The sign warned us; we just did not take it seriously enough.
The car was dead in the center of the busy intersection,
stopped. A bad choice almost sent the car and its four terrified passengers
the wrong way into one-way traffic.
The sign warned us; we just did not take it seriously
enough.
The car was dead in the center of the busy intersection,
stopped. A bad choice almost sent the car and its four terrified passengers
the wrong way into one-way traffic. Knowing that was not the way to go, but
not knowing which way to go, stopping to contemplate seemed the best course
of action.
Folks in a hurry to get wherever they were going
became frustrated, honked and stared, but they should have noticed the sign:
“Warning: Student Driver.”
What a shame that things have gotten so complicated
– even learning to drive a car.
Of course, things were different when I learned.
I did not have to dodge dinosaurs, but it was different. For six months before
receiving my drivers license, I drove. Our rural, agrarian town of 1200
was understanding about that sort of thing. Probably because half the adult
population
had never gotten around to getting their drivers
licenses. Actually, that may have been determined by the literacy rate.
Vehicles were gasoline work animals and who ever
heard of getting a license to drive or ride a mule?
“In town” kids were held to only a slightly
different standard. So, we learned to drive by driving.
Under certain hardships, for which everyone in our
county qualified, we could get our license at 12 and one half years. Frightening,
isnt it, to think 13 year-olds could run the roads in their dads
automobiles? But, it wasnt as bad as it sounds. Most cars in our county
couldnt go over 30 miles an hour headed down a steep hill. And, one seldom
met another car on the road.
There was, however, a form of policing. Everyone
in the county knew everyones car by sight. One of the pastimes for community
members was sitting on the square, watching the traffic, making sure nothing
was out of place, including learning drivers.
“There goes John Anderson. Wonder where hes
going, headed south like that?”
“There goes widow Brown to the cemetery. She
missed a day last week. Must have been sick, or out of town at the Ladies Aid
Society meeting in Hico. Bet her old dead husband wondered where she was.”
“Wonder what that strangers doin
in town? Must have made a wrong turn at the highway. Bet hes
surprised when he ends up out at Ida James where the road stops.”
“Yep. Well see him again in about 15 minutes,
headed the other direction. Must be from Fort Worth.”
“Looks like ole Crabtrees car is
drivin itself. Sure dont see nobody behind the wheel.”
“Thats his son, Scott, learnin to
drive. Turned 12 last week.”
“I dont see him.”
“Cant. He aint tall enough. Hes
short for his age, and most 12-year-olds aint that tall anyway.”
“How does he see to drive?”
“He looks under the steering wheel. Has to sit
on a pillow to do that, his momma told my wife.”
“How does he know whats behind him?”
“He dont, but it dont seem to matter.
Everyone knows he is Aarons son, so they look out for him.”
“Yep, and if he does hit something or someone,
no one worries because they know his dad will fix it. Remember when his brother
hit that gas pump at Bill Lemons station? Bill Lemon stuck Aaron for a
new gas pump and a new tub for washing windshields. Bills mighty proud
of that pump. Stood outside beside it for a whole day.”
“Yep, and Aaron wouldnt let that boy drive
out of the cow pasture for the next month. Preacher Appleby saw him comin
out of the gate one day and told him he better get back in, and he did. Must
of learned something, though, cause I dont know of him having another
wreck, unless you count backing into Bull Adams tractor at the football
game. That really didnt hurt Bulls tractor enough to count. He tried
to say it put a dent on it to get a new paint job off Aaron, but no one could
say for sure there were already so many dents on it.”
There is no need, and no way, to turn the clock back
to such simple days. But young people suffer from the massive depersonalization
of our society. It did not take the whole county to raise a child back then,
but it sure helped for everyone to know you, and look after you. One lady said
then, “I feel my kids are safe when they go out to play. They have 1200
babysitters.”
Certainly the church can provide at least some of
this kind of community for young people. Hopefully, churches will not just provide
age-segregated programs for their children and youth, but a true community of
love and support, where, as the song says, “Everyone knows my face.”
