I wish I would have taken a picture of my first car. But back then, I didn't have a camera. I guess that wasn't as important to me as having my own car.
I was sixteen, and I remember approaching my dad with my request, "Dad my friend Greg has has a car for sale, only $50. What do you think?"
I loved my Dad. He didn't say much, but he was always there for me. And I never felt quite the protection and love with anyone as I did when he was near.
I was working at the time, a babysitting job from 3-11 just five houses up the road... Cemetary Road, that is. At 11 PM Dad would 'just happen' to be walking our German Shepard and would escort me home, knowing how terrified I was to walk through the dimly lit street and past the tombstones that sometimes cried out to me 'run! run!'. Dad didn't say much... but I could feel the love. From one heart to another.
He went with me to check out the car... and gave me the okay to buy it. I didn't make much back then, but I could surely afford a $50 car with my babysitting money.
It looked something like this.
Only mine was white.
I'll never forget the independence that I felt as I got behind the wheel of my very own car. I still dream about it, and in my dream I'm picking up my friends for school and we're laughing and talking about where we can go after school to get pizza and then we go to check in with friends down the road.
I miss that old car. But more than the car, I miss my Dad... and in my memory holds a crystal clear day at the Hoffman Ballfield where he sat in the passenger seat teaching me to parallel park. He had the patience of a saint, and a sixpack of beer in the fridge to help endure.
He was only 52 when he died. I'm thankful for the role he played in my life and I'm for some reason thinking about him today....
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| That's me in the beautiful, brilliant, purple, puffy sleeved, groovy and wonderful blouse. There must've been a sale on those glasses. |
My Dad never saw me as a driver, but then I didn't drive (legally) until I was 35 or 36. I miss my Dad too.
ReplyDeleteNo picture of my first car either - that I have anyway, it was a custom 73 Nova.
What happened to the cheap cars? Now you pay $3k and it's in need of so much repair........
My first car was a '65 VW bug and i remember Dad teaching me to "shift"...!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy
What a lovely post about your Dad. He sounds like he was a great guy.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a Plymouth Duster that had been my grandfather's. When he died, I inherited it. I sure loved the freedom of having my own car!
My first car was a 61 chevy impala SS .A 283 auto with dual exhaust and of course glass packs. BRRRMMM.I worked for 2 years at the local bakery and saved up the $395.00 plus money for 1 year of insurance.Needless to say the car didn't last me the year....ouch..What ever happened to kids buying there own car??
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful story to share; I liked that he had the patience of a saint and a 6 pack in the fridge to endure. I am sorry he died so young so you all couldn't have made more memories like this to be able to share with others.
ReplyDeletebetty
I loved those Comets! 50 bucks....wow!
ReplyDeleteThose are almost 'cat's eyes'...aren't they? Nice......lol
Jim
I do remember my first car....a 1965 Plymouth Fury III....it was a bomb!!! I still remember sliding down Welsh Hill near Frostburg U! What a slide. Dad then got some studded tires for the bomb....thanks, Dad. I miss you.
ReplyDeleteHow sad your dad was so young when he died. My dad was a lousy driver, so I learned from my first husband -- driving an MG. Remember those little British sports cars?
ReplyDeleteI love old cars. Your old Mercury is probably worth a few bucks today.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a 1949 Chevy that I bought from a friend of my mothers for $50 cash. My how things have changed. Today you can't even buy a set of car mats for %50.
Well, you were one of the "spoiled" kids who had her own car! LOL Too funny a story about the 6-pack of the beer to help his patience along. I always had to ask to borrow the car. I didn't have a part-time job and couldn't have afforded the insurance if I even HAD a car. You were a lucky gal to have the old girl. Did she have a name? My girlfriend had an old Studebaker that she called Stanley. She often let me borrow it- it had push buttons to change the gears! Yikes...
ReplyDeleteHope Gracie has kept the hubs good company while he's sick. Dogs always know when someone isn't feeling well, don't they?
Got my gift card in the mail today! Yahoo- I'm hitting Wally Mart for a pair of sunglasses before I leave for Florida in the morning! Thanks so very much- I truly do appreciate it, Bobbi.
~ Sue
P.S. And I think I had the same eyeglasses, too! *grin*
Actually my car did have a name. Fred. Long story... I can remember the friend who I bought the car off of saw it parked at the Tastee Freeze one night and wrote me a long note on the car... in INK!! lol. Oh my, those were the days. So glad you got your gift card. Enjoy you're Florida vacation!
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