"How Chris W. Saved My Life" a story from the 70s.

The Salvation Army vehicle was a big station wagon from the 70's. Rather angular in shape. The cool feature of this station wagon was the neat seats in the very back of the wagon. There were two little mini-seats that faced each other. After church when it was time to take people home the kids, including me, would fight over the back. The neat thing about the back door of the wagon, it had a huge window that had electronic control. Wow! An electric window! That was cool. We pretended the back of that station wagon was our own little house, or spaceship, or train, or ocean liner, or airplane.

Back to my story. It was late on a Sunday night and we were taking the usual folks home. Chris and I were in the very back of the wagon just goofing around, laughing at our silly jokes. When he got dropped off, my dad just rolled down the electric window and he climbed out. I stuck my head out, still talking to him as he started toward his house, but my dad, unaware of my little head sticking out, pushed "the button" that could have spelled my doom and chopped off my silly pre-teen head!

But no, not a chance. I made a startled squeak of some sort and Chris, in a couple of strides arrived at the back of the wagon and pushed my head inside! Of course I was very frightened and cried all the way home. My dad apologized profusely of course for scaring me. I lived, didn't hold too much of a grudge about it, and wonder if that little event changed my life in any way.