I think that, at any age, there are times when we operate on “auto-pilot.” Such times are apt to happen during daily routines when we engage in things without much thought or planning.

For example, every day I cross the Chautauqua Lake Bridge on my way to an office that I have in Jamestown. It is “automatic.” Go past Hogan’s Hut on Rt. 394, turn left on the eastbound entrance ramp on I-86 and, “zoom,” in about 10 minutes you are at Exit 12 in Jamestown.

So, it was a couple of weeks ago when I did what I always do and took that route. The only problem is that my wife had sent me to do errands in Lakewood. That route doesn’t go directly to Lakewood. I should have stayed on Rt. 394.

Of course, it was no big problem because I discovered the “error of my ways” by the time I was halfway across the bridge, did the famous “180-degree turn” in Bemus, recrossed the bridge, turned left on Rt. 394 and ended up in Lakewood as originally planned…though a few minutes later than expected.

However, there were more serious consequences in another recent event when I was going through my routine of making coffee in the morning. I had let the dogs out, taken my morning pills, and had turned my attention to making the coffee. But somehow, I got disrupted. I think the dogs barked…but I’m not sure.

In any case, I left the job of making coffee, let the dogs in and took them as I usually do and drove to Hogan’s Hut for the newspaper. But, when I got home, I had a surprise and a mess on my hands.

The problem is that I had done everything to make the coffee except had forgotten to put the pot back under the brewer. I had poured the water in, put the coffee in, and turned the brewer on…but had not slid the pot back in to catch the coffee. The result wasn’t pretty.

I spent the next 15 minutes cleaning up the kitchen. Though I tried to “cover my tracks,” I was, as usual, unsuccessful. Our daughter later saw the tell-tale signs of a coffee spill and finished cleaning up the mess I had made.

Sometimes being on “auto-pilot” can have even more serious repercussions. I have never forgotten the experience of a friend who forgot his wife once at the Buffalo Airport. He did a lot of business flying then, usually in and out of Buffalo, and one week invited his wife to go along on one of his trips. When they returned to the Buffalo Airport, he went out to get in his car and did what he usually did–started it up and headed for home. Unfortunately, he was on “auto-pilot” and forgot for the moment that his wife was with him and waiting for him at baggage pick-up. It finally hit him about the time he got to the Thruway.

Needless to say, this did not go over well. Fortunately, his wife was still waiting when he finally got back to the airport, but she was not in a good mood. This was back in the days before cellphones and there had been no way for her to call him. She just had to wait and hope that he would eventually come to his senses.

All of this is to say that routines are good and mostly helpful in our daily living, but we need to be cognizant that things can happen when we go totally on “auto-pilot.” When that happens, one is reminded that no matter what your age, you are still a student continually learning from the “School of Hard Knocks.”

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident.