“What? Not again!” I say aloud at my computer, while a small, somewhat wicked giggle can be heard from the adjoining office where my spouse sits.
“Another bridge?” Paul asks.
I nod in affirmation with a visible shutter.
You see, Windows 11 has made it a priority to help cure me of my Gephyrophobia (fear of bridges) by showing me a photo of new scary bridge, each and every day.
Today’s terrifying example is the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia.
The mile and a half long stunner is a great help to the area aiding in a much shorter passage. Not so helpful to me as I try to find a way not to see the darn thing, and focus on my work.
I cannot pinpoint when my fear of bridges began, but I’ve never liked heights. Combine it with wind and a lot of time over water, and I’m out. Even high overpasses bother me (thanks to whoever put the exit to the new tollroad in Fort Worth extra high and at a sweeping curve.)
One of my most memorable bridge memories involves my best friend of 30 years (man we are getting old) Kristin. We decided to go to our favorite romance author’s convention in New Orleans. Since Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books are set in the wonderfully delightful Cajun city, we knew we had to go.
At that time, I was much more comfortable with city driving than Kristin, so I agreed to handle that part if she would drive over the scary bridges.
She had tackled a series of seriously terrifying connections and we were getting ready to head into New Orleans so we switched drivers.
Going through a cornfield on a detour while chatting, we stopped to turn back onto the road. To the left was one of the highest bridges with a steep angle so it could open to let ships pass under it.
All I said was, “Nope,” put the car in park and Kristin drove over it.
Getting into New Orleans we were happily lost looking for our hotel when I heard Kristin say in a somewhat panicked voice, “Take the exit now!” I did so and then noticed we were about to go over the Mississippi River bridge. We didn’t fortunately but it is still really scary to even look at it.
I’ve had some other really “fun” bridge experiences such as riding with Paul’s cousin James as he zooms over the Rainbow Bridge and Veteran Memorial Bridge crossing the Neches River outside Bay City/ Orange.
In a thunderstorm.
Or hearing about Mackinac Bridge, a suspension bridge in Michigan, where they literally have people to drive across the bridge because of the panic that ensues.
Maybe one day, Windows 11 will cure me of my fear, but until then, I plan to steer clear of bridges... whether they are over troubled waters or not.
— Wyndi Veigel is the editor of The Dublin Citizen and can be reached via email at composing@dublincitizen. com.