Memorable Moment in a Rest Area

Road trips should be fun ...

Years ago, my ex and I and our three young daughters lived in New Hampshire. My parents were in Ohio, and Mama had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Whenever we went for a visit, I knew the girls and I would be in for a difficult twelve to thirteen-hour car trip.

My husband wasn’t the most understanding person under normal circumstances.  On a long road trip, when it came time for potty stops, even his limited understanding went out the window.  I never understood why, but we only stopped when he had to go.

As a teen, every summer our entire family of eight piled into our station wagon and we drove to Florida to visit grandparents.  There was no air conditioning in those days, just open windows.  When someone had to potty, we stopped at a rest area.  That’s what I was used to on a trip.

I remember one trip from NH to Ohio. It was 9:30 at night, still hot outside, and the girls were asleep in the back seat. I really had to pee. I’d been holding it for two hours and my eyeballs were floating. Each time I asked him to stop, his answer was, “Just a little longer. I’m making good time. Be patient.”

“Please, I really have to go. I’ve been five clicks past patient for the last hour. Stop at the next rest area, or I’m going to pee all over the seat.”

“You know as well as I do, if I stop, the girls will wake up. Then it’ll be noisy and I won’t be able to concentrate.” 

“I don’t care if they DO wake up. They should probably pee, too —-God only knows when we’ll stop again ...”  

When he finally pulled into a rest area, I couldn’t wait any longer. The girls were still sleeping, so I jumped out of the car and sprinted up the walkway into the building.  I was never so glad to see an empty toilet stall in my life!

I was thinking, after I wash my hands, I’ll go back to the car, wake the girls, and have them come in here, too. Then as I was fighting the toilet paper dispenser to get a few usable squares, I heard a loud whispered voice ...

“Cath?  Hey, Cath’ … you’re in the men’s room …”

I think that was the last time we invited him to come along ….

Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018.
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