In Indiana, at the time I was growing up, a person could drive on a permit at 15 and six months of age. It's been a long time, but I believe that I actually drove without an adult before that time since my attitude as a teenager was "laws are made to be broken".
Regardless, I remember driving downtown Indianapolis on Oct. 8, 1964. Why do I remember that date? President Johnson gave a campaign speech at Monument Circle. I was there!
I was driving south on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis with my friends, Gary Nance and Eddie Hubble. I don't remember where we had been, but we were exploring with my new found freedom. Wheels meant that I was no longer dependent on my parents. Although I defied the authority of the state (thumbing my nose right now at old Gov. Brannigan), I was free from being under parental supervision. In those days teenagers were treated as adults because we had jobs and avoided being caught in mischief! I did wrong things, but was clever about my parents finding out. Hence, I had almost unlimited freedom. That's why I was driving before my time.
As I was approaching Monument Circle I was amazed for several reasons: 1) I was driving in a large city for the first time, 2) I saw the grandeur of the monument, 3) there were thousands of people (I found out later 30,000) and as I slowly drove down Meridian, they parted for my car)., 4) and then there was the "old man".
I asked of my friends, "Who is that 'old guy' up there speaking?" I forget if they even answered before I said "It's Johnson!" I was within one block of Monument Circle and I could see him plainly! It was the President of the United States (who I didn't like) and I was driving right toward him... at least for awhile! As the people were providing room to maneuver, I could see several men in suits running toward me from Monument Circle. It was his body guards, the Secret Service!
"Oops!" I said as I turned a quick right right through the people onto West Ohio Street. (It's been a long time, but it may have been an even closer one now long closed.). I saw the Secret Service running behind me as I sped up in the crowd. As I drove through the sea of people, they flowed right back in behind me. I believe I escaped without my license number being seen because of the mass of people. At any rate, I escaped the Secret Service with no further incident!
If that incident had been replayed now, where would I be? In jail! The Lord had grace on me. I could have been in a lot of trouble. I was driving illegally and stupidly and was being belligerent to authority. "Laws are for other people, not me!"
Unfortunately, most people still believe that laws are for others. Because each person has pride and thinks they're special, laws are broken all the day. Just as I escaped the Secret Service, people believe that they can escape detection. As a teenager I was "lucky" or better yet, "blessed"! God blesses stupid people. However, when we buck God's authority we don't escape. We are detected and we are punished unless we make amends. We deserve what we get, but God oftentimes gives us an escape route. We can feel sorrow and repent and he says in effect "Your contrition is sufficient..". That's because Jesus paid the fine even before we broke The Law.
So who says that Lyndon Johnson didn't serve a purpose? He opened my eyes to my offense and I don't think I ever pulled a stunt like that again! Now I endeavor to not do stupid things. I still slip up, but after 52 years God's grace is the same now as it was then!
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