Last week, during our morning routine, we heard this song that reminds my Mom of driving to Oklahoma with my Dad just after they got married so he could report to the base because he was still in the army. I asked my Mom what route they took. She told me that she didn’t know and she told me that my Dad knew the way. He would consult the map in the rest stop/welcome center wall on the way. When she told me this, I had a clear recollection of my Dad doing just that on our way to Texas when I was young.
I have Onstar in my car and I use it for navigational purposes when going places that I am not familiar with. Sean makes fun of me. He will ask me if I am in 2012 and will use his phone to get directions. Because I have MS, I got Onstar in my car for free for a number of years, I think it was like five. People would ask me how I got that when they would drive with me and I would tell them that you just have to not be able to walk.
I’m rarely in my car these days but if my Mom and I don’t know where we’re going, we use it. I thought of how archaic maps are now. I don’t know if they still have them on the wall at welcome centers but I have that clear memory of my Dad checking the route on our way to Texas.
I was 13 the last time we went to Texas. I kept asking my Dad how much longer and at a gas station a few states from Michigan, he bought me an atlas. I was able to check the signs and find out exactly where we were! I had a great time and would report to the car that we only had about two more inches (with a show of my thumb and index finger) to go in whatever state we were in.
I like thinking about my Dad looking at the map on our way. It’s a completely archaic memory and not even relevant now but I appreciated that I remembered it and it is clear in my mind.