(78' Lac)
(83' Dodge)
My family moved to West Des Moines from Eat Moline IL when I was 10. My mother’s job transferred her… so my father quit his job in order for the family to move. This is why no man could ever top my father… that’s love right there.
While my parents were getting their financial situation in order they bought my mom a new car for her to drive to work and my dad drove this beat up 1983 dodge that my parents named Susie. I was embarrassed to be seen in that thing… and my dad knew it.
Me “Dad, you mind letting me off on the corner when you take me to school?”
Dad (getting my point) “Are you sure you don’t want me to pull up in front?”
Me “VERY sure!”
Now, before you think I was a totally rotten kid, I went to school with rich white people. I was the only black kid in the 4th-6th grade and already had some issues I was dealing with because I was “different”. Even though I knew we weren’t poor and that this car was temporary…. to my friends… it looked hood and the last thing I wanted people thinking was that I was a poor black kid. Looking back on it I should not have not cared what they thought… but after all…. I was 10.
My dad had promised me he was going to pick me up from soccer practice in my mom’s car… but on this day she had to work late. I heard the car coming from around the corner.
Teammate (laughing) “Your ride is here!”
That’s when I kicked the ball hard and aimed it at her face. It made contact… she cried and my coach yelled at me. I had to run 3 laps around the park before I could leave practice.
Once I was done I got in the car. My dad and brother saw what I did to the girl, but dad was laughing too hard to yell at me.
The ceiling of the car was made of cloth and it hung down. Dad had not stapled it back up yet, so I had to hold it up so it would not rest on my head. Since mom was working late dad was taking us to get dinner.
Back then Hardees (now Carls Jr. in most places) sold the best chicken and biscuits ever! As my dad was pulling out of the drive thru… the car died.
Me “Dad, stop being funny!”
Dad “I’m not… the car stopped.”
He got out and pushed as I steered us out of the drive thru. The car magically started… then stopped again once down the street. There we were. Three black people sitting on the side of the road in the suburbs eating a bucket of chicken next to a busted car. I had just come from soccer so my hair was all over my head, my brother had stains on his shirt from his afterschool program… and dad was just looking really angry and cursing up a storm. We looked a HOTT MESS!
That night when we finally got home I was too happy to hear my mom say that we were getting a new car!
Well… it was worse. They bought a 1978 gold and brown Cadillac for $200 (Side-eye). Too bad Pimp My Ride was not out then… cause I sure would have nominated this car. My dad had the same whip as an 80 year old deacon. At least I did not have to hold the interior up in this car.
Praise the Lord… we’ve come a long way since those days!
3 comments:
LMAO! OMG, this was the cutest/funniest/sweetest story ever.
LoL I'm pretty sure I remember both of those cars! How's this for a super throw back memory? Do you remember when we were having a sleepover and were going to HyVee and the car started spinning on the ice? I think we were going to get Chinese food...man I miss HyVee chinese food
omg that was soo hilarious I am crying. I can totally see you and you dad and brother looking busted on the side of the road....soo funny!
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