Friday, September 19, 2008

Life sure has changed

Last weekend a couple of lady friends and I are out on the town. Or so we think. The husbands have been left behind for a few hours to fend for themselves. I remember when we used to be out stocking them, tracking them down like feisty, rabid hunters.
Things are different now; let me set the stage for you. We are idling in the drive-thru lane at Taco Bell. The clock on the dash reads 9:38 pm. Someone mentions that it's getting pretty late, we better hurry back to watch our chick-flick before it gets really late and we won't be able to stay awake through the entire movie. We concur with a nod and m-hmm in unison.
In nearby traffic a small 2 door car rigged with cheap flashy rims haphazardly attempts a u-turn, overshoots the corner, and rams the curb going way too fast. Stunned and shocked, we gasp very dramatically. How dare these young hoodlums drive so recklessly. We never did. It's obvious the car has blown a tire and the driver, feeling sheepish no doubt, pulls over to inspect said damage. A bent rim, I speculate. Does insurance cover that? Oh shush, I think to myself, only old people think about insurance at times like this. We crane our necks to get a load of this intense action. It's the most exciting thing that will happen all night. We'll repeat the story later to the one who sacrificed all the action to stay back with a sleeping babe. How ever will we calm down for a movie now?
I'm crammed into the back seat of a new SUV, sandwiched between 2 car seats. It's cool, but I'm child-locked in and I think I'm sitting on some kind of stuffed cartoon. I don't dare to check just in case it's not. Plus, I'm not wearing a seat belt and it feels rebellious, but not the thisisgoshdarnfun rebellious, the guilty kind of rebellious that actually stings a little. I used to never rarely feel that. Like the time we were supposed to go down to St. George for student council camp, but when we got there we didn't feel so much like student counciling, got our own hotel room, went to Vegas and had the time of our lives. Not even one tiny ping of guilt during or after that charade. But in this no seatbelt situation, I'm really living on the edge.
Back in the drive-thru it dawns on me. We routinely used to hit this same Taco Bell at roughly 2:00 am, and order our weight in diet coke, chicken quesadillas, and nachos slathered in greasy synthetic cheese sauce. And boy were those calories good. But this night, I don't order anything because I've already exceeded my daily carb intake, so no thanks I'll just stick with my diet water. I high-five myself silently for making the more responsible choice because it is after all, organic water, and it says so right on the bottle. We used to really go out on the town. Paint it red, the whole bit. Back then at 2:00 am, the night was a puppy, and we were well on our way to real excitement wherever or whatever that used to be. Either I can't remember, or I'm choosing to forget. At the time, it didn't seem to matter. We were the party, and everything else was our entourage.

Life sure has changed.

However the more I think about it, I really wouldn't have it any other way. Past or present.

13 comments:

Tuttles said...

Great post G! So true, so true.

Tiffani Ford said...

The truth is I am the most responsible one for staying back with the sleeping babe. Sorry, my nanny was off that night. I only wish I was there to witness the crazy driver. In my younger years I would've flipped him off, but since then I have grown up realized my childish behaviors really aren't that cool. I only wish I could flip people off and still be viewed as cool. Thanks again for yet another great memory

Two Wheeler said...

I don't know Tiff, in your younger years, that might have been you hitting the curb... :-)

gina bina said...

I remember Tiff and BD racing each other down Palisades (before the speed bumps were put in, ha!); the Grand Prix vs.the Landy. Tiff had her license for about 5 minutes and the Landy didn't stand a chance against her led foot.

Two Wheeler said...

Haha, yeah, that Grand Prix was fast!

Natlee Lloyd said...

mmmmm 2:00am taco bell quesadillas! I remember one time they gave me no chicken an all green sauce!

Kim and Layne said...

Ha ha...I love it!

Rachel said...

woot woot!!! We are so livin' it up! I didn't realize you were so nervous about the whole seatbelt thing, you could've just TOLD me!!! Great memories, as ALWAYS!

travdean said...

This one had me laughing. It is so true. I had a wild Friday night last night. A Redbox rental and in bed by 9:45 pm. That is about as "cool" as I get anymore these days :)

Persnickety Prints said...

Oh, how it SUCKS getting old! (hence I am blogging on my Sat night)!

Tuttles said...

P.S. I tagged you...

Wildings said...

Isn't that so true! I was just thinking about that last night as some friends left about 9:30 cause it was getting late. Oh my times have definitely changed!

The P*dunc's said...

So true, so true! I always fall asleep about 20 minutes into every movie I watch now.