So people actually read my blog. Or at least randomly comment on it to make me feel better. I even got one request for an explanation of "The Incident" as to why I had no license until I graduated high school. Ok, so get a small bag of popcorn and turn off your cellphones.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I ran track. Oh, and I went to the Catholic high school across town. well, it was spring break of 1988 and I didn't feel like riding my bike (blasphemy!!!! Actually, I hadn't gotten my first good bike or started racing yet.) sooooooo, I cam up with the brilliant plan of borrowing my brother's 1989 Toyota Celica GT coupe. A 5 speed, with all of 302 miles on it. Oh, and it was his early graduation present from West Point, and he was away at school at the time. Also, my birthday is 21 June, and this was April. How old was I? Hmmmmm....you see where this is going, don't you?
Well, I took the car, drove over to the Catholic School. Well, actually I drove to the school entrance, where I decided to see how fast I could go around the corner. 60 mph didn't work. At all. I kind of slid off the road and slammed into a tree at 40. I stopped just inches short of a 6 inch thick limb going through my face. so, my parents decided I had to not get my license until 18, and I had to pay for it. So my mom took out a personal loan to pay for it, all $6200 worth.
My last payment was made in August of 1990. Harsh lesson, but I was ok, walked out of it, and my parents taught me that trust, and people are harder to repair than a car. My parents are so wise. Oh, and this was the first time in my life I heard my dad curse. The terrifying "I ought to beat the shit out of you!!!" he yelled, which was the first time he raised his voice to me had me convinced I was about to die.
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4 comments:
I was curious about why you left Coleman. I assume this was related and frankly I was afraid to ask about the incident. Although I am curious as to what kind of sick you got to lose over twenty pounds in your senior year. I didn't even meet you until you were working at the bike shop.
This was just one of the many things that culminated in a letter being sent home with my last report card stating "Please do not attempt to enroll Mike in the fall semester of 1989 at John A COleman High School..." As for illness, we thought it was mono, but it never showed in my blood. Eventually we figured out I had Epstein Barr(sp?) and one of the first cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. What fun. 172 Easter Sunday, 139 49 hours later...
You know the thought of you as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sounds like an oxymoron. Epstein Barr though can reek total havoc on your body.
But what did your brother say about his car?
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