KIRSTEN SWANSON: It's time again for Utah StoryCorps. Everyday people sharing their stories at the StoryCorps recording booth in Logan.
MARY HEERS: Stephanie Sorenson came into the StoryCorps booth to tell us how growing up on a farm in Cache Valley meant learning to drive at a very young age.
STEPHANIE SORENSON: Well, hello, my name is Stephanie Sorenson and interviewing me is —
LILA GEDDES: — Lila Geddes
STEPHANIE SORENSON: We are friends as well as colleagues.
LILA GEDDES: So, Stephanie, growing up I can't ever imagine you getting into trouble. But what was the worst thing you ever did that got you into trouble?
STEPHANIE SORENSON: Wow. Growing up in Hyrum, we didn't have a lot of things that we could go do, like within the community. So we had to create our own fun. I was a very hyperactive child, and so my mom always had to keep me busy. If she didn't, I would keep myself busy and sometimes would find trouble.
So there was this one summer, Mom had left her keys to both cars on the table in the kitchen. And I had a friend who said, "Hey, let's go get keys made to your parents' cars. That way, when they take one car, we can go cruise in the other," and I'm like, "Great idea!"
So we go down to the service station, we get the keys made by another friend who was also with us, she found her parents keys and had a key made to their car. And so we're able to cruise around Hyrum. And we'd always mark the gas gauge so we could fill the gas back up so wouldn't look suspicious.
Well, one day, my friend and I were just cruising around Hyrum in the station wagon. And —
LILA GEDDES: Wait, how old were you?
STEPHANIE SORENSON: Twelve. Now, mind you, I had been in trouble several times leading up to this moment. So we're cruising around town. It's summertime. We're just having fun. My friend's actually driving the car. She's so small that she has to sit on a pillow to see over the dashboard. But she was a really good driver at that point, because she was a farm girl — could drive farm equipment.
LILA GEDDES: Right.
STEPHANIE SORENSON: So we're driving, one of the backroads. And next thing, you know, my friend said, "Your brother's behind us. And I think your dad's in the car with him." And I'm like, "Uh-oh".
"What should I do?" she said to me, and I said, "Pull over, I guess?" So we pull over. And my dad and brother get out.
My dad's like, "Oh, hmmm, so looks like you ... you wanted to go for a drive?"
And I'm like, "Yes?"
And he goes, "Well, I need you both to get into Brent's car." And Dad got into the station wagon and we all went back home. Mom was not happy. She was not happy with me at all. Dad wasn't as angry with me. He knew kids will be kids. But the trouble came when they found out we had keys made to the car. It was a moment in time I'll never forget.
MARY HEERS: And this is Utah StoryCorps.
KIRSTEN SWANSON: Thank you for coming along.
MARY HEERS: See you next Friday. Same time —
KIRSTEN SWANSON: — same place.
Support for Logan StoryCorps comes from Cache County and from USU Credit Union, a division of Goldenwest.
