Wednesday, February 16, 2011

stupid, stupid girls

i've had a couple people write out a story from their childhood memory bank for me lately & that's gotten me to thinking about my own ancient history. one certain thing keeps coming to mind, but i cringe every time i remember it.

between the ages of 9 and 16, i lived in this one house in a suburb in new york state. it was typical suburbia, with neighborhoods never far from shopping or restaurants. i'm not sure how old i was when i finally convinced my parents that i was old enough to walk to the store, but eventually i was allowed to walk down to the stores and fast food places about a mile from my house. at first i could only go if my older brother went, but eventually i was trusted to go, as long as i was with one of my girlfriends.

it was an easy walk, no hills, and we'd just meander along the shoulder of the road since we were really only going for fun, not because we needed to get somewhere. sometimes, when we girls were walking, people would honk at us as they flew past in their cars. at first it startled us. but then we realized that many of the drivers were actually guys who we presumed were checking our fine selves out. sometimes they would yell things out of the window as they sped past, like "woohoo!" or "yeah, baby!" or "nice rack!" it was shocking and offensive and amazingly exciting all in one rush of wind as a car went past, leaving us foolish girls in a wake of exhaust and excitement.

one summer, somewhere between the ages of 14 and 16, a friend and i spent a lot of time walking. we walked in my neighborhood, her neighborhood, the mall, the local pool, the beach on vacation together. anywhere we could freely go, we went. and we were getting so many honks and yells that we decided to start counting them. i have no idea what our final count was, but it was fun trying to keep track of our percieved awesomeness by seeing how much honky feedback we could collect.

sometimes a car would slow down or stop to talk to us. we knew we should get away from cars who stop in the road for girls like us, but there were times when we couldn't resist the urge to see if maybe our parents were wrong. if maybe the world wasn't out to harm and destroy us like we'd been warned, but instead might have wholesome intentions and just want to ask for our phone numbers or tell us we were cute. there were times when a driver would stop and ask us where we were going or even offer us a ride. there were a few times when it was adults, generally couples or a mom-ish woman who probably legitimately wanted to be helpful, but mostly it was teenaged or young adult guys. and i'm horrified to admit that sometimes we would climb right into those cars with strangers and accept a ride to the nearest grocery store or hardees.

we would huddle together in the backseat, scared and thrilled to be living dangerously. we made small talk with our drivers and hoped that this wouldn't be our last day on earth. we hoped that the person who's car we were riding in would actually drop us off where we intended to go rather than drive into the woods & do unspeakable things to our clueless, naive selves.

every single time we accepted rides from strangers, they really did take us to our intended destination. the couples and moms would warn us that we really shouldn't be getting into cars with people because not everyone was as nice as them. the boys would ask for our names or numbers and we'd give our aliases and fake digits, thinking we were the smart ones by not giving out our real info.

at this stage of my life, as a mom of a little girl, i pray and teach and warn my child about the very same things my parents told me. i thank God that he never let me or my friends be stolen or hurt or even really scared, in spite of our own stupidity. all i can say is that i think the prayers that my parents were praying really worked because my safety and well-being clearly cannot be attributed to my clear-headed thinking & wise decision making process.

28 comments:

  1. So true. Ironically, I was going to write something along these lines.
    It may be in the near future.

    But this is so true! Oh, how naive we were.

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  2. oh you little devil, how could you?

    I did that once in the back of a pick up in some remote place way up in northern BC...it was the most scariest thing I had ever done!!!

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  3. Going with strangers was reallyscary!
    I once accepted a hike in the bike from a real stranger guy.. and that too when i was old enough..Thank god nothing happened to me..

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  4. wise post. Although I didn't do this kind of stuff because we always lived close to everything! Glad that you are still here to write about it! May your prayers be answered :) I'm sure your daughter will be just as lucky! I hope words are comforting, and not taken the wrong way :) Thanks for the post

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  5. Isn't it funny to look back at the things we did when we were younger and realize how really dangerous they were. We, like all young people, thought we were indestructable.I often say a little thank you prayer when something reminds me of a really stupid event that I came out of unharmed. I often tell my kids not to act like I did.haha

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  6. I once picked up a hitchhiker....talk about naive! I think mom'srayers work, .cause nothing bad happened to me, either!

