Diary of a SubUrban Housewife

Centered

Growing up there were three kids in my family, so on long family trips someone ended up sitting in the middle. It was usually me since both my sisters got carsick.

For short trips, when they couldn't use the carsick trump card, we used the "I called it" method of determining who got a window. On the way to the car you'd hear screams of, "I get the window, I called it."

"I called it" is indisputable. End of discussion.

So, sitting in the middle was always something you didn't want.

Fast forward 35 years. Riding in the car with Zoe, an only child, she prefers to sit in the middle. When I questioned this curious (to me anyway) choice, she informed me that the middle seat gets more air conditioning.

Since I grew up in the age of the bench seat, this perq was non-existent in my middle-sitting youth.

I often find myself with more than one child in the back seat of my car. Usually where you find Zoe, you find Katie, her best friend. I drove them both to and from camp this summer and last, as regular readers will recall.

Now sitting in the middle is the most-coveted position and a whole method of turns had to be established, taking into consideration not only who sat in the middle last, but also the duration of the trip, the alignment of the planets, and other stuff.

I would have banned the middle seat weeks ago but alas the seatbelt in the back behind the drivers seat was jammed so someone had to sit in the middle. With the use of complicated charts and diagrams we sorted it out.

Today I fixed the seatbelt and there was a new rule: when there are two children in the car, no one sits in the middle. (The gray hair is coming in fast enough on my head, I was sick of the discussions, and those charts in the car were getting very cumbersome.)

So we're on the way home from dinner, me, Zoe and Katie. To the restaurant (OK, it was In-N-Out) no one sat in the middle. After dinner I reminded them that no one is to sit in the middle.

Then I hear a plaintiff plea from the back seat. Katie reminded me that Zoe sat in the middle last time and puleeeeeze could she do it just one more time.

I caved. This one last time. Katie could sit in the middle.

But that's the last time. I swear. No matter how pathetic they get. I swear.

Posted by beth at September 6, 2003 08:07 PM