The Dragon of Nottingham - The Getaway

"Okay, gang!" said Isaac's dad. "The station wagon's all packed! Summer vacation, here we come! Let's hit the road!"

To The Small family, those were the most joyous words in the English language.  As always, Mom, Dad and Isaac had spent the last fifty weeks marking the days until they were once again on their two-week frolic in the sun.

"And if anyone has not gone to the toilet," said Dad, "I suggest you do so now, because this vacation wagon does not stop until we reach our final destination. Let's see. I estimate that to be in precisely six hours. Now for the checklist. Seat belts fastened? Check! Sandwich and beverage cooler in the back seat? Check! And, yes, it's within reach this time, so no wise-cracks." 

Last year Isaac's dad had the cooler buried so deep in the back that he had to unpack the entire wagon to find it. Throwing them one hour off schedule.

"Head count! Let's see, one, two, three. Check!"

Good, thought Isaac. He hadn't noticed the dragon. Issac had managed to smuggle it on board without too much complaint from the dragon. He only hoped that the little dragon would not breathe too heavy. Six hours is a long time in a heated wagon.

"Car keys? Hmm. I had them a minute ago. What the heck?"

"I saw them in your hand when you started packing the car," said Isaac's mom.

“I’ll go back and check," he said. "I can't very well drive without the car keys, you know."

“Oh, boy," whispered Isaac’s mom. “Here we go again."

“Or not," said Isaac.

When Isaac's dad finished unpacking and re-packed the car, he got in behind the wheel and stared the engine.

"Okay," he said. "We're off!"

"Where's your sunglasses, Dad?" said Isaac. "You had them on when you went looking for your keys."

"I'll go back and check. I can't very well drive without my driving glasses, you know."

"We know," said Isaac's mom. "We know."

After Isaac's dad had recovered his sunglasses and re-packed the wagon, he made an announcement.

"I now declare the check point process of this getaway to be over! Off we go!"

"But dear--"

"No buts about it, my love! Here we go!"

"But, Dad, you--"

"Didn't I just say no more buts in the car?"

Laughter is a difficult beast to suppress, so Isaac and his mom let the beast out of its cage.

“What’s so funny? What? Oh, never mind! Just hang on to your hats, I've got to back this baby out of the driveway! Then you're going to see some vacation driving! It's the best kind of driving there is."
When Isaac's dad took a look in the rear view mirror he stared for a good long time.

"Hey! Where'd my driving hat? I had it on a minute ago. I can't very well drive without my driving hat, you know."

"We know" said Isaac's mom. "We know."

"I'll go back and check."

After a good two hours of playing lost and found, the Small family were finally on their way to the coast for some fun in the sun and the sand.

"Hey!" said Isaac's dad. "Where's my Beach Boys cd? I’m sure I had it in the player."

"Keep driving!" said Isaac's mom. "And don't you dare stop until you spot the first bikini."