Adult Supervision

FD Thornton - 2017

Now don't tell anyone but I escaped from my jailer today, even if for a little while. I called in some prescription refills this morning and normally my bride and I would ride over to McRae-Helena to pick them up. This is the protocol my doctor and Warden Daughter insist on, since my little visit to the hospital last month. But since my dear bride is recouping from a medical procedure herself, I gladly volunteered to go alone and pick up the prescriptions. You see, I am not a selfless husband and I wanted her to rest. What I failed to tell her or anyone else was that I planned on taking a walk in the park before hitting the pharmacy. After all it was nice day out and the exercise would do me good.

You know I might be in my mid-fifties, but I felt like I was getting away with something like a little kid. Driving as fast as I wanted, with the window down, and the radio going; heading down to the local state park. Riding around under “adult supervision” isn't as fun as it's cracked up to be. When I was a kid I couldn't wait to grow up and make my own decisions. And as a young adult without any responsibilities it was fun, sometimes too much fun. But with pretty much everything in life, all good things must come to an end. And so the frivolity of youth gives way to the added responsibilities of family, home, and hearth.

But hey, I'm at a point in my life where the kids are grown and the responsibilities of life are supposed to be easier, right? But life has a funny way of turning things on it's head. So that your days of re-found freedom end up being monitored like a helpless child at recess. Like I said, I was feeling a little smug as I turned into the park and headed towards the trails. I parked the truck and set off on my adventure down a new trail I hadn't walked. What I discovered was to trail a little rougher and steeper than the others and as I pressed on in was getting a little winded. Listen I may be an escaped inmate, but I know which side the bread's buttered on. So “discretion is the better part of valor”, I wisely went back to the truck, gathered myself and headed finish my errands.

I know, I know no one has to tell me how stupid that was. I'm pretty sure one of you reading this probably has my Warden Daughter on speed dial right now. I suppose if has to be a moral to this tale it would be most rules are there for a reason. And the people that love you only have your best interest at heart. The thing is, freedom is a wonderful thing, but so only if your responsibility. Meaning just because you can doesn't mean you should. And that taking care of yourself is first priority when taking care of others, right Lori?