Friday, March 16, 2018

TGIF

In one week we'll be in our new place.  Gulp.  So much still to do. 

So...while hubby is watching soccer on the t.v., I'm stalling on my computer!  That's how it's done, right?

I'm moved to tell a story that is well known in my family: my sister's birth in a VW Bug in 1960.  Yeah, you thought Bugs were just for getting around in, didn't you?  Who knew they were an excellent field hospital?

Mom calls dad at work to say she's in labor.  She's got 2 kids that need to be taken to the sitter while she and dad get to the hospital.  He comes home, we pile into the car and off to the sitter's we go.  I don't remember any of this, being 2.5 years old. It must've been quite a scene with mother in full-on labor in the front seat.

So dad's taking us into the sitter's house, and while he's doing this, out comes my sister and onto the floor.  When dad comes back to the car and sees what has transpired, he panics and figures the baby is dead.  She must've been crying or something, and yet his belief is that a baby born outside of a hospital is toast.  He jumps in the car and blasts off for the hospital.  He's stopped by a cop for speeding.  The cop takes one look inside and says, "Follow me."  He gets an escort.

He arrives at the front door of the hospital, runs inside to get help.  While he's doing this, mom's ob/gyn pulls up, sees the car, sees what's going on.  He jumps in the car to drive mother around to the Emergency entrance.  Dad runs out with nurses (one presumes) and the car is gone.  His wife and newborn (dead) baby are gone.   What fresh hell is this?

They figure it out, finally, and dad is reunited with his wife and very much alive baby daughter.  The doc pulls him aside and advises him to go home and hose out the car - quickly - as all that birthing blood and liquid will be a bear to get out if it's allowed to dry.  So he does.  And the neighbors are baffled: why the heck is he at home hosing out the car?

We drove that car around for several more years.  It was involved in another notorious episode in which my older sister and younger sister were settled in the car waiting for dad to come out of the house.  My older sister let go of the emergency brake (just for ducks) and the car began to roll downhill.  At the end of our street was a canyon.  Yup.  A canyon.  My older sister jumps out of the car to avoid going over the cliff and the car ran over her, which caused it to turn into a driveway just before the canyon's edge.  The story goes she did it to save our little sister.  I think she just didn't want to die.  In any case, she was relatively uninjured and the baby was safe as well.

Imagine my dad's surprise when he comes out of the house to find that damn car gone - again.  What's with this car?  What bad juju spirit is this? 

To think I could've been an only child.

13 comments:

  1. You are too funny! This would make a good video vignette!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, I do see it as a short little movie, too.

      Delete
  2. OMG! Both times with the car! Glad everybody turned out OK, whew!

    You've been busy as hell getting ready for this move, so you deserve some time off. My story, sticking to it. It'll all get done -- but it can't hurt to rest up, because as you know, the actual move will be all hectic and stressful, even if every single duck is in a row. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used to coordinate large moves at the university. I've seen it all. You'd think I'd be used to it. Nope. And it's always a shit storm at the end.

      Delete
  3. Two stories that were certainly worth interrupting the house-moving to relate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Those are wild VW stories! I had no idea that you little sister was born in a 1960 VW, what an incredible beginning to life in the 60s! Hope the move goes well and smoothly. Take breaks when you can and replenish in both body and mind. Thinking of you two.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, pretty epic 1960s birth story. Women were giving birth on their futons right and left, but not my straight parents. I think my older sister won an essay prize with this story years ago. She told it much better than I just did.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! True stories are the best.

    All your stories, including the ongoing one of your move, seem to me to be in the tradition of your Great Great Aunt. Thank you for writing them down!

    ReplyDelete
  7. imagine, the one time she came early.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The content of your blog is exactly what I needed, I like your blog, I sincerely hope that your blog a rapid increase in traffic density, which help promote your blog and we hope that your blog is being updated.
    ดูหนัง

    ReplyDelete

Short But Sweet

I took a very short getaway with my daughter and grandkids.  We flew to our old stomping grounds in Santa Cruz, CA.  It was supposed to be t...