If I didn't know better, I'd think there is a conspiracy to keep me from driving.

I left my wallet on the seat in a restaurant. Someone picked it up & started having fun with my MasterCard. I didn't get the wallet, or my driver's license back. Suddenly, I was without driver's licence, ATM card or credit card. That makes me pretty invisible in today's society.

There was enough gas in my car to get home so I drove home. The next morning, I woke up early enough to catch Ron on his way to work so I could borrow $20 from him. Then I started looking for my passport. Without it, I didn't think I'd be able to cash a check. I found it and my checkbook (which is separate from my wallet, fortunately). I had to call & cancel all the cards I could remember having in my wallet. I still haven't called to get the new health insurance card.

Getting a new driver's license took a few days. My first trip to the DMV, there was a very very long line for new driver's licenses. I opted to be illegal for a couple more days. My next trip was more successful. It only took 20 minutes from first line to bad photo. (and it is truly a bad photo. The new license arrived yesterday).

Of course, that wasn't the end of my adventures-with-cars. This one involved a motorcycle. I'd gone to Vajrapani, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center up Highway 9 in the Santa Cruz mountains. Highway 9 isn't a real highway. It's more like motorcycle race course, complete with 15mph blind hair pin curves. Of course, the Honda CBRs and other sport bikes take the curves at speeds considerably above 15mph.

I was driving back from the retreat and decided to pull over for a bit. There was a lot of weekend traffic, mostly of the motorcycle persuasion. The bikes were buzzing up and down the road in all directions. I found a wide turnout and parked under a tree for a while. As I sat there, a group of 4-5 sport bikes buzzed past where I was sitting, followed by a Harley. A little time went by and the same bikes came back the other way. I decided it was also time for me to get going so I started the car and headed back down the hill. Not too far down the hill, I saw where the Harley hadn't been able to keep up with the Hondas. The fire department and paramedics were there. The ambulance had yet to arrive. Where the Honda riders were wearing full leather with big helmets, the Harley rider had been wearing a short sleeve t-shirt and a barely legal pea helmet. They weren't working too hard on him. I didn't see much, only his road-rash covered arms propped up as the body lay on the backboard. Well, that was a great way to end a meditation retreat. Maybe I really should stop driving.

Stacey