Musing of a Retired Bus Babe: Sixteen Again

July First marked the one year anniversary of both my retirement and my smoking cessation. My how the time does fly. Rod and I drove to Fairfield and bought me a car -- yes my own classic that ACTUALLY runs although it does need some minor work -- paint, a new top, refastening of the door panels, installation of shoulder belts.

But the coolest thing -- it is a 1961 Rambler American convertible. This means that my mother was on the assembly line when this car was made -- and she more likely than not added something to this very car. PLUS she had a 1961 Rambler American coupe (beige and bronze, as I recall). And FINALLY -- my first car was a 1963 Rambler American convertible -- only difference in this one is the black interiors, the grille, and it is a standard shift, not an automatic.

My first car -- I got it when I was 16 not long after I got my license. It was brand new and I loved that car!!! I carpooled all my girlfriends to school (Sharon Naydihor, Pat Clark, Paula Mohr, Kay Daun) and we drove it to Chicago (got lost on the south side one time and scared the wits out of ourselves) Great Lakes (oh, the sailors!!!!!!), Milwaukee (my first Chinese meal at Toy's) and everywhere. I remember the summer after I graduated, we were tooling down Washington Road when "Satisfaction" came on the radio. We pulled over, jumped out of the car, and all got out to dance!!!! And of course, we drove it to the bars -- what were they thinking??? Putting the bars where you could drink beer at 18 way out in the county so that you had to drive home along those dark 2 lane roads with a good buzz on??) We called that car "the Playmate" and I had a big red rose taped to the antennae . When Clark gas (a subsidiary of Esso) had their "Put a Tiger in Your Tank") slogan, I had my tiger tail attached to the gas cap!!!.

We hauled bales of hay for a club fall dance, and rode around in the winter with the top down and the heater blasting away. We went to the beach (Simmons beach) and the lake (Paddock Lake) cruising on Friday night, and to Dry Dock (where I met Jerry Ochs). And one night, when I was visiting Sharon babysitting, someone sideswiped my precious car while it was parked in front of the house. I was devastated!!!!

I also remember one night driving to Racine at night and hitting a huge bank of snow that had drifted across the highway. I spun around several times and as luck would have it, there was no one else on the road. And another night driving home when I ALMOST rear ended a truck on the road that was driving with NO tail lights!!!!

And of course, everyone knows that Ramblers are the best because the seats fold down. And even though in a convertible, they couldn't go ALL the way down, I do recall they went down far enough!!!!