"I'm an idiot, and I don't want to talk about it." Liz informed her family as she helped Courtney strap the kids in the car.
"Here." Steven said handing Courtney his keys. "Do you guys mind going with Courtney in the mini van?" He asked his grandparents.
"No, of course not, here." Steve said handing him the keys to his car. "We'll see you at home."
"Let's go." Steven said As he and Zander walked toward their grandparent's car dragging Liz behind him. They didn't talk as Steven drove aimlessly around the city. He pulled open the glove compartment and grabbed the map inside. "Here." He said handing it to Liz. She took it with a small smile.
"Your kidding right?" She asked laughing.
"Nope, point." Steven said grinning.
"We haven't done this in years." She laughed closing her eyes.
"No peeking." Zander declared placing his hand over her eyes.
"Ok, here." She said pointing to a spot on the map.
"Zander navigate." Steven said as Liz handed him the map.
"Turn left at the light." Zander said glancing at the street signs.
"I can't believe we're doing this." Liz laughed. It was a game they came up with after Steven got his licence.
The three of them had piled into the car excitedly but, as it turned out they had nowhere to go.
"Ok, who's bored." Zander asked after an hour of driving around the town. "We've past this block three times."
"Well, where do we want to go?" Steven asked annoyed.
"Oh, I know!" Liz said excitedly from the back seat.
"Where?" Steven asked.
"Do you have a map?" She asked.
"Um, I think there's one in the glove compartment." He replied confused.
"Here." Zander said fishing it out. "Where are we going?"
"I don't know." Liz said with a smirk as she unfolded it. She closed her eyes waving a finger around before sitting it down on the map. "Here."
"Where is here?" Steven asked.
"Who cares? It's an adventure." Liz replied handing the map back to zander pointing out their destination.
"And what are we going to do when we get there?" Zander asked.
"Why would we want to know, where's the fun in that?" Liz asked.
"Ok, get on the highway here." Zander said glancing down at the map.
"This is crazy." Steven declared but did so. And so the tradition was born. Every time one of them got their licence or, was having a bad day, or they just all happened to have nothing to do they would pile into the car and drive somewhere unknown. The first night they found this great little truck stop that served the best pie they'd ever had. Another time they happened across a carnival. Sometimes they'd make it to there destination and find nothing really interesting but, that wasn't the point even if they didn't happen across something along the way it was always an adventure. The thrill of the unknown so to speak.
They drove for an hour joking over past excursions when she saw it.
"Ohhh pull over." She said grinning.
"What?" Zander asked following her gaze when he saw it his eyes lit up.
"You've got to be kidding me." Steven said laughing.
"Nope come on Dr no fun." Zander teased as Steven parked.
"I just can't believe we drove all this way to sit in a bar." Steven said.
"Not just any bar." Liz declared Glancing up at the rusted sign reading The Cellar. "Look" she said pointing at the blinking neon light in the window."
"Oh no, no way in hell." Steven declared reading it.
"What, is Dr. no fun afraid?" Zander asked.
"Stop calling me that and no I'm not afraid." Steven declared.
"So you'll do it?" Zander asked skeptically.
"How about we make this interesting." Liz said as Zander pulled open the door. "Fifty bucks each to the person who can stay on the longest."
"Your on." Zander said grinning. "Dr no fun?"
"I'd be happy to take your money." Steven said. "Who's first?"
"1,2,3, not it." Liz and Steven said.
"Damn." Zander cursed. "I guess me." He said walking over to the bar and ordering them some drinks.
'Right this way." the bartender said hopping over the bar with a grin.
"Here." Zander said handing them their drinks.
"What's going on Joe?" a regular asked.
"Oh we've got some newcomers here that wana take a spin on Betsy." He replied laughing.
"Good luck." The man said spinning around in stool to watch.
"She's temperamental." Another yelled.
"Ten bucks says he loses his lunch." Another laughed. Soon the whole bar was turned watching eagerly.
"The bar record is ten minutes, you beat it and drinks are on the house." Joe explained.
"Ten minutes, that's all." Liz asked.
"Sweet heart, you'll be lucky to last one." Joe laughed.
"Ok, are we going by our first time or best time?" Zander asked pulling off his coat.
"Best time." Steven replied.
"Ok then." Zander said draping his coat over a chair. "Let's go."
An hour later Liz laughed as a very drunk Zander was thrown to the floor yet again and an equally drunk Steven helped him up as they both stumbled back to the table.
"Your turn Dr no fun." Zander slurred.
"No fun, I'll show you no fun. I'm Dr fun." Steven declared.
"Hello." Liz said pulling out her phone. "Oh Gramps, I'm sorry I should have called."
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok." Steve replied. "Where are you I can barley hear you."
"I know, it's loud. It's a long and very funny story that I promise to tell you in the morning." Liz laughed.
"Ok, drive carefully." Steve began. "Wait, Courtney wants to talk to Steven."
"Hold on" Liz said Courtney wants to talk to Steven." Liz said nervously to Zander.
"Dr fun is currently unavailable." Zander said taking the phone. "And, the room wont stop spinning."
"Zander Liz scolded grabbing the phone back. "We'll be home soon." She said "Don't worry he's fine." Liz said hanging up.
"You gona go again?" Zander asked watching Steven struggle to stay on.
"Nope, I'm done for the night." Liz laughed.
"But, you were so close. Just two more minutes." Zander declared.
"Yeah, but I wont be able to sit tomorrow as it is." Liz laughed.
"I need a drink." Zander said trying to stand.
"No, I think you've had enough." Liz replied.
"You may be right." Zander conceded falling back in his chair. "Think he'll do it?"
"What?" Liz asked glancing up. "I don't know, I don't think he can hang on much longer."
"How long?" Zander asked.
"Um," Liz said glancing at the stop clock. "Oh my god!"
"And the new Record of eleven minutes ten seconds goes to Dr Fun!" Joe declared as the Bar broke out into applause.
Webber Mansion:
"Ok, easy guys, don't want to wake the children." Liz said as they stumbled into the house.
"Where have you been?" Courtney asked shocked at Zander and Steven's drunken state.
"I broke the record!" Steven declared excitedly.
"He did, it was fantastic." Zander added.
"What record would that be?" Steve asked leaning against the door way with a smirk.
"Gramps, you didn't have to wait up." Liz said surprised.
"No, but after our phone call, I was to intrigued to sleep." he said smiling. "So, what record does my grandson now hold?"
"Dr Fun is currently the record holder for longest amount of time riding Betsy." Zander said proudly.
"Who's Betsy?" Courtney asked confused.
"A mechanical bull." Liz said as the three of them burst into laughter.