autobahn

Recently, great guy forced me to drive. I think that he has been worrying, or I should say, I know that he has been worrying that I am going to get bored living in this place, without good friends, without a job, etc. So, he kept encouraging me to take the car and drive around; to explore the area. I always said that I would, but inside I was kind of nervous to drive here. Everything is much narrower, faster, and more crowded here. So, he had to force me…almost physically, to get behind the driver’s seat, and drive.

It all turned out to be fine; the many traffic circles, merging on to the autobahn, driving through the narrow streets…and listening to great guy’s constant demands of “shift, shift!”, “left, left!”, “give gas, give gas!” And now, I drive by myself.

Last night, I took the great truck, an old Land Rover, out shopping. The first thing I did was put in one of my favorite CD’s and cranked the stereo. Oh, to listen to my music again! (I have nothing against German radio, but playing some current tunes wouldn’t hurt.) So, there I was, cruising down the autobahn, singing along with Sugarland and eating Haribo gummi bears (a German delicacy). Fun.

And, after a few wrong turns (the signs whizz past really fast when you’re on the autobahn), but refusing to bring out tom tom, I found my way back ‘home’. Great guy’s ‘driveway’ isn’t really ‘normal’, but more of a vehicle’s endurance test, and in the truck it feels like you’re riding a big, galloping horse and all you have to do is hang on. So, over the potholes, under the bridge, up and down the twisting hill, narrowly avoiding the steep bank into the river, I zoomed up in front of the house…just missing rock ‘n roller, who was standing there, all black-leather-clad, in the dark – how was I supposed to see him?