Although the boys had done their best to demolish the Pumpkin Beast, my dad had done his best to fix it up, thus the truck became my own "ride" at the age of sixteen, only now it was worse off than before. At one time its only flaw was that it was pumpkin orange, now it had scratches, dents, missing pieces and a bad paint job.
I was convinced that I would be ridiculed and mocked by my peers, but what happened actually surprised me. The Pumpkin Beast was a hit. No matter where I went, everyone knew I was there. Driving "Gabe's Pumpkin Beast" because the "sweet" thing to do.
Over the years I drove it, the truck became very dear to me so naturally I had to spruce it up a little. I laugh now to think of my dad driving that truck to work with the glow in the dark stars plastered to the ceiling and the little stuffed money hanging from the rear view mirror, or the key chain that hung down to his knees with the thirty odd trinkets I'd collected from my friends. He never complained; I think he was secretly relieved that the child driving the truck was not trashing it.
There were a few mishaps along the way. One time my cousins hopped into the passenger side and put his foot through the rusted out floor. Another time I was driving down the road and the rusted muffler flew off the back - the truck didn't sound any different with it gone, so we didn't replace it.
My favorite story, though, has to be the case of the missing knob. This happened years after the abuse from my brothers, so I'm still not sure why my dad made such a big deal about it. Somehow the knob for the heater went missing one night. My dad questioned me right away the next morning, but I didn't know where it had gone. He drove me to my friend's house, where I'd been the night before, and he had me lean out the passenger side door to look for the knob while he drove five miles an hour down the main road in town. We never found the knob.
The Pumpkin Beast finally left our family quite suddenly (before my younger sister had the privilege to drive it). After seven years of my dad pouring money and time into repairing the truck, a fifty cent clip broke. He'd had enough. He wouldn't put another penny into it. That day he sold it to a coworker for fifty dollars and the Pumpkin Beast was no more.
What about you? What was the first vehicle you drove? Any fun stories to tell?
My first vehicle was a BEAUTIFUL pale green Raymond Poulidor road bike. It had a Shimano 'SIS' gear system (very cool at the time, still is) comfortable black saddle ('seat' was so gauche) and brakes that worked like a charm. Good brakes are important in a city like Vancouver. Ohhh that bike could climb like a dream! It was so light and comfortable. I could carry it in my shoulder and it was quite a pick-up item as well. Rudy, my cute mechanic, would talk and talk and TALK whenever I visited him and never charged me a dime for any minor repairs. He'd get that bike's wheels back to true whenever I blinked my baby blues at him. Rudy was too shy for his own good, and mine. I even had a guy hit on my because he liked the bike. I informed him of my upcoming wedding and burst his bubble. I still think he would have dated my bike. I would ride from one end of Vancouver o the other, which could take an hour in a car...oh how I LOVED to ride mon bicyclette vert.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, your memories made me giggle! I can't say that anyone ever flirted with me because of my truck! :)
DeleteGreat Topic! My awesome first ride was a hand me down from my parents 1985 red - orange Mercury Lynx hatchback, stick shift. It was fun to drive, got me from place to place well and I still see it in St. Cloud from time to time.
ReplyDeleteMy dad said that the guy who bought the truck from him did a major over haul on it, repainted the exterior and it's still driving around the Lincoln Lakes area in perfect working order to this day!
DeleteSadly, I really have no fun first vehicle stories. BUT, I think it's hilarious that one day your dad just decided he was done with the truck. Giggling!
ReplyDeleteOne Sunday afternoon all my siblings and spouses were at my parents' house and we started talking about that truck. It was hilarious to hear all the "behind the scenes" stories from my brothers on what took place with it! My dad would say things like: "That's what happened to the so and so," or "I always wondered how that part got broken," etc. We teased my sister because she didn't get the "opportunity" to drive that monster of a truck - but she didn't seem to mind at all!
DeleteUm, I still drive my first car...ha!
ReplyDeleteOne time when I first got my license, I pulled into a Papa John's Pizza place parking lot and thought I was cool. After I got back in my car with my pizza, there was a cool guy in a cool car who pulled up next to me. I decided to peel out smoothly instead of backing out. Yeah, there was totally one of those concrete bumper things in front of me. I went up and over. And was stuck. The cool guy and the Papa John's guys had to help me get it back over. Mortification!! And as I pulled away, the pizza guys yelled, "Thanks for choosing Papa John's."
Well, you asked. ;)
Lindsay, that's too funny!! :) The first time I ever drove (and it was in the Pumpkin Beast) I almost took out a woman on a bike and then a gas pump - those early driving days are best left forgotten. :)
Deletethat's great! My husband still pokes fun at my first vehicle. 1980-something Ford Aerostar rust-bucket. I paid $600 cash and drove it off the guy's property. My favorite memory with that mini-van was taking some friends to see the fireworks in Brainerd when I was working at Camp JIM. This was when I first met my husband and so the "friends" included him and his friend. Well, his friend sat in the back with my friend and refused to put on his seatbelt,that is until I started the van. Without a muffler, my aunt thought I was driving a Harley, My mom actually got pulled over for driving without a muffler. It served its purpose. :)
ReplyDeleteI love those old vehicles, Jennette - there's just something about them that leave lasting memories! I can just picture your story in my head - minus the muffler and all! :)
DeleteThat "Pumpkin Beast" had another story you may not remember. We were renting a house from a man who had a towing business. Your father was looking for an extra vehicle to drive to work and ultimately let your brother's use. We asked our landlord if he knew of anything and he presented the "Pumpkin Beast". A man from Minneapolis was driving on Highway 10, going through Little Falls, and was pulled over in a traffic check. It was discovered that he had no insurance on his vehicle so they impounded it. Local authorities put him up for the night in a hotel and paid for his bus fare back to the Cities. Our landlord towed the truck and it sat for many months in his lot. He was informed by the owner that he had no money to get the vehicle back and that everything he owned in the world was in the back of the truck. He was basically homeless and could not afford to keep the truck. We paid the impoundments fee and drove down to the Cities and delivered his belongings to him at a small boarding home. We paid him a fee for the truck - we felt extremely bad for him as the truck was the last thing he owned and he had to part from it. He had purchased the truck new and through the years he fell on hard times and lost everything.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder where he is and if his life had ever changed for the better. That "Pumpkin Beast" was, at one time, an object of achievement and accomplishment - one man's dream. It is amazing how our lives can change and how one object can mean something different to each person who holds the key.
Mom - your words are beautiful and you're absolutely right - I think about this every time we tear into a new project at our house. At one point this ugly brown paneling, or railroad timber patio, or mustard yellow carpeting was someone's dream and achievment, now it's just our pain in the neck to replace. It makes you think about the work we do and the sacrifices we make to "have" everything our heart desires, when one day it will be someone else's joke or responsibility to throw away - a "Chasing after the Wind..." That's why it's so important to make our lasting legacy one of faith and hope - and treasures stored up in Heaven which do not rust or decay.
DeleteOh goodness! I love the Pumpkin Beast! LOVE it! I just had a little Chevette. Gold. Cute. It loved it and drove it until it died! Sigh...love those memories.
ReplyDeleteThe Pumpkin Beast grew on me and it was hard to say goodbye when the day came.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!