Clyde’s Corner

Mother knows best, once again

by Clyde Whitaker

While reflecting about my column for June, I recalled an incident from my senior year at good old Stockbridge High.

I remember it was a snowy day in December and my mother had told me, “It’s slippery out today, you should probably take the bus to school.” Well, I had basketball practice right after school, plus I really was not a fan of riding the bus.

So, I proceeded to make the short drive from my Munith home to school in my Galaxy 500, with my sister Juanita in the front seat and my little brother Jerry in the back seat. We had seat belts in cars back in the day, but hardly anyone wore them. That was the case with all of us that morning as we made the trek toward school.

Everything was going smoothly until we reached town; then it happened! Turning to go left off of north M-106 to head for the school parking lot, I felt the rear end of the car start to spin toward the front of the car. Hmmmm, that wasn’t right!

As luck would have it, a car was going south on M-106 and coming toward me! So, I had to make a quick decision: proceed with the turn and hit the car or steer the car into the raised sidewalk that was sticking up beside the Wendell Abbott house.

I chose to hit the raised sidewalk, and hit it I did! Even at the slow speed I was going, that collision sounded like a bomb going off. (Mrs. Abbott said later that the whole house shook when my car hit that sidewalk.)

My head immediately hit the top half of the windshield, leaving a nice, crushed-glass head impression. Meanwhile, my brother flew up into my back, while my sister yelled “my neck, my neck.” She had hit the windshield as well, but she did not break the glass.

I don’t recall anything after that, other than telling them to walk to school, which is what I proceeded to do. Obviously in a stunned and concussion state, I left the car right there and my siblings sitting in it.

Well, I made it into school and proceeded to wander around the hallways in a daze. Shortly after that, a page came over the intercom, “Clyde Whitaker report to the office please.” Walking into the office, I saw my sister Juanita sitting in a chair with a neck brace on! I immediately asked, “What are you doing here?”

A policeman was there and he proceeded to inspect my head for cuts. He thought my sister had driven the car, since she had the neck brace on and the windshield had a nice head impression. Oh boy! I had no cut marks, just a hard head I guess.

We all ended up fine, but don’t ask me about basketball practice that afternoon. I don’t recall a thing! My poor car was totaled. The I beam had a nice V in it, making it undriveable.

Yes, mothers know best. They always do. I should have taken the bus!

“I loved that car,” Clyde Whitaker recalls about his Galaxy 500. Photo provided by Clyde Whitaker

Clyde Whitaker is a 1973 Stockbridge graduate. He and his wife, Mary, raised four children in Stockbridge, and they still reside in the Stockbridge area.