The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Meek (07/18/24)
“Nobody open the trunk!” My husband sternly warned of a cascade of suitcases as he shoved one last piece of luggage through the rear window of our Suburban. Our very old car, complete with four car seats, and a very necessary drop down video screen, was going to take us to Gulf Shores, Alabama for a beach “vacation”. At 5am, we scooped our three oldest boys out of bed and hurried them through the bathroom before embarking on the 14 hour drive ahead. In their excitement, it quickly became obvious that my attempt to transition our ten month old from crib to car seat without waking him was futile.

I had rented the maximum number of videos in an attempt to find enough footage to last us most of the drive; two of our boys were arguing about which movie to watch first before we even pulled out of the neighborhood. The bags of snacks and movies (not to mention a stash of shiny toys, board books, and anything else that might entertain a ten-month-old confined by a car seat with a “five-point harness system”) took up most of my leg room. Less than two hours into our drive, I had rubbed my left elbow almost completely raw from constantly turning my attention to the back seat. I asked my husband (in my sweetest voice) if he wanted to trade places. He politely declined my offer.

Three hours into our drive, two boys said they needed to use the bathroom. I knew if our vehicle stopped, my ten month old would most definitely wake up from the sleep he had mercifully fallen into. I begged the boys to “hold it”, and inserted a new video attempting to distract them. They forgot about their bladders for all of 20 minutes. We pulled off at the next exit forcing every child out of the car to use the bathroom - whether they needed to or not.

By the time we stopped for an early lunch we had driven less than six of the ten hours we had planned on our first day. We unloaded our loud wriggly group into the lobby of McDonald’s hoping some food induced “comas” would follow. I corralled our boys at a booth tucked in the back of the restaurant, while my husband, Andrew went to place the previously discussed order.

As Andrew stepped up to the counter, the very young and unenthused employee asked him in a monotone voice, if he was a bus driver. My exhausted husband sarcastically mumbled that “yes, he was a bus driver.” He was confused when two minutes later she handed him three large bags of food without payment. When Andrew questioned this, she replied indifferently,
“It’s bus driver day today.”
“Oh….no….I’m sorry….I’m not really a bus driver,” said my embarrassed husband. “I only meant that I FEEL like a bus driver.” The young lady stared at him totally unamused.
“I need to pay for my food,” he again insisted.
“It’s already rung through,” she responded.
“But I’m not really a bus driver,” Andrew again insisted. “I’m sorry. I just meant with all the kids I was kind of feeling like a bus driver today,” he continued.
With an audible sigh, and a look of complete disdain, the young employee went to get her manager. Andrew again meekly explained what had taken place. The slightly older manager was also not the least bit amused.
“There’s no way to reverse the transaction,” she retorted with a look of disgust.

Andrew realized he was beginning to make quite a scene as he felt the line building behind him, and heard the murmurings of confused customers. Mortified, he slithered out of the line with his food and sheepishly approached our table. As he tried to quietly tell me what had happened, our boys shouted for everyone in the restaurant to hear,
“We got all this food for free?! That’s awesome!”
Quickly deciding to take our food to go, we ran the boys out of McDonald’s - them peppering us with loud questions the entire way through the lobby,
“But WHY did daddy tell them he was a bus driver?!”

By the time we got to our car, a much needed fit of laughter had taken hold of my husband and I. The rest of our drive was all joy!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 201 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Phil Drabble
07/26/24
This is a relatable story that any parent can picture, but I don’t immediately seek the main topic highlighted clearly in this account.
Fun account though with nice touches of detail like the copious amount of luggage
Terry R A Eissfeldt 
07/26/24
You stirred up memories of cramped road trips! I enjoyed your story.
Blessings
Catherine Green 
07/26/24
This made me smile and laugh out loud. You set the scene beautifully.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
07/30/24
This is a hysterical story and one many people can relate to. I can remember childhood trips and trips as a parent that fit your description perfectly. Your beginning was a bit long. I'd urge you to tighten it up some, leave out descriptions that don't move the story forward. Although you used the word, meek, I think embarrassed would be a better fit. But don't feel bad, my story this week was a bit weaker on topic, too. I thoroughly enjoyed your sense of humor. You made me chuckle several times, and in today's world, that's a great thing to do.