My sister Ramey Channell had a book signing at the Prattville library last night. She asked me to go with her and I accepted. Prattville is some 90 miles from us here in Leeds, and Ramey was to be at the library at 6:00. She decided we should leave early, at least by 3:00, in order to miss the commuter traffic on I65.
FIRST SETBACK: Ramey left her house right on time, on her way to my house. But first she had to stop at the ATM to get some money. While at the bank, she discovered she had forgotten her...well, actually, now I have forgotten what it was that she forgot that caused her to have to return to her house to get. (One wonders why my sister and I are allowed out of the house at all.) Anyway, while at her house, she decided to she needed to let Buddy (her border collie) outside before she left. Buddy wouldn’t go outside. After trying for a while to get him out, Ramey realized time was a’wastin’ and she had to go. And she did.
Ramey arrived at my house after 4:00, at which time I was about to call her to ask if she had decided not to go. She explained her setbacks as we got into my car and hit the road.
SECOND SETBACK: From Leeds, one takes I459 to merge with I65 South to travel to Prattville, Alabama. Ramey and I were cruising along I459, confident we could still miss the work traffic, but just by a tweak. We were deep into a conversation about a cousin and her financial entanglements (We had already discussed what an awful time we had making it to Rome, Georgia a couple of years ago after I had missed our exit off another interstate highway) when I gasped.
“What?” asked my sister. “Do you have a flat tire?"
No, I did not have a flat tire. No no no. “You’re not going to believe this,” I answered. “I missed the exit to I65.”
Problem was, I hadn’t “just missed it.” While my mind was on my cousin and her disasters, I had missed it about ten miles back. Apparently Ramey had missed it too, since she hadn’t said anything. We were on our way to Tuscaloosa.
At the very next exit, we turned around and headed back toward our exit. Some 20-30 minutes wasted, but we could still make it to Prattville if we could just get on 65 ahead of the commuters.
THIRD SETBACK: We didn’t get ahead of the commuters. In fact, minutes after merging onto 65, we ran smack into them. Well, we didn’t actually run into them. We got stopped before we hit anybody.
For about, I don’t know, 30 minutes or so, we creeped along like we had nowhere to go, just like everyone else on the highway with us. At one point, Ramey announced that we should just go back home, we could never make it in time.
Fear not, I, the driver, told her. We’re going to get going again right up ahead. You’ll see.
Right up ahead turned out to be many miles up ahead. But once we got clear of that bottleneck of automobiles, we hauled butt. I never speed. I never never speed. I have always adhered to the speed limited within just a smidgen. I guess the fastest I had ever driven was probably 80, or just below. I am not a speed lover.
On our frantic last leg to Prattville, however, I was pushing 90 much of the time. And once, I noticed I had passed 90 on the speedometer. I can’t say I wasn’t nervous. I was, although I tried not to let my sister know. Actually, I felt like I was flying a small plane. We made it--just a few minutes late, and extremely grateful to not be lying in a crash on I65.
On our way home up the interstate later in the evening (at a very leisurely pace), we notice a bunch of police cars at one exit with their blue lights all flashing.
“They’re probably looking for those women who flew through here a few hours ago like the roadrunner, pealing up asphalt behind her,” opined my sister.
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On 03/17/2017, Ramey said ...
All's well that ends well! I'm gonna get you a chauffeur's uniform for our next trip!
On 03/17/2017, Joan said ...
Y'all are pitiful, but so are we all! I'm glad you kept the appointment.. next time, start at 2:00 for a 90 mile trip!
On 03/17/2017, Barbara Anne said ...
What a hoot! Glad all ended well - and safely. :)
Hope you're weariing green today!
Hugs!
On 03/17/2017, Joanne said ...
Well, not everyone can be like ME! I arrived today for a dental appointment, exactly four days and one hour early. Fortunately, some other appointees didn't show up, so they cleaned me up anyway.
On 03/17/2017, Ramey said ...
That's great!
On 03/20/2017, Dondi Murdock said ...
That is funny, but at the time, not relaxing! I am so glad to read about someone whose adventures sound like mine.
On 03/22/2017, Dondi Murdock said ...
Does your sister have the same gorgeous cheekbones and smile that you have?
On 03/22/2017, Dondi Murdock said ...
I'll try this again...does your sister have the same gorgeous cheekbones and smile that you have?
On 03/30/2017, Jed Cage said ...
I'm a little late to this conversation, but it does occur to me that this has the makings of a novel or even a movie. Perhaps they could get Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis to play the two of you.
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