I had an exceptional childhood. Going to all girls' schools afforded me many sisters. There was always some invitation to some outing.
The Autumnal season, brings back memories of many trips to see the foliage of New England in it's glory. The trips to the apple orchards, buying apples and fresh pressed cider was just heavenly. Life was the best. We had all the love, protection, and attention from all our parents.
Later, we'd learn life was not as we had been living. However, we had the basics of everything to endure life's aches, pains and heartbreaks of death or loved ones moving to another climate. We girls had and after decades still have each other.
It never failed that my comtemporary hostess, would ask her parents, "Are we there yet?" The answer was always, "No." Our sense of time was lost in the back seat of the car with our dolls, travel games and comic books.
"Archie and Veronica" were our favorite comic book characters. To this day, I do not remember why. I do remember the girls in the comics were always dressed neatly and stylish.
Once, after, "Are we there yet?" one of the parents, gave us a task. We were to list the license places on the vehicles we saw. At that time the United States still held Alaska and Hawaii as territories so they did not count. It did not matter, we never saw either license plate.
Not only was the task of observing the license plates keeping us busy, we had to put them on our hand drawn maps and try to place them on the East Coast, West Coast, Mid-Country or along the Great Lakes or the Mississippi River.
We never again asked, "Are we there yet?" We learned to sit back enjoy the ride, chat quietly, with each other and leave the adults alone in the front seat.
Days ago, I had to make a pair of trips. The first was a two hundred twenty round trip to the north. That was an easy trip on cruise control.
I was home for a day and had to drive three hundred miles to the south--one way. The Interstate has been in a messy repair for years. I was happy to get off the familiar Interstate to another. It too was under repair in spots. Then onto another Interstate.......ahhh, no repairs.
After the planned business was over, it was getting late and I was returning three hundred miles--north and knew I'd have to spend the night in a motel, inn or hotel. I was
tired. Driving along the Interstates in the heavy rush hour traffic, I let my mind wander back to the days of "Are we there yet?" Only this time instead of spotting license plates from other states, I was counting American made vehicles in a fifty mile stretch.
Every car that passed me because I was on cruise control at the posted speed limit was made off shore. I saw only one American car and it is now obsolete..........a Pontiac.
I drive a Buick. Gas mileage on a bad run around town is about 28 miles per gallon.
On the highway 33 is low and 35 to 37 is normal. However with all the road repair on the Interstates and stop and go I had to tolerate, I was still getting 29 miles per gallon.
Two American cars in fifty miles.........very sad.
America, WE ARE NOT THERE YET!
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