Drivers, Dryers & Gratitude

     When riding in a vehicle, the passenger always has the advantage.  They can do many things at once while not having to worry about being behind the wheel.  The passenger can tell the driver how to drive, regardless of which seat they are sitting in. They can sleep, riding along with their mouth hanging open for other driver's amusement.  Probably the best thing about being the passenger is being able to take in all the sights and scenery.  They can gawk all around and do the occasional sucking in of the breath, when they see something they think is awesome.  This usually has a detrimental effect on the driver, but the passenger can always say, "Didn't you see that?!", knowing full well, the driver did not see it.

     The one disadvantage to being a passenger is not paying attention.  When I arrived in this new place, the largest metropolis North Carolina has to offer, I was amazed at how my husband navigated his way around the area.  This man, who before, would not drive 60 miles to the capital of Illinois because of the traffic, was now zipping around like he had been here forever.  "They drive crazy down here.", he told me, while driving.  He obviously did not see that my knuckles were white from hanging on to the arm rest, because from my view point, he was right there with the 'crazies'.

     My husband has mentioned, on more than one occasion, that he was amazed he had ever driven anywhere without my help.  With that in mind, I had to remind myself that he had been here for nearly a month and had gotten along quite well without my vehicular driving assistance.  I needed to pay attention to where we were going, not how we were getting there, because one day soon, I would be navigating these busy streets by myself.  It seemed like a daunting task at first, but I've finally learned the lay of the land and when in doubt, the navigation system on my cell phone sure comes in handy.

     I have no focal attachment to washers and dryers.  If the clothes get clean and the clothes get dry, I don't give a rat's pa-toot what the outside of the machine looks like.  It's not like they are going to sit in the living room to be used as a lamp stand.  The washing machine that we found had been left behind by a recent tenant. Why on earth they left it is beyond me, maybe they left in a mini van and it would not fit.  Regardless of why, it works like a charm and that is all that mattered to me.  

     I was extremely grateful for this washer of clothes, but, I must admit, having a clothes dryer would be another grateful experience. Wet clothes are really heavy, especially if they have to be packed  down the stairs, put in the back of a truck and then hauled into the laundry mat.  

     We drove to a place that sold used appliances on a Sunday morning, two hours before the NASCAR race was to start, and found a dryer. It wasn't pretty but the owner assured me it worked and that's all I needed to know.  We loaded the dryer into the back of the truck and set out for 'home'.  When we got out on the 4-lane beltway that surrounds the city, I asked my husband if he knew the way back and he said he did, so I turned the gps off.  As our exit was coming up, in less than a quarter mile, we were still in the far left hand lane.  

     I tried really hard not to suck in my breath when I exclaimed we were not going to make the exit.  The next thing I knew, we glided across three lanes of traffic and onto the exit ramp.  The dryer was still in the truck and my fingers were clenched deep into the upholstery.   "They drive crazy down here." echoed in my head.

     Getting the dryer up the flight of fifteen stairs went almost as well as the washing machine ordeal, albeit, this time we did not have a two-wheeled cart.  My husband took the lead, and I followed.  By the time we reached the top step I truly thought I might die.  My mind began to drift to the front page of a North Carolina newspaper,  Death by Dryer, the headlines would read.

     Twenty minutes later, with two minutes to go before the race started, the dryer was hooked up.  Like its new mate, it runs like a charm and I was indeed grateful to have lived to use it.