The Earthquake

The year is 1932, the location southern California in a small suburb between Los Angeles and Glendale. Grandpa is four years old. His Mom and Dad have invited his uncle Jack over to their house. Uncle Jack arrives in his old truck and Grandpa's mother (Lena) gives him strict instructions not to get into the truck. The adults then adjourn to the house, leaving Grandpa in the yard, and of course with the irresistible temptation to climb into the old truck and pretend he is "driving". Naturally valor prevails over discretion, Grandpa climbs in, and has a great time pretending he is off for a wild ride, when suddenly the truck starts to shake and jump seemingly of its own volition. The adults run out of the house, see Grandpa in the truck and begin hollering at him to get out.

"Get out of the truck!" his mother yells. "Get out of the truck! There is an earthquake! It's under the truck!"

Now we switch scenes to South Carolina in January 2009. Grandpa relates the story and then admits with a twinkle in his eye:

"I didn't know what an earthquake was, but all I knew was it was under that truck and there was no way I was going to get out and risk having it grab me!"