1972
You, your five siblings, and the dog load up the station wagon. Your hand slaps the wood paneling as you yell “Shotgun,” thus securing your spot in the rear-facing seat, flanked by suitcases. It’s a 9.5 hour drive to Grandma’s house. Cigarette ashes cascade like Mount Saint Helens, as Dad rolls down the window to flick his butt. Seconds later, he stabs the dashboard lighter to spark up another. Mom spiral tosses a box of Wagon Wheels into the backseat to stifle the whining. The family collectively regrets last night’s spicy chili con carne dinner. Chuck Barry playfully sings about his Ding-a-Ling on the AM radio.
1985
You and your best friend Betty cruise the Coquihalla highway to Vancouver for a Nazareth concert. She hands you twenty bucks for smokes, gas, and a triple pack of Hawkins cheezies. You’re running on limited sleep after pulling an all-nighter. You alert your parents you should be home in about 36 hours. They nod vaguely and reply, “Have fun, honey.” Love Hurts blasts from the cassette deck of your Buick LeSabre. The whole trip is an adventure.
2004
Hubby went to Radio Shack and got a great deal on a portable DVD player, only $675! It’s bungy-corded to the back of the driver seat so your rugrats can see. Shrek plays on a loop as you motor across three provinces to lake country. You’ve carefully compiled individual snack bags to be doled out hourly. Scouring MapQuest printouts, you coordinate frequent potty breaks along the way. The minivan’s rockin’ as you belt out American Idiot at the top of your lungs. In a role reversal, the kids holler at you to turn the volume down.
2025
You say fuck it, book a plane ticket, pack your carry on, and catch an Uber to the airport!
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The common thread is they are wicked fun!
The common thread is they are wicked fun and I always game to go!