Family Rules
The Maundy Monday Newsletter - This Week in History May 20 - 26.
My family had rules.
Dake Family Rule #1: Never go anywhere without your own car.
It was a must-follow rule. If you were to get into the car with my father, you were in danger of not returning for hours, perhaps days later. It’s your fault if you break the rule and spend your entire weekend at every mom-and-pop diner in Ohio.
Having your own car allows you the freedom to arrive when you want and leave when you want.
Growing up and following Dake Family Rule #1 meant that the car you had was at least twenty years old. Your car had rust on the door and fenders. The battery probably needs to be replaced soon, and you rolled down the windows with some elbow grease and hope.
My father never believed in paying a car note. It was a noble stance; God love him, but he never held steady employment that would allow him to afford such extravagance. Me? I’ve owned two cars since I graduated college, and both were paid off using loans.
When I met Anonymous, I was driving a 2004 Nissan Sentra, which could uncomfortably carry me and her. She overlooked many of my shortcomings, and driving an old, beat-up car was undoubtedly one of them.
We celebrate the garages that have kept Dake Family cars running for decades because, on May 24, 1899, WT McCollough established the first public auto repair garage in Boston, Massachusetts. McCollough could see into the future. Cars were going to become more popular, and they needed to be fixed. Due to the increase in aging cars, the auto repair industry is estimated to be about a $188 billion industry this year.
I still follow (mostly) Dake Family Rule #1, and my car was officially paid off last month. So it should be breaking down any minute now.
Okay, let's highlight what else happened this week. As a reminder, these events celebrate their anniversary, ending in 5 or 0. Here's what I got:
1. Susan Lucci won her first Daytime Emmy on May 21, 1999. Lucci’s acting career was similar to my dating life. She was nominated 19 times, and she lost 19 times. But it only takes one time to make you a winner, right, Anonymous?
2. Samuel Morse transmitted the first telegraph on May 24, 1884. The multi-talented painter and inventor developed a communication system that transmits signals over a wire between two points. Morse sent a message from Washington, DC, to Baltimore Marland that read: What hath God wrought – which sounded crazy since he invented the thing. I guess the answer is you, Sam. You are what God hath wrought.
3. The deadliest aviation accident took place on May 25, 1979. American Airlines Flight 191 took off from Chicago O’Hara airport to Los Angeles and immediately lost the engine on its left wing, causing it to spiral out of control and crash, killing all 271 people on board and two civilians on the ground.
Yesterday, May 19, I celebrated 26 years of living in Washington, DC. I have moved a few times for what turned out to be silly employers who wasted my time, investment, and emotion, not that I’m bitter or anything. The point is that DC is always my home. Twenty-six years is a lot. My living here can now move out of my house and get its own insurance.
It’s going to be a bounce-back week for me. It’s the last work week of the month unless you decide to bail on Friday completely to get a jump on the unofficial start to summer. Either way, I’ll be here on Friday and hope to see you there as well. Thanks for reading.
Okay,
Chris
My Mom had the same rule. She always had her own car at the lake so she and the kids wouldn’t ride back with Dad after he had been drinking all weekend. I never figured it out until later.