I'll race you up the wire!

MR and TS were passengers in my lovely (sarcasm) old Pinto. It was 2 something in that Friday morning. What to do ... what to do? We spot a Yosemite Sam on the curb. There was no wonder, as he was filthy, like a machanic's rag. I grabbed (pinched) him and we were off. We were on a gravel road. I tethered Sam to my back bumper. I couldn't see him, but MR could. MR had the misfortune of being the back seat.
I clearly demonstrated competent driving, going maybe 60 down a gravel road. We approached a curve that it was clear we weren't going to make, despite my slamming on the breaks (sliding nicely on the gravel). We were entering the curve, when we saw a worse fate than ditching in a field ... a telephone pole was heading toward us.

I gritted my teeth awaiting doom. MR, moments before had wisely put on his safety belt. I think, at this time, TS was trying to buckle up. We upruptly stopped. I saw no crumpled front ... no shattered windshield, but the horizontal hold was off. Through luck, God, or fate ... we rested on the guide wire that cut into the car like a cheese cutter, along the back wheel well.

I opened the door to have it mimic a kickstand. I tumbled out, as did TS. MR had to struggle to get from the back. Boy, was I stupid! We walked back from the car, and I thought it might be best to free the Sam that was on the back bumper. His ride wasn't as scary as ours.

At this time -- you would expect foul language or silence. I offered neither, but murmurred, "Curse my feeble driving skills!" It was a phrase that was stupid, but memorable.

I walked down to call the folks. They were ... not too shocked to hear me. We were all okay, and he was going to see us soon -- 4:15 /5 which seemed like 7. TS and MR were going to just walk back to either of their houses -- leaving me to catch it all.

Speaking of catch --- my father had a plan. Cut the guide wire and TS, MR and I would catch the car.

We were not so inclined, unlike the car. The snapping of the guide wire was the main concern. Darwin awards wasn't known then, but we weren't interested in dying that way. The car fell 4 feet -- unhappily. Unlike Herbie, this hunk didn't reassemble itself.