Crossing A Manhatten Bridge with My Dad

Ok, I have to preface this post by explaining my dad's sense of humor. He enjoys slapstick comedy (people tripping, falling, etc) and watching reactions of people who get shocked, surprised or scared. Every now & then a bird would get into our house through the flue in the fireplace. The entire neighborhood would know there was a bird in the preacher's house because the door would fly open and my mom, myself, and my sister would all run out screaming because dad would chase us with it! NONE of us like birds! I don't know where my little brother was...I'm sorry but if there's a bird involved, its every man for himself!

Now I have to tell you about myself as a kid. I was scared of almost everything!! Boats, dark, storms, BIRDS, heights...you name it, I was scared of it. So here I am, a kid with numerous fears living in Long Island, NY. To go anywhere outside of Long Island, it involved bridges....very high, very long bridges over water. What could I do? Shut my eyes and pray and wait till we were safely on the other side. Sounds like a plan right?? Remember who my dad is?? Crazy humor man!!! On most bridges, he would swerve towards the edge and everyone would scream, thus destroying my shut eye plan because I'd open them to see why we were all screaming!! "DAD, PLEASE STOP!!!!" "LORD, PLEASE DON'T LET US FALL OFF THIS BRIDGE!" were my desperate cries!!

Now dad had a favorite bridge. To this day, I can't tell you the name of it. But I can tell you that it had a lane outside of the main part of the bridge where they used to cross the cattle. Guess who LOVED going fast in that cattle lane???? CRAZY HUMOR DAD!!!! That one was the WORST!!!! I cannot even tell you the sense of relief I would feel when we were safely on the other side of that bridge.

Today, I found out there is a name for people who have a fear of bridges.
It's called "Gephyrophobia"
My husband has been very kind to me and has always driven in the center lane of any and all bridges we cross. My dad, well, I love him. He's a great dad....but no more bridges!!!!!