Imagine how boring life would be if we didn't have little moments of sheer excitement, jaw dropping awe or moments of utter embarrassment. Think how dull it would be if our lives were always on perfect course with no deviations. What stories would we have to tell our children and our grandchildren?
Well, we (my 17 year old son) and I had one of those little adventures yesterday afternoon. I asked him a couple of days ago if we could take some photos of him and his new car one day this week after school. He said sure. So yesterday I pick him up and tell him we're going to take pics. He was not to keen on the idea. He said he was dirty and sweaty due to a "nature hike" that his JROTC class had taken that day. It's true, he was pretty dirty. But I said "That's okay! It will add to the texture of the photos!!" Spoken like a true photographer, eh?
So we picked our spot ... an off-the-beaten path road that leads absolutely nowhere! My intent was to pull the car into the field and be surrounded by the tall grasses, trees, etc. Cool, right??? Well, on the way down the road we passed a HUGE snake slithering across! That ended the "pull into the field" part! So we settled for just parking on the side of the road and I was on "snake lookout duty".
He really wasn't into it at all. It was a little hot (83 degrees) and humid out. But, dang it, I wanted some pictures! So I took a few. None of the creative, interesting angled photos I had envisioned in my mind. My subject just wasn't willing. But I got a couple nonetheless. Here they are.....
You can see how excited he was about the whole thing .... LOL ..... so I gave in and told him we were done. Then it happened .... he realized he locked the keys in the car. We've had the car for about 10 days ... haven't gotten around to having spare keys made yet .... my purse and cell phone .... in the car ..... out in the middle of nowhere ..... hot and humid ..... very large snake just up the road ..... you get the picture.
What could we do, but walk. Back towards the high school, a couple of miles up the road. So off we go. Thank goodness the snake was nowhere to be seen! We walked about a mile when we finally came to the main road leading to the high school. By this time I thought I was going to die. I don't walk if I can help it!!! hah! Cars went by and we just kept walking, then I saw it.... A police car in the distance coming our way!!! I tell my son "START WAVING YOUR HANDS!!!!! WAAAAAAAAVE YOUR HANDS!!!!!" A sheriff, the high school resource officer to be exact, pulls over and asks us "what's up?" We begged him to help us, which he very kindly did. He gave us a ride back to the car. I graciously rode in the back, so as to save my son further embarrassment. What a good mom I am. :) After several devices and about 10minutes or so, the wonderful officer was able to unlock the door for us! We'll love him forever!
The only possession I had outside the car was my camera and my light meter. Haha! Now you know I wanted to take all kinds of pics of the officer "breaking into the car", my son's face as he watched from afar .... etc., etc., But I refrained. I only took this one photo to document the moment. Afterall, how much embarrassment can one 17 year old boy endure, right???
After we were safely back in the car, I told him that someday he would look back on this and laugh. He scoffed at me. But he will. I know it. I still laugh at the time that I ran into the back of a huge road grader! Early 20's, little yellow volkswagon bug, early morning sun blinding me.... bammm! Right smack into the back of the huge beast! It's a memory I'll treasure forever. :)
So cherish Life's Little Adventures. They're precious memories in the making. And if you happen to have a camera in your hand, by all means, snap a pic or two. :)
