
"Anna, let's go up this little hill."
"Ok." (I'm gripping the sides. My bugged out eyes gauge the little hill which is not little. As well as being not little is is also muddy. Not only that but the tires are bald.) The awesome thing about this moment is that my brother is grinning the whole time. His eyes are also glued on the road. Mostly glued on the road anyway. He does keep glancing my way.
I was on a visit home and my littlest brother had come roaring up to the porch with his Jeep. He wanted to take me for a ride. Of course I'd go...
I think my body language was giving him the impression I wasn't in a relaxed state. He was taking me on an adventure and I displayed a shameful lack of enthusiasm. No wonder guys roll their eyes at girls. The Jeep began to bog down a little on the little bit of mud on the little hill. I freaked out and jumped out before the inevitable backwards roll down the hill. Once again Donny was giggling and I was...well...I wasn't giggling. No, my knees were shaking. My goal of being an understanding, fun, easy-going sister was taking a major hit. Donny rolled to a stop at the base of the hill where I met him. He looked at me with a sweet sympathetic smile. "Hop in and I promise we won't do that again." He shook his head, grinning. "It wasn't that bad really, but I can understand being a little nervous."
With my hand gripping my side of the Jeep we puttered and bounced homeward. On my side of the road there appeared a blackberry vine. As we came closer, Donny decided to go around it to avoid my getting scratched in the face. Around meant sidehilling. I don't sidehill well. "Donny. DoNnY. DONNY!" He was giggling out of disbelief by this time. "Anna, this is flat(giggle) ground. You almost couldn't tip over. (giggle) I do (giggle) this all the time (giggle)." Donny got me very safely home. I smelled very much like gasoline. This vehicle gets maybe 2 miles to the gallon. I feel like there's a connection there.
Speaking of which, on another trip home just recently, I was headed out the driveway with another brother. We met Donny walking down the driveway toward home. Marshall started chuckling as he rolled down the window. "Run out of gas up there?" I think he had some experience in this department as well. The noise and the fixing and the rock crawling and running out of gas a mile from home must have a hidden fun quality. Actually, though, I enjoy watching them enjoy it and getting lots of fun out of it. You can't help but enjoy someone else enjoying something. That's how this female sibling can truly enjoy Jeeps. I love you Donny!
Anna, this is too funny. I had to laugh! Reminded me of Grandpa taking me for a ride in his 6 wheeler down the steep back hill of their place - E-E-E-EKKKKK!!!! Lvabj
ReplyDeleteOh Anna Belle....great story from the not-too-distant-past. That poor old jeep has been quite the work-in-progress for these boys and has given us lots of laughs and thrills. I will never forget the day I returned home from Rome and Marshall was just waiting with proud anticipation to take me for a ride in the field. I LOVED bouncing around out there with him.....so much more fun than riding in a taxi in the big city!.... even though I smelled of gasoline too! ha ha....wonderful memories for sure. I think Larry was smiling when he handed over the keys to those boys, don't you?
ReplyDeleteHilarious! What fun times...
ReplyDeleteGotta love it. Makes me wish those days weren't gone - my 'big' little brother out to show his sister a 'good' time. His hearty belly laugh as I clutched anything semi-solid and tried to swallow my fear and 'enjoy' his joy ride. Ohhhh - the good old days. The prepping ground for the good new days raising the kids who are just as lacking in good ole' common sense (ha, ha) as their uncles :-)!
ReplyDelete