The worst thing I ever did was get my dad's car--a big, new Oldsmobile 98 (a land ship)--stuck deeply in the mud in an empty field north of my hometown. I was 16 and driving with some friends. We got the bright idea to cut doughnuts in the field and play a game we called "Starsky and Hutch," and down went the car. It didn't come out until a special tow truck and two guys with shovels came to dig enough mud out that they could get it hooked up and pulled out of the sink hole.

I spent the rest of that summer paying for the tow, detailing Dad's car, and walking or riding with other people to get where I needed to go.

As bad things go, I realize this is pretty tame. I was a remarkably good kid. But I did like to have vehicular adventures on occasion.