Family
Every now and then I’m reminded strongly of the biggest reason I haven’t left Nebraska. Last night was one of those times.
Last night there was a solid sheet of ice on all the roads leading up to my lovely neighborhood on a ridge above the Missouri River. It was a very unexpected sheet of ice which caught me at the bottom of all the hills rather than safely at the top of the ridge where I belong. After many failed attempts to drive up the hills, I parked the car in a church parking lot.
At this point I gathered my belongings and began a slow and careful trek up the ridge. It was dark and cars kept sliding backwards on the street, turning circles and bumping into each other and the piles of snow stacked up between the street and sidewalks. I was nearly hit by a spinning blue PT Cruiser. I was cold, sore from the gym and much more frightened than I’m accustomed to feeling.
I was also worried about my car. There at the bottom of the ridge, nicely lined up for robbers, was my car and at least a dozen other cars whose drivers had also been caught off guard by the ice and had had to walk home.
Which brings me to the point of family. My father and brother also thought this wasn’t the best place for my car. They also knew I wouldn’t sleep well with the car not in the garage, would venture down the ridge as early as I could in the morning and would be greatly upset if the car had been crashed or broken into overnight.
So they ventured out later that night to get my car up the ridge and safely parked in my nice, warm, snug garage. I was so relieved. Very sillily, I kept peeking out into the garage just to revel in the fact that the car was home safe and sound.
It wouldn’t have been the end of the word if they hadn’t done this, but it’s ever so wonderful that they did. And it’s one of the reasons I love Nebraska. My people are here – which means that my back up crew, a big chunk of my support network and my largest source of technical and mechanical expertise are here. Here is a very good place to be.
The car safely in it’s garage thanks to my father and brother.