Today is Cold...too Cold to gargle peanut butter and too windy to stack BB's.
But it isn't that cold. It is 1° out right now with winds around 20-30 mph. Pretty cold...but not that cold...you know the...
...... too cold to walk down a dark country road in the middle of winter early in the morning of the first day of the year because you were stupid and put your car in the ditch but you have to or you will freeze to death cold!! Naw...not even close to that cold today. Back then I was...
Young (21) and stupid and invincible!! Yes...all three were accurate. Great Driver...not so much.
I wrecked more cars and put more in ditches than I should admit. 2 of those times (one my fault, one the other guys) should have killed me and yet I came out of those wrecks with very minor injuries.
This cold night I had a gal with me and another friend who was a farm kid...(thank God). We were running to a town 20 miles away to pick up some late minute beer on New Years eve.
We were sober and hit the road with my Camaro to get there before they closed at 11pm. Got the cases of beer to head back to the party.
About 5 miles out...in -18° weather...we went around a curve and slid into the ditch. No damage...just a hotrod stuck on snow and ice. Back then I drove hotrods...the last 25 years have been 4-wheel drives.
In the winter time you should never leave a vehicle because you can see yard lights...sometimes those lights can be miles away. We, however, knew where we were at and who lived a half mile down the road. SO we walked...north into the wind...with dress clothes on and light jackets.
We knocked on the door...and no answer. Out for the night's festivities. We went to the shed and it was warm and the tractor was plugged in. We left a note, borrowed the tractor and went to pull out the car. Three of us in the cab was tight (and yet comfy)!!
Just as we pulled out of the loooong drive the owners were pulling in and had seen the car and checked to see if anyone was there and then the husband said he saw footprints going north.
He was happy to let us use the tractor and said to make sure the tractor was plugged in when we brought it back and to make sure the shed was shut tight. He said they were going to bed.
That is how it was back in the day in farm country. I went back later that winter and thanked him and tried to pay him...and he laughed and said he was just glad he did not find bodies in the road ditch.
So every day when they say it is cold and that the schools are closed or starting late...I think of that night...the blue Camaro hotrod...the brown Jacket I had on...the blue coat she had on...and Larry the farm kid. And I think...this isn't cold...let me tell you about cold....
Until Next Time...stay out of the ditches...and keep a warm coat with you just in case!!
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