Have you ever been so scared or so flabbergasted that you could not speak? If you can believe it, this happened to my sisters and I. You have to understand this is hard to accomplish in our family.
The day started just like any other. Mom was off to work at the dress shop. We off to do whatever kids did on the weekends. Dad did some gardening and chopping wood for the winter. We all came home around 4 as usual. We started getting things ready for dinner, setting the table, making salad and laying out things to do later. Then it was time to go to town to pick up Mom.
We all piled in the car. No seat belts back then. Windows down and off we went to town. The ride was just like any other. Singing at the top of our lungs, any song that we remembered the words to. Past Ridgewood road, past Blaylocks mansion, past three mile road. Along the lake and then out of no where here comes a car up behind us. Dad waves the car around us on the straight stretch and they pass. Then the car slows down and makes dad slow down. He figures it is some tourist that has seen something, so he puts on his blinker and heads out to pass the car. Mom is waiting to be picked up.
When we get up even with the other car, it speeds up. It is some kids in the car that are now wanting to play chicken. I can see my dads face change.
My dad is a fairly mild mannered man, but can lose his temper when provoked. He is being provoked. This cat and mouse game with the cars is starting to make him really angry. All he can think of is the fact he has three little girls in the car with him.
We rounded the corner by the old A&W Drive Inn, that has long since gone the way of most. By now the kid is driving really fast. He won't let us go by and he won't drive at a reasonable speed with us behind him. Dad hits the bridge and steps on the gas. Unbenounced to us there is an RCMP sitting at the enterance to the bridge. Dad finally gets by the kid at the other end of the bridge. The cop puts on his lights. Both cars pull over to the side of the road. We are all giggling cause we got to drive fast and pass someone on the bridge. We thought this was all really neat until daddy got out of the car and slammed the door telling us to stay put.
He walked right past the cop that was standing there, walked up to the kid driving the car and we thought he was going to pull the kid through his window. He did a lot of gesturing, which today I would have known what he was saying. His face was red, he was yelling at the kid. When he finished, he turned, walked right past the cop and got in our car and left. We went down and picked up Mom and headed home. All of us jumping around trying to tell our mommy what had just happened. Dad yelling at us to be quiet and sit down.
On the way home, we were about two miles out the lake when the lights of the police car came on behind us. Very much expecting to be ticketed, or taken to jail, dad pulled over and sat waiting for the police officer to come to the window. When the police arrived at the window, he very calmly asked if dad was Mr. Cartlidge. Dad said yes. Then something that was very unexpected happened. The officer asked dad if everyone was ok and did he want to press charges. I don't remember what dad said, but I never did hear anymore about it, so I suspect the fact that he had scared the kid to death when he walked up to the car once stopped, was more than enough to make dad content. The officer said to have a nice day and left.
We went home and started dinner, never to speak of it again. At least not till we all get together and start talking about driving in the car with mom and dad. Then it comes out. The day that dad walked right past the police and they just stood there.
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