We will not have to police their driving, but we will encourage their faithThe sign warned us; we just did not take it seriously enough.
The car was dead in the center of the busy intersection,
stopped. A bad choice almost sent the car and its four terrified passengers
the wrong way into one-way traffic.
The sign warned us; we just did not take it seriously
enough.
The car was dead in the center of the busy intersection,
stopped. A bad choice almost sent the car and its four terrified passengers
the wrong way into one-way traffic. Knowing that was not the way to go, but
not knowing which way to go, stopping to contemplate seemed the best course
of action.
Folks in a hurry to get wherever they were going
became frustrated, honked and stared, but they should have noticed the sign:
“Warning: Student Driver.”
What a shame that things have gotten so complicated
– even learning to drive a car.
Of course, things were different when I learned.
I did not have to dodge dinosaurs, but it was different. For six months before
receiving my drivers license, I drove. Our rural, agrarian town of 1200
was understanding about that sort of thing. Probably because half the adult
population
had never gotten around to getting their drivers
licenses. Actually, that may have been determined by the literacy rate.
Vehicles were gasoline work animals and who ever
heard of getting a license to drive or ride a mule?
“In town” kids were held to only a slightly
different standard. So, we learned to drive by driving.
Under certain hardships, for which everyone in our
county qualified, we could get our license at 12 and one half years. Frightening,
isnt it, to think 13 year-olds could run the roads in their dads
automobiles? But, it wasnt as bad as it sounds. Most cars in our county
couldnt go over 30 miles an hour headed down a steep hill. And, one seldom
met another car on the road.
There was, however, a form of policing. Everyone
in the county knew everyones car by sight. One of the pastimes for community
members was sitting on the square, watching the traffic, making sure nothing
was out of place, including learning drivers.
“There goes John Anderson. Wonder where hes
going, headed south like that?”
“There goes widow Brown to the cemetery. She
missed a day last week. Must have been sick, or out of town at the Ladies Aid
Society meeting in Hico. Bet her old dead husband wondered where she was.”
“Wonder what that strangers doin
in town? Must have made a wrong turn at the highway. Bet hes
surprised when he ends up out at Ida James where the road stops.”
“Yep. Well see him again in about 15 minutes,
headed the other direction. Must be from Fort Worth.”
“Looks like ole Crabtrees car is
drivin itself. Sure dont see nobody behind the wheel.”
“Thats his son, Scott, learnin to
drive. Turned 12 last week.”
“I dont see him.”
“Cant. He aint tall enough. Hes
short for his age, and most 12-year-olds aint that tall anyway.”
“How does he see to drive?”
“He looks under the steering wheel. Has to sit
on a pillow to do that, his momma told my wife.”
“How does he know whats behind him?”
“He dont, but it dont seem to matter.
Everyone knows he is Aarons son, so they look out for him.”
“Yep, and if he does hit something or someone,
no one worries because they know his dad will fix it. Remember when his brother
hit that gas pump at Bill Lemons station? Bill Lemon stuck Aaron for a
new gas pump and a new tub for washing windshields. Bills mighty proud
of that pump. Stood outside beside it for a whole day.”
“Yep, and Aaron wouldnt let that boy drive
out of the cow pasture for the next month. Preacher Appleby saw him comin
out of the gate one day and told him he better get back in, and he did. Must
of learned something, though, cause I dont know of him having another
wreck, unless you count backing into Bull Adams tractor at the football
game. That really didnt hurt Bulls tractor enough to count. He tried
to say it put a dent on it to get a new paint job off Aaron, but no one could
say for sure there were already so many dents on it.”
There is no need, and no way, to turn the clock back
to such simple days. But young people suffer from the massive depersonalization
of our society. It did not take the whole county to raise a child back then,
but it sure helped for everyone to know you, and look after you. One lady said
then, “I feel my kids are safe when they go out to play. They have 1200
babysitters.”
Certainly the church can provide at least some of
this kind of community for young people. Hopefully, churches will not just provide
age-segregated programs for their children and youth, but a true community of
love and support, where, as the song says, “Everyone knows my face.”
We will not have to police their driving, but we will encourage their faith