Spring Break- Day 1

Unlike what feels like most families, The Kayes are staying home this Spring Break holiday. No three day road trips to Florida for us! Uh Uh. We'll be watching DVDs, staying in our pjs all day and maybe even not showering. Now that I think about it, there might be something to this.
I remember road trips as a child. We used to go to Toronto or New York. It was only me and my brother Mike in the backseat of the old Chevelle but it still was cramped. Especially since every 2 minutes one of us was punching the other when a Volkswagen drove by. When we were really noisy, my dad who did all the driving because my mum never learned, would reach behind him grasping blindly for whichever of us he could smack or pinch from the drivers' seat.

There was no entertainment to distract us. Kids today have it too easy. DVDs in the van, kids' music on the CD player, handheld video games, parents who stop at actual bathrooms instead of the side of the road for you to do your business. Seeing your mother hike up her skirt to pee in a ditch by the side of the road is far more than an impressionable child should ever have to be exposed to.

We listened to my dad's music. Eight track all the way. Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Dionne Warwick and a few soca tapes that my dad had sent from Dominica. Guys with weird names like The Mighty Sparrow and Arrow. My dad loved that stuff. Me and Mike hated it. Funny how things change. I can't get enough of that stuff now.

We had to amuse ourselves. We played an earthquake game with a pencil and paper. We'd lightly draw a line along the pad so whenever we drove over bumps we'd get cool spikes. We'd try to get truckers to blow their horns by making that pulling down motion with our arms. My dad thought he was driving badly until he realized what we were doing and started reaching around behind him again. We'd make screeching sounds like the General Lee whenever my dad would make a turn. Again with the reaching.

Besides that, we'd sleep. We rarely stopped at cool places to eat. When we did it was KFC because according to daddy, it was "healthier" than burgers. And when we got to where we were going, we stayed at a family member or friend's home. We never stayed in hotels because it was expensive and West Indian families think it's insulting for you to stay at a hotel if they have a spare room. Can you imagine staying 3 weeks (the average length of our holidays) in someone's poky spare bedroom? Cooking and cleaning up after a whole family who descended upon you? Finding things to amuse them? They'd be carting me away in a straight jacket... or handcuffs.

Anyway, no one's coming over and we're staying home and I was feeling grumpy about that until I sat down to write this blog. And who says that these things aren't cathartic? Now off I go to make the Kraft Dinner for lunch and put on "The Incredibles" for the second time today. Enjoy your Spring Break. I know I will.

kxx