Learning How To Lean Into Life

By Jackie Devine

It was one of those rare, golden mornings when the weather and the temperature merged to create a breathtakingly beautiful spring day. Feeling like a rebel hankering for an open-air expe-rience, I decided to take a drive west on FM 2920. My win-dows were open, and I anticipated something, but I wasn't sure what. As I sat idling at a four-way stop, I heard a small, still voice from the far recesses of my mind whisper, "It's time to learn to live a little." It was one of those rare, golden mornings in April when the weather and the temperature merged to create a breathtak-ingly beautiful spring day. Looking to my right, I heard an eruption of sound like an engine roaring toward me at full throttle as I watched a racy, black and red three-wheeler pull up to the intersection. Both curious and intrigued, I stared at the contraption, wondering what in the world it was: a car, a motorcycle, maybe a hybrid Bat-mobile? While their music blared The Eye of The Tiger, one of my all-time favorites, the couple sitting in the cockpit burst out in laughter, gave me an exaggerated wave, sped through the junction, up the road, and out of sight. Riveted to my seat, I leaned back and sighed, "Now, that's what I'm talking about! That's leaning into life not counting the days, but making the days count. What did I just witness, and where does someone find a toy like that?" Making my way back home, I was committed to discovering more about that nifty, little open-air roadster. Pulling on to Timber Trails, what to my wondering eyes should appear, not a little old driver so lively and quick, but a shiny new Slingshot basking in my neighbor's driveway! Tickled at my discovery, I thought, "Ask, and ye shall receive!" One minute, I'm wondering how to put more pep in my step, and the next, the powers that be have provided me with a perfect example practically in my own backyard. The following Saturday, I found myself sitting with Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) police officer Kurt Korenek and his wife, Karen, also a CFISD employee. I listened intently as they shared their exciting decision to kick their lives up a notch. Kurt explained, "We have four children, aged 24, 22, 21, and 17. Over the years, we've stayed pretty busy with our jobs, and, like many parents, our leisure time was spent raising our kids and keeping them in sports - whether it was baseball, football, soccer, or softball and volleyball." "Once they began to take on new hobbies and became more independent," Kurt explained, "we started thinking about trying out some things that wouldn't have crossed our radar a few years ago. And we got creative." "Last summer," he continued, "our oldest daughter worked at Camp Lone Star, a Christian ministry camp in LaGrange. She had a weekend where parents could visit. So, I thought, how can we make that fun and memorable? I had seen Slingshots were available to rent in our community, so I decided that would be a hoot. We rented one, drove there, and had a blast." "On the way there, Karen asked me, 'When are we getting one?' I asked her if she was serious? 'Surely you aren't.' She said, 'I am. We need to have one.'" Kurt let it go for a couple of weeks, but he, too, was beginning to feel a stir of excitement. So, he asked her again if she was serious. She was. "Several weeks later," Kurt continued, "I took her at her word and started searching the Internet and found the Polaris Fun Center in Bryan, Texas." One day in August, after Karen got off work, Kurt surprised her with a spontaneous trip to Bryan. Karen filled in; "I asked him why we needed to go to Bryan and he said it didn't

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matter; we were going on a road trip. Then, as we pulled up to the Po-laris shop, I felt like a kid in a candy shop! 'Are you for real? Are we getting a Slingshot?' We walked in, and suddenly the air went out of our balloon. They didn't have a single one for us to look at or test drive." Kurt jumped in, "I expected to buy one on the spot and take it home that day." Unfortunately, the salesperson told them they had no inventory and would have to order one, and it would probably be December before they could expect delivery. And the rest is history! So, what is a Polaris Slingshot? For you folks who are into "Car Speak," it's a cross between a motorcycle and a car. You might call it an autocycle weighing about 1,653 pounds. The Slingshot sports a 2.0 liter, four-cylinder, gasoline-powered Polaris ProStar engine with an automated manual transmission tossing 173 horsepower at 8500 rpm (!) and 120 lb/ft of torque to the single rear wheel, giving you a better power-to-weight ratio than a Ford Mustang. With a top speed of 125 miles an hour, you can reach 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. To my delight, Kurt let me hitch a ride. Turning heads, as we buzzed down Cypresswood Drive, it felt surreal as the wind blew through my hair, and I breathed in the whole outdoors at once. Visceral and exposed, I took in a 360-degree rush of technicolor scenery—what an unforgettable ride. I may have lost track of the number of thumbs up, peace signs, and hang loose gestures we received along the way, but I'll never forget what a blast I had. I felt like I was 16 again. As I left, we talked about their possible participation in the Women's Club 4th of July festivities and dressing as Mr. and Mrs. Santa for the Christmas Parade. I told them it makes more sense for Santa to show up in a Slingshot in this day and age ra-ther than a sleigh!