A long, long time ago, I had this car.
I was one of the very few teenagers in this country who had absolutely no desire to learn to drive when I became of age. It just wasn't a big deal. I happily took the subway and bus to high school, and was perfectly content to leave any further transportation needs to my mom or boyfriend du jour.
High school graduation changed things, though. In order to commute from my mom's house to college, I needed to drive. Thankfully, a generous uncle paid for my driving lessons, and after I passed my road test his son offered me his 1980 Honda Prelude in return for driving it down from his university in Connecticut. I was grimly informed that the car didn't have working heat or air conditioning. To make matters worse, the windows rolled only halfway down and the radio refused to work at the mere hint of precipitation. Yet I was thrilled to get a car for free - any car.
I was one of the very few teenagers in this country who had absolutely no desire to learn to drive when I became of age. It just wasn't a big deal. I happily took the subway and bus to high school, and was perfectly content to leave any further transportation needs to my mom or boyfriend du jour.
High school graduation changed things, though. In order to commute from my mom's house to college, I needed to drive. Thankfully, a generous uncle paid for my driving lessons, and after I passed my road test his son offered me his 1980 Honda Prelude in return for driving it down from his university in Connecticut. I was grimly informed that the car didn't have working heat or air conditioning. To make matters worse, the windows rolled only halfway down and the radio refused to work at the mere hint of precipitation. Yet I was thrilled to get a car for free - any car.
I still wasn't expecting was I saw when I arrived to pick it up.
My cousin, an alternative-music fan and musician, had spray-painted song lyrics over every single inch of that car. In red spray paint. And I should also mention that some of these lyrics contained profanity that would've made George Carlin blush. I was shocked, but secretly delighted. This was a car that would get attention, a car that I'd always be able to find in the mall parking lot, a car that made up in sass what it lacked in size.
And hey, it was free. I wasn't about to let a few choice words get between me and a much-needed mode of transportation. So my R-rated little car and I made our way down from New Haven to Long Island. During the four hours of highway driving I feared I was going to cause a collision at any moment. Children pointed and waved, elderly couples looked horrified, and I received quite a few thumbs-up from bikers on Harleys. Clearly this was a car to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately, my mother did not share their appreciation for my traveling art installation. Two days after arriving home my profane little car was painted back to its original color, a rather staid metallic silver. I'm not sure I would've had the nerve to drive it around as a moving billboard anyway.
What was your first car like? Were you excited to get your driver's license, or did it terrify you?
My cousin, an alternative-music fan and musician, had spray-painted song lyrics over every single inch of that car. In red spray paint. And I should also mention that some of these lyrics contained profanity that would've made George Carlin blush. I was shocked, but secretly delighted. This was a car that would get attention, a car that I'd always be able to find in the mall parking lot, a car that made up in sass what it lacked in size.
And hey, it was free. I wasn't about to let a few choice words get between me and a much-needed mode of transportation. So my R-rated little car and I made our way down from New Haven to Long Island. During the four hours of highway driving I feared I was going to cause a collision at any moment. Children pointed and waved, elderly couples looked horrified, and I received quite a few thumbs-up from bikers on Harleys. Clearly this was a car to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately, my mother did not share their appreciation for my traveling art installation. Two days after arriving home my profane little car was painted back to its original color, a rather staid metallic silver. I'm not sure I would've had the nerve to drive it around as a moving billboard anyway.
What was your first car like? Were you excited to get your driver's license, or did it terrify you?
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| Thrifted J Crew blazer; thrifted silk J Crew blouse; thrifted Seven for All Mankind jeans; thrifted J Crew suede boots; Forever 21 necklace' thrifted Coach bag (all cleaned up!) |
