The Key is Patience

One of our nephews had a car accident in October. Because his vehicle was totaled (he was all right), his mother asked if she could borrow Pop’s pickup for a while. She intended to drive the borrowed vehicle and allow her son to drive hers until they could find a pickup to purchase for him. After a week or two, Pop decided he needed his vehicle back, but he would loan Mother’s car. Well, Mom exploded. She needed to have her car in the garage so if something came up, it would be there. It seemed that perhaps she was suspicious of everyone’s motives at that point. She may have been sensing that we were “ganging up on her.”

The sister had her picture made standing in front of Mom’s car and sent it to Mom with a thank-you note for letting her borrow her car. Sis hoped this would be a visual reminder of where the car was and that it was safe. Mom wadded up the picture and the piece of paper and discarded them both. She continued to get upset any time she passed through the empty garage until the vehicle was eventually returned.

Once Mom’s car was back in its proper place, we again were concerned that she might try to drive herself somewhere. One of our brothers-in-law demonstrated how simple it is to disable the kind of car she has. You just open the trunk and look at the left tire well for a red button. Pushing that button disables the car, and a slight pound on the side of the tire well allows it to run again. Pop said, “No,” and that was the end of that little effort.

Whether your car has that little button is uncertain, but I feel sure there is something similar for all cars. Checking the index of the little book in your glove compartment is probably the easiest way to start looking. Of course, simple as it may be, it won’t work if you get told “no,” as we did.

A neighbor suggested another fairly simple solution. He told us he had his wife’s car painted a different color. Then she no longer paid it any attention. Since she did not recognize it as her car, she did not insist on driving it. And, no, we did not even mention that suggestion to Pop!

For a few months Pop or one of the sisters made it a point to drive Mom to the beauty shop every Saturday and to the grocery store when she wanted to go. Then one day last spring she got in the car and drove off. She did not go far, just around the block and back home. Pop was in the back yard and did not know when she left. She told him she couldn’t find her way so she came back. I am so thankful she was able to get right back home without making a wrong turn! That was when Pop finally took the car key off her ring! Gradually as weeks passed, Mom stopped mentioning the car. She can see it in the garage, but she has not said anything else about driving.