I always wondered why Dad said, especially after a family get together with his brother - my Uncle Mike - his wife, Aunty Betty, and thier children, that no matter what, he could always drive us home safely, because all he had to do was start the car, and put the stick shift into "H " gear, and we'd get home safe and sound.

After one particularly interesting and fun-filled get together with Uncle Mike and gang, when the beer was almost gone, and the musicians started singing a classic Hawaiian funny song for the what seemed like the tenth time in a row (that too is another story) and the lyrics kept changing with each rendition, and the keys being played became confused and the vocal stylings of Dad and Uncle Mike became very pidgeon-english like (i.e. SLURRED), Dad and Uncle Mike called it a night (more like Aunty Bettey SAID it was a night), and we said our Alohas - Dad annouced: "Okay! Let's Go"!

We all jumped in Dad's Lime Green Valiant, three of us in the back seat ( all of us way under the drinking and driving age), our mom (who like us didn't drive) in the front passenger seat (and seat belts were more a nuisance than a requirement), Dad started his lime-green baby and annouced "Okay home we go!" and put the blue-knobbed stick shift of his Valiant, with four sober, but non-driving passnegers, into gear.  Like Santa and his reindeers, we "flew" home - all the time Dad saying "no worry - we in H gear!".

And whether by hook or by crook, if that darn H gear got us home!  And in one piece, but with three hawaiian kids a shade of color a tad less than ghost white, and a mother who was bright red!

Now how does this entire story relate to my first and last driving lesson with Dad?  Easy.  Each time I got a car, and to this day, I always look for the "H" gear - and smile - and remember how I have a Great and Loving Dad, no matter what our differences were, and that memory will always be with me, even though he has passed on.

Oh, if you haven't guessed it yet, the "H" gear?  Yup, it stands for "Home" - the get us HOME gear!

Love you always Dad!

Your son,

Dave