That’s my van in the above photo, parked at the end of a U-shaped driveway in front of a senior center where I was speaking recently. The parking spot was deliberately chosen so that I could just hop in, back out and shoot straight down the road past theose green trees in the middle.
This is no unusual thing. I tend to park on the street facing the direction by which I will leave. In a parking lot, my vote goes to the space near a quick exit. The idea is to have my escape pod ready so I don’t have to turn it around, drive through a long driveway, or navigate obstacles when I leave. I make sure to plan a departure route that encounters fewer stoplights and stop signs, and think of alternate ways I can go if blocked. I don’t want to be cornered.
The quick getaway makes me feel secure. It's always been my habit to plan an escape route, based on what-ifs:
- What if I don’t like the date I’m with? Let me set up the date so I meet him there, so I have my car with me as a potential getaway.
- What if my date is boring or offensive? Let me eat something with corn or milk (my food allergies) and then plead that I’m feeling flu-ey, and cut the time short to go home and lie down.
- What if we have an earthquake and I can’t get home? The earthquake kit is always present in the back of my van, and I think of ways to get home that don’t require passage over bridges that might be down.
- What if I lose my job? Let me keep my teaching credential current so I can still return to classroom teaching.
- What if there is no one to take care of me when I’m old? Let me set aside money now, so that I have enough to support my stay in a nice senior care facility for a number of years if need be.
I’ve realized that the “I’m Outta Here” option is my go-to whenever I feel discomfort or threat of any kind. Fight or flight, right? I’m not much of a fighter, so I make sure the flight route is clear.
It’s not always the most constructive way to live.
