To Drive or Not to Drive
Fri., August 18, 09:01 PM
That really is the question. This little Civic and I have been together for more than fifteen years; that’s longer than some marriages. I always said I would keep it until I was too old to drive. That time is not so far away.
Anyone who has been reading me for a while knows that I drive less as my eyesight deteriorates. I don’t drive at night. It’s not safe for me to drive at highway speeds, because I come to the signs before I can read them. These days I stick to roads and neighborhoods that are familiar to me.
Last week the car wouldn’t start. (An indication of things to come?) Not the battery, not the fuel. It might have been something I did absent-mindedly, so I figured I’d try the next day. It still wouldn’t start. U.D. mentioned it to the mechanic when she took her car in for the pre-excursion checkup, but we decided to let it wait until we got back. (Just in case Husband got some idea that he would like to drive while we were away. You never know.)
U.D. called the mechanics on Monday morning, and they were here within minutes. They started the car and drove it back to the garage, where it stayed overnight, fixed, newly oiled, and ready to roll. When I went shopping on Wednesday, I realized that, except for bringing the car home, I hadn’t driven in almost a week. Am I ready for that?
I’ve managed before without driving, but it was a long time ago and a lot of things have changed, including the way I shop. (A discussion for another day.) There is no longer a supermarket within walking distance of home, just supposing I could still manage that walk. The little vegetable shop I depended upon has long since closed, and the pharmacy – which I visit almost every week – is not really close enough to reach on foot. I would be completely dependent upon U.D. to get me wherever I have to go. She willingly drives me all over, but I don’t know how healthy that is for either of us. Even now, she tends to block my car with hers; “that’s okay, I will take you.” And I wonder, is she doing what we did to Husband when we stopped him from driving?
The circumstances aren’t the same, of course. It’s only my eyes, and I’m aware of my condition. My hearing is still sharp, and so is my attention, thank you very much. I will pull over if I can’t see because of some external factor. (Dust, for example – it will settle eventually.)
There is transportation for seniors, there are taxis and buses, and so forth. I wouldn’t be a prisoner at home. But independence is a precious thing to give up. I’ll take this a day at a time.
