Stories of Hotchie

One of my all-time favorite stories of my dad is actually one I wasn't there for, but perfectly illustrates the #relationshipgoals I got from my parents. My dad was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 stomach cancer in June 1999. He lived 10 months with this horrible disease. Despite the severity of his disease and the battle he faced, my dad and his crazy driving antics never faded. 

We nicknamed my dad Cruella De Vil based on her driving scene in 101 Dalmatians. He never drove with his hands (he learned this when he served in Vietnam and drove tanks with his legs and shot guns out of the top because he was so tall). He was always looking around and pointing out things going on around you, speeding, switching lanes without looking, he was nuts. 

One time during his 10 month battle, he drove my mom and friends Mr. Chris and Ms. Beth (I was raised in the South and you show respect by calling adults Mr. And Ms.) to the Atlanta airport. If you've ever been to Atlanta and have had to drive to the airport, you know how much it sucks. I don't care what people say, Atlanta has the worst traffic ever. This is how the story goes...

My dad drove his 1994 Grand Marquis boat (with no power steering and terrible horse power) through downtown Atlanta like a maniac. Everyone in the car was scared because he was driving the whole way down by speeding up, slamming on brakes, switching lanes without looking, being the typical terrible driver he could be. My mom, Mr. Chris and Ms. Beth all periodically throughout the drive told him to slow down, calm down, etc. 

And, finally my mom looks at my dad and says,"Hey asshole! We all know you're dying, but the rest of us aren't. Slow down." 

Boom. My mom delivered the ultimate line. I still chuckle thinking of it, and every time they tell the story, I laugh out loud so hard. My mom was the only person who could stop Hotchie right in his tracks. This story perfectly fits their relationship and is how I learned what love is all about. The good, the bad and the absolute funny.