Since I began working in Foley, I've had a nice half hour drive to work each morning which gives me plenty of time to think... or listen to college sports analysts on the radio. This morning I was doing both and, for some reason, began reminiscing on things in my life that had taken place in or around vehicles. I thought I'd jot them down for memories sake:
My friend Gavin owned a 1980s Daihatsu Charade in high school. It was his first car and it was pretty sad. The size of Nissan Golf (or standard golf cart), it was just big enough for four of us to cruise around in. I don't remember a lot about this car in particular, but I do remember we chose it as our escape vehicle when the time came for us to roll houses; an annual tradition our high school had for seniors. My memory is a bit hazy about that day, but I remember rolling only a few houses before the cops pulled us over and told us to go home. I also remember Gavin driving into a ditch and the car being so small that we all got out, picked it up and put it back on the road. That last part may have been a different day entirely, but I'd like to think it was part of the same event.
To stick with Gavin owned vehicles, the Charade didn't have the longest lifespan and it wasn't long before his dad purchased another used vehicle for him; a Chrysler 600 LE that we lovingly referred to as the "GOOL-E" (600LE). For the purpose of continuing this story I should mention that Gavin and I were roommates in college at this time and I owned a red Jeep Wrangler (mentioned and pictured in prior posts) that was in pretty bad mechanical shape. It was also around Christmas and our friend JD was graduating from Marine boot camp at Parris Island, SC. I had promised that I would be there for graduation but my Jeep wouldn't make it, so gavin let me borrow the goole. The only catch was that his car did not have a functioning heater, though it would stay warm on the road from engine heat.
It was a long drive from Auburn, Alabama but I made it into a town just outside the island at about 10pm and pulled into the hotel I had reserved. Unfortunately, I was apparently out of money and my card didn't work. Not smart enough to call my parents for assistance I decided I would just try and find alternative forms of lodging. I remember walking into a 24 hour convenience store and contemplating sleeping in a bathroom stall. In the end, I slept in the car; parked in front of a walmart. It was a long cold night and I had to leave the car running the entire time for warmth. When it got cold, I drove around the lot until the engine would heat up. As soon as the sun came up I was at the gates to the Marine facility and was probably the first person in that morning. I walked around as future marines were doing, what I believe was, morning drill in the distance. There was a diner so I went in for warmth and a stranger bought me coffee after hearing my story. I hated coffee back then, but I sure drank every warm drop.
It's odd, but I remember sitting with JD's dad and him giving me a pair of gloves to keep warm while the graduation ceremony was going on. I remember seeing JD and him looking like he hadn't had food in months and being surprised by the precision of the marching. Afterward, JD had made a comment about how sloppy it was, but I don't think the spectators had noticed. I remember everything to that point, but I don't remember much about the facility even though I think JD gave us a short tour and I don't remember what happened afterward or going back to Auburn. I'll never forget the cold night in the goole though.
It was a long drive from Auburn, Alabama but I made it into a town just outside the island at about 10pm and pulled into the hotel I had reserved. Unfortunately, I was apparently out of money and my card didn't work. Not smart enough to call my parents for assistance I decided I would just try and find alternative forms of lodging. I remember walking into a 24 hour convenience store and contemplating sleeping in a bathroom stall. In the end, I slept in the car; parked in front of a walmart. It was a long cold night and I had to leave the car running the entire time for warmth. When it got cold, I drove around the lot until the engine would heat up. As soon as the sun came up I was at the gates to the Marine facility and was probably the first person in that morning. I walked around as future marines were doing, what I believe was, morning drill in the distance. There was a diner so I went in for warmth and a stranger bought me coffee after hearing my story. I hated coffee back then, but I sure drank every warm drop.
It's odd, but I remember sitting with JD's dad and him giving me a pair of gloves to keep warm while the graduation ceremony was going on. I remember seeing JD and him looking like he hadn't had food in months and being surprised by the precision of the marching. Afterward, JD had made a comment about how sloppy it was, but I don't think the spectators had noticed. I remember everything to that point, but I don't remember much about the facility even though I think JD gave us a short tour and I don't remember what happened afterward or going back to Auburn. I'll never forget the cold night in the goole though.
My first car was a red and white Chevy S10 Blazer w/ a crimson red interior. Looking back, it was a disaster of a car, but the thing was like a tank. I made a lot of memories in that monster, but a few of them involved the police. I was pulled over for speeding a couple times; once in Gulf Shores b/c I had to get some medicine to my mom b/c she was having heart palpitations. Thankfully the cop let me go on that one. Another time, I was going to an Atlanta Braves game with Gavin, Kevin and JD and, having not known how long I was being chased down the interstate, I panicked and pulled into the median. After he instructed me to pull off the other side of the road he handed me a ticket and commented on my 'No Fear' brand sticker that said "Drive it like you stole it".
It was in this vehicle that I lived the majority of my high school years; where JD smacked me in the face and I cursed out a guy named Charlie Bussey for it by mistake. Before I sold it I spilled gasoline in the rear storage compartment and the carpet shrunk to half its original size.
It was in this vehicle that I lived the majority of my high school years; where JD smacked me in the face and I cursed out a guy named Charlie Bussey for it by mistake. Before I sold it I spilled gasoline in the rear storage compartment and the carpet shrunk to half its original size.
