The Sulky Ride

Relatives can add so much to your life! I had a full complement of them and they helped open my eyes to the possibilities you might otherwise miss.One relative I especially treasured was my aunt Gertrude. Married to one of my mother's brothers, she was a huge lady, probably weighing over 290 lbs. Her main reason for living was being a sulky racer! She had a lovely horse and a big shiny black sulky, and she raced on the ice in winters, on the large pond in town created by a dam. In summer, when she wasn't racing somewhere else in Maine, she practiced on the country roads outside of town. By the time I was eight years old, I was fascinated , and dreaming of riding in the sulky. I begged and begged that she would take me out in it. The day came, and I was finally allowed to go. Tucked in by aunt Gerty on the shiny black seat, off we went. It was glorious, and we seemed to go faster than even our two-seater car. Out into the countryside, proudly waving at farmers we passed. Then, it began to rain. The road became muddy, and we were flying. Unfortunately, so was the mud--directly into our faces!! I couldn't breathe or open my eyes for the mud, and my hair was one big mudcake by the time we returned to the stable. The old saying, be careful what you pray for, still stands true. I never asked again!!