday afternoon drives. Someone in our family would have to be seriously ill before we missed a Sunday drive. Dad was one of those people who always knows how to get back home, so we was both pilot and navigator.
I remember the Sunday afternoon drives too and the stop for ice cream!! I am also an only child.
What a great story!
We never went on sundaytrips like that, but we made almost all vacations by car... Me and all my toys in the backseat and me starting to ask how much longer before we arrive just as we got out of our own town... I must have been a pain in the ** :o)
Thanks for the memories! Great story!
I loved the Sunday afternoon drives! And I still do...only now I've got my camera close at hand and ready for action...
Oh I remember the Sunday afternoon drives, Sunny... BUT--I remember it more after I was married and my hubby and I would go for a long ride on Sunday afternoon with my ex's parents. His Dad and Mom loved taking off on new roads --not knowing where we were going. It was SO much fun back then.
After we had kids, my ex and I continued those drives for awhile. I have great memories of that.
Hugs,
Betsy
Hello Sunny,
Oh Yes ! I remember our Sunday afternoon drives to the airport (in winter) or to the river for fishing (in summer) or just to the countryside. My father liked to see the planes take off. That can seems strange for the new generation, but by this time, to travel by plane was inaccessible for the working class and I think my father was dreaming by this way.
(excuse me for my bad english, I hope you can understand what I mean)
Love it, Sunny. Unfortunately I didn't have the same experiences as a child but I think I would have enjoyed them.
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