New category!  sometimes weird memories pop into my head that are usually pretty funny or very truth telling of what really happened.  I've had 2 of these recently, but for the life of me I can't remember what they were.  I'll try to keep this category geared towards entertaining stories.  I can see how I could really open up a can of worms with some of the truth-telling stories, but it's all in the past, so everyone should have moved on by now...right? ...right...

 

When I was 14-16, I ran away from my dad's house to my mom's house at least twice.  The two houses are about 5 miles or so away from eachother.  One of the times, I think the second time, I took off walking while no one was paying attention to me after my dad had accused me of purposefully breaking a push mower so that I didnt have to cut grass.  About 30 minutes into my walk, my dad caught on and got into his big red 12 passenger van in search of me.  Dude was manic.  He pulled up next to me with this Jack Nicholson look straight out of "The Shining" saying, "Get in the van, Josh, get in."  It was a very narrow road with no shoulder, and as cars would come up behind him, he'd have to drive ahead and turn around somewhere and come back in the other direction in pursuit of me.  At some points, I was sure he was going to come up behind me and hit me with the van.  After the 2nd time of him turning around, and see how much time that bought me, I ended up crossing to the other side of the road while he was turning around, forcing him to do his little turn around bit every time.  He probably made 4 or 5 passes before I got smart and ducked into a family friend's house.  The Sanders house.  They were perplexed to see me show up at their house at all, let alone in grass stained shoes and jeans, as if I was just mowing their lawn...I was a little out of breath from the sprint into their house so that my dad didn't see where i went.  I came up with a story that I was just out for a run, and since it looked like it was going to ran soon (Thank God) I said that I was wondering if i could use their phone to call my mother to pick me up.  Thank God again that she was home.  That ~10-15 minutes spent in their house was mind-racking.  Mr. Sanders was a pastor, and not one of those pastors that like to drink beer and watch football and do marathons while listening to the latest foo fighters album....and I just lied to his face.  And his whole family.  He had 2 daughters that I think had crushes on me, and I actually got along pretty well as friends with the older one, but making small talk there, with all of their family just standing around me, knowing my dad could kick in the door at any second screaming "GET BACK TO WORK" was messed up.  Mommy to the rescue!