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  7. This is a good post, most parents are scared their children will be put in the same positions they were and all teenagers, young people do stupid things, I also thank God that nothing too terrible happened to me back then!

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  8. Once in my early 20's I broke down on the side on the interstate and was offered a ride by a truck driver... I knew that I shouldn't have got in, but I did. I was so lucky that God was watching over me that day becuase I am still alive.

    I have two precious little girls and it keeps me awake at night sometime scared to death that someone might decide to want them for their own.

    Glad you made it out safe

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  9. Ohh... that was brave/stupid of you! Even I didn't do that.. and I was a frekin' idiot! hahaha..

    It's amazing that we all turned out... alive :)

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  10. Scary and scary. I was the same way. I'm just hoping somehow my girls have more common sense than I did.

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  11. I used to hitch hike, a lot. Glad I lived to tell the tale.

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  12. Your mom should kick your behind. Right now.

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  13. When I think back to my teen years, I'm surprised I'm around to recall it in the first place.

    My Girls are 18 & 19 now and prayer is my last remaining line of defense.

    So I pray. I pray a lot.

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  14. You are absolutely right! I've told my own daughter to be extra careful out there. There's a lot of "badness" (to quote Judge Schmales from 'Caddyshack') in the there.

    On another note, was that you?

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  15. How scary! I just watched a special on 2 girls who accepted a ride and got abducted. So glad nothing happened to you!

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  16. Man, I think we all did that as girls...we are so bad! It is really luck that got us through. Damn, that sucks I had a daughter...Geez. It is inevitable that she will be a bad girl. I better start praying!

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  17. Sherilin - Your guardian angel works overtime...wait...your staff of guardian angels works overtime protecting you.

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  18. kipp, i think you're right, i've had a whole team of them watching over me all my life. i know i don't deserve it, based on my own choices, but i'm awfully happy to have been spared anyway.
    i'm sure my parents are going to read this & i'm actually going to see them tomorrow & i'm feeling a little bit like a kid who's confessed & will be dealing with the parental wrath at any moment. i'm cringing on the inside already!

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  19. noooo - that's bad. Also I can imagine my daughter doing something like this when she's older...scary.

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  20. There are so many episodes of "Forensic Files" and "Cold Case" that don't end as well as your story. Glad you were safe all those times, we wouldn't have your most excellent blog if not!

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  21. Oh geeze...that is craziness. Isn't a wonder when you look back on the things you thought were "good ideas" as an early teen? So glad NOTHING ever happened to you!

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  22. Scary, but it does happen. I have had an encounter like that too. Where I even got in the car. But scared me to death. I guess I learned there, but still.
    Anyways, Stopped by from Say Hi Sunday. have a great one!
    http://texagermanadian.blogspot.com/

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  23. I look back at things I did as a child and teen and think, how did I survive! I would never even consider allow my children to do 1/10th of the things I did. It is a different world now, a scary World!

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  24. CarrieAnn, I am thinking of taking your excellent advice. It is certainly deserved!

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  25. WOW! Scary stuff, when you think about it now. My friends and I used to wonder around our neighbourhood all the time to. We just didn't think about nasty things happening back then. I shudder when I think about it now. I hope I remember when my boy is older...

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  26. You just scared me senseless. I can't bear to think about what my kids will get up to once they have a bit more freedom to roam.

    You were so lucky, and I am so glad that you didn't come to any harm.

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  27. There was a time when the dangers weren't so high. Heck, when I was growing up, I walked everywhere. The only warning I ever got about abduction involved UFO's. Times have changed.
    New follower here
    www.grandmasezso.com

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don't let me be the only one doing the talking around here. spill your guts!