Every Wednesday night the American Legion Post 212 Ladies Auxiliary has a  fundraiser, Dollar Burgers. (*)These burgers are very thin and quite tasteless, but it is a cheap meal. We usually go to Dollar Burgers about once a month or so. Usually when we have a need to stay in town on a Wednesday. (*)After one of these meals, my parents, Shawn and I stepped out the Legion door and felt a cool breeze. (*)The wind was coming from the south and I smelled the french fries from the potato factory that is south of town. (*)(%)It was a fall night, the sun was about to set for the night and the streetlights were just starting to light up like candles. Dad wanted me to drive to get some night driving practice since I had my learner’s permit at the time. So we all climbed into the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan. I was sitting in the driver's seat with Dad sitting next to me. My dad has blackish gray hair and facial hair and he was wearing his pine tree green Itasca State Park jacket and blue jeans..  My friend Shawn was in the back seat behind the passenger seat that my dad was sitting in. Shawn was wearing an orange sweatshirt and gym shorts, which is normal attire for him in any weather. My mom was sitting behind me on the driver’s side in the back seat. Mom was wearing a red Old Navy sweatshirt and blue jeans. As I started the van I asked where we had to go. (*)My mom listed off Walmart, her work which is DNR Forestry, Walgreens, gas station and home. As I was sitting at the exit waiting for traffic, I turned my blinker on to go to the left. Not sure why, but I assumed we were going to go to DNR Forestry first. 

(#)”Two cars coming this way.” Dad said.

(#)”There are four coming my way.” I replied.

(!)As we waited for traffic,dad kept telling me the statistics on the west bound lanes.

    (#)” Three live ones over here bud.” Dad said.

    (#)” It’s all clear my way, just waiting on your side.” I told him.

Finally both directions were clear enough for me to take off. I pulled out and started to turn left. Next thing I know there were four hands on the steering wheel and Dad is saying “Hey, Hey! What are you doing?” Dad started to pull the wheel to the right, as I was continuing to turn left. I found myself going straight forward towards the car dealership! At this moment, I was wondering what I had done wrong. Soon all four of us were yelling something! I was saying “WHAT, WHAT.”  Shawn was yelling, “Woaa!” And Mom, well, she was just screaming! Because of all of this activity, I slowed down and (%)we came to a complete stop sitting cross ways in the road just like a deer staring into headlights. Since it would not be a good decision to sit in the middle of the road to discuss what had just happened, Dad gave up pulling on the steering wheel and I turned left. I drove to the Dairy Queen parking lot and pulled in. There we figured out that Dad thought we were going to go to Walmart first while I thought we were going to DNR Forestry first. Dad said that he was focused on his thoughts of what we needed to get at Walmart and overreacted by pulling on the steering wheel. Thank goodness the traffic had an opening in it big enough to handle all that commotion. After the excitement was over we all laughed about it.

(!)The lesson I learned from this is that when someone gives me a list of things to accomplish, I will not assume and I will always ask, “What do you want done FIRST?” Prioritizing tasks is a very important skill that everyone should become proficient with.