1966: We were at the Borrego Pass school holding VBS that summer. Our family of 6 plus 3 high school girls – so we would have taken more than one vehicle. To get to Borrego Pass we would have driven at least 60 miles on dirt road. My dad, David Scates, had purchased a very old Cadillac about a year before as we needed two cars while he was traveling for raising missionary support. On this trip, the Cadillac ended up with a bad tire. Somehow we got back home to Cortez, CO, about 180 miles north.

Soon after, Dad hired Paul Wilson, a pilot for missionaries (maybe with MAF?) to fly Dad, myself, and my brother Dan down to Borrego Pass. We took along a replacement tire. This was my first ever airplane ride and it was in a little four seater. The most memorable moment in that journey was flying down into the canyon area for landing on the dirt landing strip. As the airplane made the 180 degree turn, wings tilted and desert ground coming up to meet us, the butterfilies were dancing in my stomach. Top that off with a very bumpy landing that caused this little plane to bounce seemingly out of control.

Dad replaced the tire and we headed over the dirt roads with a stop for a few days at Coyote Canyon. There, the three of us held a 3 day VBS at the home of Esther Benally.

We left Esther’s home late at night in the old Cadillac. Once we turned on the paved Route 666, it was only about 120 miles till we would arrive at home in Cortez. Dad told us the ride home would include a stop at the Nataani Nez Restaurant in Shiprock for some Navajo Fry Bread with honey.

We hadn’t gone far when about halfway between Tohatchi and Naschitti, lo-and-behold, the Cadillac blew out a tire. Route 666 is a narrow two lane highway and we were out in the desert in the dark. So, my Dad promptly got out behind the car and held out his thumb to hitch a ride. The Cadillac wasn’t going anywhere that night.

Well, it wasn’t long before  a very drunk man with his sweetheart stopped.

This was an evening of “firsts” for me. When the drunk man saw the blown tire he cursed using Jesus name in vain. I had never heard that before. A lot of people wouldn’t understand that in the 60’s in a small town and growing up low-middle class, generally speaking, people didn’t curse. And TV shows didn’t have curse words. So for me, this was a first.

My other first was to hitch a ride.

And of course the other one was to ride in a car with a drunk man driving. As far as I can remember this was a first and a last. Thankfully.

My brother Dan describes the ride this way: “Dad hitched us a ride with a very drunk guy and we bobbed and weaved all over the road to Shiprock. While dad tried to witness to the guy in a pretty calm tone, I was cringing and ducking low time and again.”

Yep, Dan and I were terrified! This guy was weaving all over the place and he was also kissing on his girlfriend.

And we made it. We made it to Nataani Nez! But to my great disappointment it was too late. The restaurant was closed. The good news was there was a pay-phone there. Dad called Mom. She got a neighbor to come stay at the house with our sleeping younger brothers, Ersky & Kelly. And she drove the 40 miles south to rescue us in Shiprock.

For years I didn’t think much about this except it was a “wild ride” from beginning to end. Nothing so out of the ordinary for life with my dad. Now, over 50 years later, it finally dawns on me to ask, “Who in God’s green earth would put their 12 & 13 yr old in a vehicle with a drunk man driving?” Well, I guess you know the answer.

If you knew my grandpa, Erskine E. Scates, Sr. you would know that our family “theme song” was: “Be not dismayed, whate’er betide, God will take care of you…” And that is how he lived. And that is how my Dad lived. They pretty much gave no thought or worry for tomorrow. I know that’s a “family trait” or “personality type” but they also really did trust in Jesus no matter the circumstances.

God will take care of you. And He did that for us that night on Route 666 on our journey to Shiprock.