On the Road with Nina and Alvin

Let me introduce you to Nina and Alvin. Nina, who is 75, and Alvin, who is 85, have been married for 55 years. I have known them for 54 of them. I am their daughter.

Nina and Alvin are not their real names, but when I told them I was going to write a few stories about them, they requested aliases.

“Please call us Nina and Alvin.”

Nina and Alvin it is.

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Nina and Alvin can often be seen zipping around in their 2018 Honda Odyssey. 

Nina is always in the driver’s seat, hands at 10 and 2, eyes glued to the road.

But where’s Alvin?

Look closely through the tinted windows in the middle row…

There he is!

It’s like a modern day, “Driving Miss Daisy,” but with a man and a minivan. 

Alvin is quite comfy, reclining in the back, his feet resting on the center console.

Alvin gets to put his sneakers on the console?

What sort of 3-ring circus is Nina running?

Slow down, cowboy, there are rules.

Alvin may put his feet up if, and only if, the console is covered with a pre-approved pillow.

Wait a second…Is that Alvin eating in the van?

Yes, Alvin is enjoying apple slices* as Nina whisks him off to the Costco Pharmacy.

However, what Alvin may not enjoy, while being driven to his local hotspots, is a Kerns Guava Smoothie, which he once tried to smuggle into the vehicle.

Leave your roadies at home, buddy.

Since then, Nina has enforced a clear set of road rules, and Alvin appeared to be following them until… 

A recent trip to Solvang. 

While exiting the freeway, a car cut Nina off. She slammed on the brakes and Alvin went flying!

Luckily, the headrest cushioned the blow and Alvin was fine. 

You know who was not fine?

Nina!

She pulled into a Chevron parking lot, shut off the ignition, and turned around. 

“Where’s your seatbelt?” Nina asked.

Alvin pointed to the metal buckle, lying beside him.

“Why aren’t you wearing it?” she demanded.

“It’s uncomfortable,” Alvin said.

“It’s the law,” Nina said.

Alvin shrugged. Apparently, Alvin thought, at his age, he’d reached his seatbelt quota and enough was enough.

“Well, we’re not going anywhere until you put it on!”

Alvin reminded Nina about the time, when he was in his 20’s and how NOT wearing a seatbelt had saved his life. After a serious crash, he had been thrown from the car, relatively unharmed, while his car had been totaled. 

Nina folded her arms.

The afternoon sky turned dusk.

Alvin took a nap…

Unbuckled.

Thirty minutes later, Alvin woke up.

They were still at the Chevron and Nina was working on her crossword, trying to figure out a 5-letter word for reckless.

“I’m hungry,” Alvin said, opening the car door. “I’m gonna get a Snickers.” 

Nina shook her head. Not buckling up? Candy in the car? Snacks before dinner?

Alvin was turning into a real rebel.

Ten minutes later, they were finally back on the road.

Nina looked in the rearview mirror, pleased to see that Alvin was wearing his seatbelt.

What she was not pleased about was that Alvin had purchased a King Size Snickers AND a Guava Smoothie.

Oh, the nougat!

Oh, the nectar!

Oh, Alvin!

*Apple slices and bottled water are permitted. On long road trips, a sack lunch will be considered on a per-item basis.