A Little Green Wheelbarrow

We made a road trip this past weekend to Illinois. I bet you are wondering exactly how many hours that is in the car with a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. 6. It's 6 hours. But with the benefit of our dual screen DVD player, it only felt like about 4. Ok, in all honesty, it wasn't too bad, the girls did pretty well, minus some normal toddler issues. But the fun was in the ride home. An experience like no other, to be cherished for years to come. And it all has to do with a little green wheelbarrow.

We take 90 pretty much all the way there and back. In this case, we were coming back from Illinois. Now, those of you who travel that route, know that there isn't a whole lot to look at, enjoy, get misty eyed over, so we've got to get our kicks from odd things. There was an old run down pick up truck that was ahead of us at one point on 90. It looked like it came out of the movie Outsiders, and in fact, the kids driving the car looked like they could have been in that movie too.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."

So The Outsiders cast are driving the pick up, hay flying out the back, and I thought to myself,

"Hay!"

I controlled myself though, and did not say this out loud. Dion would wonder what kind of a freak he was dealing with at that moment. If only he knew.....

At that moment I decided that it would be wise to not be behind this guy and his crap flying out of his truck. And actually, the whole trip there and back we had been behind people who were carrying things, and it just didn't feel right. Ever have that feeling? I have, and did, so I changed lanes. That move quite possibly saved my family, because, as you understand, not only was hay flying out of that pick up yesterday, but also a LITTLE GREEN WHEELBARROW!!! Except, it was of average size. It wasn't really little.

Now, you have not lived until you see a green wheelbarrel bouncing down the road, just to the left of you, and cars behind you screeching and swerving to miss the hit. Clunk clunk clunk clunk (you might think that was how the wheelbarrow sounded, but actually that was the sound of the ratty old pick up continuing on it's merry way down 90). A wheelbarrow. Rolling down highway 90. Trying to kill people.

So Dion and I decide to catch up to the truck and maybe clue them in to what has happened.

"Get a marker! Do you have a marker? They could read that on paper. What's the international sign for 'wheelbarrow'?"

Ok. International sign for wheelbarrow....I assumed that would be to hold your hands like you were pushing a wheelbarrow, but The Outsiders did not agree. I got a very confused look back at me. I looked at Dion, and suggested that maybe I roll the window down and scream at the guys. Dion did not think they would be able to hear me, but I thought it was worth a shot. I pushed the window button, and watched as Ponyboy, with one hand on the window handle, and the other one forcing the glass down, rolled/pushed his window down.

"WHEELBARROW!!"

Nothing. Blank stares. Not even a "WHAT?!?!" I tried again.

"WHEELBARROW!!!!!!!!"

A look at his friend, a quick turn to look in the back of the truck, and The Outsiders got it. I saw the driver mouth, "Oh sh*t" and slam on the brakes. Zip! We flew right past them, making me think about the scene from Top Gun where they slam on the brakes in the plane and the other guy goes right by. I must be in an 80's movie mood. What other movie could I compare the little green wheelbarrow to? Yeah, I'm not sure.

They guys ended up turning around. I wonder if they ever found their wheelbarrow. I hope so. It was a nice shade of green.