Sunday Rides

When we were kids Dad would load us in the car on Sunday afternoon for a drive. The seven of us would pile into the big old sedan pushing and knocking elbows to make space for ourselves. Usually we stopped for lunch somewhere. Sometimes it was a picnic by a stream, others times a new restaurant he wanted to try, and frequently a burger stand. On the ride home we would take the scenic route, which always seemed to include a winding mountain road. All those greasy burgers sitting in our stomachs and the swaying of hot sweaty bodies led to, you guessed it, car sickness. Someone would barf all over the the car including anyone in immediate range , which meant whoever was sitting next to them. Not a pleasant end to a days outing.

Yesterday I repeated this childhood ritual. We went to a nearby town for burgers and dogs. Wanting to make it a true family outing we took not children , but our furry canine companions. The burger joint is an old fashion drive up diner. I decided the burgers had to be good because the line snaked through the parked cars and into the street. The restaurant slave driver, his fairy princess and the man of the house all had chili cheese dogs. They were a foot long, overflowing with chili and stuffed with cheese. The fairy princess ate hers delicately with a fork, while the men braved the drips and slurped up the delicious but messy childhood favorite. I had an all American hamburger with lettuce, tomato and cheese. We ate in a nearby park and took the scenic route, a winding mountain road, home.

Humans and our doggy children were enjoying the ride. Boss sat beside me looking out the windows first front then the side. The scenery was beautiful.

The road curved with twist and turns and the car swayed back and forth. Boss began to drop his head but would then look up, and again stare out the window. At one point he placed his head in my lap, I though he was tired. Suddenly he began to make a choking-gagging noise. My little darling barfed all over me. I screeched and everyone turned to see what had caused the excitement.

We pulled over and I took off my pants and continued the journey in my underwear. It was only a short distance home and we arrived without further mishap. A fitting end to a repeated childhood ritual. P.S. Boss was wrestling with Gracie last night so he is fine.