When I look back on my life to date, there are a few moments in particular where my decision was critical. One, in particular, comes to mind today.
It was the summer before entering high school. My best friend all through elementary school talked me into joining her and a few of her new friends on an outing.
We all piled into two cars and drove to an abandoned house down a nearby country road. Once in the house, the alcohol came out. The beers disappeared like the time — all too quickly. Before I knew it, the sky was dark and I was late. I began to panic. Surely I’d be in trouble if I didn’t get home quick.
While I could easily grasp the consequences of being late, I could not grasp the potential consequences of riding in a car with a drunk driver. The guys swore they were fine to drive. Though I’m sure none of us actually believed them, we didn’t think twice about piling back into those cars.
Next thing I knew, the two cars were drag racing down the 2 lane road and, from the rear middle seat (which did not have a seatbelt), I was faced with death. It was sobering for sure.
We were on the wrong side of the road barreling down the road towards another car. All the while the driver was taunting the car beside us as we raced towards our death.
We barely cleared both the oncoming car and the car we were racing. That day, I walked away from both the car and that friendship. Through my high school years, I held tight to this memory and did not ever feel the need to succumb to peer pressure again.
