Here I sit...

Stressing. I don't know what else to do, so while I wait, I will tell you stories.

When I was 16, I was a wild child. I don't remember having a curfew. If I did, I didn't obey it. As long as my parents knew where I was, they were pretty lenient. It was nothing for me to go to keggers or spend nights at my buddy's house. My parents always thought I was over at Hope's house.

One night there was a kegger up on Emigrant Flats. That is about a 40 minute drive from home. I went with Woody and some other guy. I don't remember who.

Woody had this old beat-up Mustand he was so proud of. I don't think he had it very long before we went up there. everything was cool on the way up. We giggled and laughed all the way up the mountain.

We got to the party and started drinking. Tap beer. I don't even like beer, but it was alcohol and it was cool, so I drank beer. After a while, Woody and some other guy got into it. I have no clue what started it, but I know Woody got really pissed.

Next thing I know, Woody is headed out the door. Since he was my ride, I had to go, too. So, Woody, the other guy and I jumped into the 'Stang and headed home.

If you have ever been to Northeast Oregon, you know it gets really cold up there in November. That night it was running about 15 below without wind chill. It was damn cold. And it was snowing. Not good for a smartass with a lead food in a bad mood.

I remember Woody going way too fast for the corners. I yelled at him to slow down, but it was too late. Next thing I know, we are sliding off the edge of the road. All I could think was that we were going to die.

We slid off the road and slid to a stop on an angle next to a grove of trees. We hoofed it back up to the road, uninjured. As we walked back to the cabin, I can distinctly remember beating Woody all the way back. Fortunately, we all had enought antifreeze in us, we didn't really feel the cold.

When we got back to the cabin, the dad at the cabin told us he would give us a ride to town tomorrow. Tomorrow? That meant I had to call my parents and tell them I wouldn't be home until tomorrow. I was supposed to be at the roller skating rink. Ooops!

I don't remember what my parents said to me when I called. I do remember I was grounded for some time.

The following morning, the dad loaded the three of us in his extended cab pickup and took us home. It was a white extended cab pickup and it reeked like diesel fuel and oil.

The amazing thing was I was about 3 weeks pregnant at that time. No clue I was pregnant. Miracle I didn't lose that child that night. I continued to spend a lot of time with Woody. (No, he was not the dad.) He was a lot of fun, and I loved spending time with him.

When I was in high school, I was teased a lot. Needless to say, I didn't much like the guys in my school. Woody treated me like a person. To this day he holds a special place in my heart. I ahve no desire to go to a high school reunion, but I would like to see him again. I know he got married, but that is all I know.

If I ever see him again I would like to thank him for being there when I needed him.

And beat him for trying to kill me that night!