Going back to the Jeep Wrangler mentioned above; it was a piece of crap. Don't get me wrong. I loved that jeep, especially in the Summer. The problem with that vehicle was that it was running for only about 80% of it's ownership before it was permanently stored in my parents shed. It was so bad that at one point my father acquired the help of a shade tree mechanic in Opelika that worked at a trailer park. He seemed nice enough and was willing to work for the cheap. At least, he was at first... before my Jeep ended up at his house. After a while he kept asking for more money and basically held my Jeep ransom. One afternoon I had enough so gavin and I went to his place with a U-Haul trailer hooked it up and basically stole it back from him. It took me nearly an hour of pounding on his door to get him to give me the keys. We solved those mechanical issues later by using a legitimate mechanic.
The engine wasn't the only problem. I had apparently been driving around on Firestone tires that had been recalled a year prior. I found out why they had been recalled while driving back home from Auburn during a school break. I would say somewhere between Auburn and Montgomery, AL, the rear, driver-side tire began rumbling and before I could slow down to see what was wrong, it exploded. Well, that's not entirely true but it might as well have. The tread disconnected from the tube, slapped the back of my car (ripping my cloth top, tearing off the plastic wheel well and crushing my license plate) and then flew into the median. This event, combined with my breaking, sent my car into a 180 degree spin. I think my Guardian Angel jerked the steering wheel at the perfect moment to bring me to a stop instead of sliding sideways and flipping.
The problem with a 180 degree turn on the interstate is that you end up facing the traffic you were driving alongside. Thankfully no one was directly beside me, but there was an 18 wheeler not far behind that had to make quick adjustments to get by me. Not long after I came to a stop, people started flying around me and honking as if I had done it on purpose. That was the thing that confused me the most. Still in a state of shock, I began trying furiously to start the vehicle back up. It seemed like an eternity, but I think it was only about 4 turns of the key before I realized there were people walking up to me from the median. It wasn't until they were feet away that I realized they were all in orange jump suites; part of a clean up crew from a nearby prison.
God send help in odd ways sometimes, so I'm grateful for the help regardless of it's source. I would have even given them the weed they asked about if I even knew where to get some. After they were told to get back to work, I spent the next hour changing my tire before making my way home again.
The problem with a 180 degree turn on the interstate is that you end up facing the traffic you were driving alongside. Thankfully no one was directly beside me, but there was an 18 wheeler not far behind that had to make quick adjustments to get by me. Not long after I came to a stop, people started flying around me and honking as if I had done it on purpose. That was the thing that confused me the most. Still in a state of shock, I began trying furiously to start the vehicle back up. It seemed like an eternity, but I think it was only about 4 turns of the key before I realized there were people walking up to me from the median. It wasn't until they were feet away that I realized they were all in orange jump suites; part of a clean up crew from a nearby prison.
God send help in odd ways sometimes, so I'm grateful for the help regardless of it's source. I would have even given them the weed they asked about if I even knew where to get some. After they were told to get back to work, I spent the next hour changing my tire before making my way home again.
It might have been the next trip home in which I met hitchhiker Dan; a New Yorker heading to Florida to reconnect with his sister. This time, my tires were new and safe, but I was still super paranoid about driving on the interstate (that actually lasted for years). It was also on this trip that my engine was sputtering and having difficulty accelerating to over 50mph. I had actually made my way just through Montgomery this time when I pulled off the interstate to try and figure out why my Jeep was acting the way it was. I popped the hood, looked around and noticed nothing. Got back in and started up the on-ramp. It was there I saw a fat guy, a little dirty with a single medium luggage case. I don't know what possessed me to pull over but I did.
Dan turned out to be a pretty nice guy. I bought him Subway at the next exit and in return to took a broken pencil and plugged up an unattached vacuum line in my engine that was causing the problems. Turned out he knew a thing or two about engines. I also learned that he was broke and homeless; having lost everything to drugs. His wife and kids wouldn't talk to him and the only family member he had left that would accept him was that sister in Florida.
He sounded like he was getting his act back together. He had made his way nearly the entire distance so far with little problems apart from some A-hole stealing one of the two bags he had started out with. He had plans of finding a job in Florida and buying a dirtbike to get around until he could afford better. It's funny the things like this you remember. Anyway, we chatted the entire way to Mobile, AL where I dropped him off at a Salvation Army shelter for the evening. I ended up giving him $20 dollars before I left. He hadn't asked for it, but I thought it would do him more good than it would me. Hopefully it wasn't used on his past habits, but it's a chance I was willing to take on this guy. Of course, that was the last I ever saw of Dan. Hopefully he made it to his sister in Florida.
Dan turned out to be a pretty nice guy. I bought him Subway at the next exit and in return to took a broken pencil and plugged up an unattached vacuum line in my engine that was causing the problems. Turned out he knew a thing or two about engines. I also learned that he was broke and homeless; having lost everything to drugs. His wife and kids wouldn't talk to him and the only family member he had left that would accept him was that sister in Florida.
He sounded like he was getting his act back together. He had made his way nearly the entire distance so far with little problems apart from some A-hole stealing one of the two bags he had started out with. He had plans of finding a job in Florida and buying a dirtbike to get around until he could afford better. It's funny the things like this you remember. Anyway, we chatted the entire way to Mobile, AL where I dropped him off at a Salvation Army shelter for the evening. I ended up giving him $20 dollars before I left. He hadn't asked for it, but I thought it would do him more good than it would me. Hopefully it wasn't used on his past habits, but it's a chance I was willing to take on this guy. Of course, that was the last I ever saw of Dan. Hopefully he made it to his sister in Florida.
All for now...
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