On the Road...

Every generation seems to have a story about being on a road. Maybe it is literal, maybe philosophical, but usually it is both. 'On the Road', Easyrider, 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance', and many other titles. The road starts with the confusion straightaway, into a few questioning turns, over an anger bridge, past a few drunken hairpins, and too often ending up in a mental hospital or a morgue somewhere. By the time the dear reader gets to the 'somewhere', they are either confused (Art) or depressed (Easy Rider). 

We all have a road story, and it is our life. No one can possible understand the route we took as we cannot understand it completely ourselves.  If you tried to lead a full life, then the road is full of unexplained twists and turns that seem either naive or foolish as you look back.  But, you took the road and now are at some type of destination, if you are up there in years as Ol' Si is. You are the road you traveled. 

High School? Told to get into a trade. Plumbing was hot then.  Fixed VWs, went to Community College on lunch break at noon.  What the hell, I will take Calculus. There were 39 guys, 37 of whom said they wanted to go to med school, I was doomed. That girl? A math genius. aced every test. 

Prof, who was a semi-retired Engineer told me I could DO IT, pass the class. No screwing around, no excuses, no 'poor kid struggling' crap. Just study. Office hours if needed, which I did. Girl in class helped me for the price of a cup of coffee.  I made it over the bridge, sober. Passed. First time in my life I put my mind to something really hard and succeed.  

You can talk about the biggest rush in your life. Your first beer, your first kiss, the first time you rode in an early Porsche Turbo.  I will pick the C+ in Calc 1A. First step on the journey,  one that got a lower class, blue color kid started on the roadtrip. One he could never have imagined. 

Ended up here.  What a drive.