No Moon, No Stars

It was a dark and gloomy night and I was glad I was not driving.

Then I remembered a dark night when I was alone in my car at the wheel. It was a dark night, a very dark night, a black night. I was returning from a book association board meeting which lasted too long.  (They all do, don’t they?) It was out of my neighborhood and before the days of GPS.

This road had no street lamps, little traffic. I drove with my eyes glued to the tail lights of the car ahead of me. I was following it on blind faith, literally. Suddenly his red light blinked, he made a sharp right turn off the road and was gone. He was home free. Me? I figured I had about a mile ahead of me until my turn–off corner. Did I say it was pitch black outside?

I hastily looked at my rear view mirror and saw a stream of cars now following me. Cleverly I pulled over to the right and crawled almost to a stop, allowing the car behind me to move ahead. I watched as the whole line of them imitated my act.  No sir, I was lead navigator and was not being relieved of that honor. Bravely, timidly, blindly I pulled ahead, with my face thrust forward almost on the window as if that would help. I realized if I zigged where the road zagged, we would have an enormous pile-up I wouldn’t even get to see. It was with enormous relief that I approached what instinct told me was my turn-off and on to a better-lit street. 

What did I learn from that experience?  Nothing.

---Florence

 

Comments

[Peter Byrne]

Wake up Florence! You're dreaming. Yell for Art to bring a cup of tea. "The Greatest" must be able to drown a tea bag with style. Naturally you didn't learn anything from this nightmare except not to eat dill pickles before going to bed. Wishing you pleasanter dreams.

[Florence]

You've been peeking. I eat dill pickles (in Bklyn we called them sour pickles)and tea is my drink of choice (green), but that nightmare was with eyes wide open.

[john c of falls church va]

A Dark and Stormy Night

It was a dark and stormy night,
And villainous brigands, large and small,
Were gathered ‘round their campfire bright,
When their dark Master arose and said:
Antonio, relate unto us a story.

And Antonio arose and said:
It was a dark and stormy night,
And villainous brigands, large and small,
Were gathered ‘round their campfire bright,
When their dark Master arose and said:
Antonio, relate unto us a story.

And Antonio arose and said:
It was a dark and stormy night,
And villainous brigands, large and small,
Were gathered ‘round their campfire bright,
When their dark Master arose and said:
Antonio, relate unto us a story.

And Antonio arose and said:
It was a dark and stormy night,
And villainous brigands, large and small,
Were gathered ‘round their campfire bright,
When their dark Master arose and said:
Antonio, relate unto us a story.

And on, and on, and on…until you either fall asleep, or catch-on that your father is pulling your leg.

[Florence]

john c, You are pulling my leg, but you're not my father.

[Shelly Reuben]

That was great, Florence ~
I thought I had been transported into the beginning of a Harry Potter book, and the Great Wizard Albus Dumbledore had used his light put-outer to confuse everybody.
But, like Harry Potter, you overcame the obstacles and triumphed. You are the Book Seller Who Survived!
Love, Shelly

[Sandy Kendall]

That is too funny (the last line) and true of so many good stories.... but I'm really writing, on Valentine's Day, to wish you a happy birthday with many happy and healthy returns of the day.
An appreciative reader, and incidentally friend of your niece Sara,
Sandy K.

[Margee]

Dear Florence,

Thinking of you on your Valentine's birthday. I hope it's a good one, complete with some moon and stars tonight!

Happy birthday!

With love, Margee