Transportation

Today I'm heading down memory lane again. You're welcome to come along for the ride.

It was the summer I had turned sixteen and I was part of the group that was taking instruction classes in church in preparation for baptism that fall. I had also just started being a part of the youth group. (Also referred to as Rumspringa) My biggest qualms about being a part of the youth group was that I didn't have a brother old enough to take me to the Sunday evening hymn singings which meant I had to accept a ride with anyone that had room on their buggy for me and didn't have too far to come pick me up.

That first Sunday evening when LV and his brother came to pick me up was already history. The ride had been a very quiet one with hardly a word spoken and I had been happy to thank them for the ride and hop off that buggy. Feeling awkward and uncomfortable wasn't something I enjoyed.

On this particular evening I was sitting in the living room waiting for them to stop in on the way to the singing that was being held at one of my best friends homes a little over three miles away. Daddy was sitting on the rocking chair munching a bowl of popcorn and talking while we waited. He seemed to find it a lot more amusing than I did that I was riding with LV. The one person I had spent my school years ignoring and not really liking at all.

I heard hoof beats approaching and a minute later I saw the horse and buggy appear at the top of the hill. I quickly grabbed my bonnet and hymn book and went outside as they swung into the driveway. I hopped into the buggy and we were on our way. Ridge, the horse trotted briskly. The summer evening was cooling off pleasantly as we drove along with the doors and the storm front open. My long  bonnet strings kept blowing in the wind and resting on LV. I tried to tame them by holding them under my chin but felt ridiculous sitting there like that. I finally gave up and let them flap where ever they wanted to. LV didn't seem to mind and didn't even bother trying to brush them off.

When we got to the singing Edith was watching us as we drove up to the house. She seemed to take great pleasure informing me that I'm starting to look like a horse with all the horse hair that was covering my white cape and apron. I tried to brush the hair off the best I could and went inside to greet the rest of the girls. The singing started before too long and the next two hours were spent singing song after song. I had always enjoyed singing and loved being a part of this.

I didn't get a lot of time to visit with my friends after the singing was over since LV and his brother were the first to be ready to go home. We headed for home at a fast trot. Ridge seemed to want to get home quickly and when he came to the road where they usually turned off to go home he automatically swung towards it while Vernon tried to keep him going straight ahead. The next minute we were perched on the bank beside the road at a crazy angle. I was sure the buggy was going to tip completely over and we would go rolling down the mountainside. LV jumped out of the buggy and ran up to Ridge to back the buggy to safety. What he didn't know was that in his hurry to get out of the buggy he had smashed my toe succeeding to break it.

Once we were safely back on the road LV got back on the buggy. That little happening seemed to break more than my toe and we talked a little bit the rest of the way home.

Vernon got married not long after that and LV and I got to really enjoy our rides together. And I think you know the rest of the story.