"Freddie", One of the Family
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
"You won't believe what Peggy's done!" That was the comment that greeted me when I called my wife between TV shows back in 1984. Knowing that each of our five children have a propensity for doing something bizarre on occasion I was hesitant to bid my wife to continue. But, I did. "She bought a new car" said wife with no small amount of agitation. This is where I have to tread softly. When Gail has announced by attitude that this is not a good decision on Peggy's part I must first determine how bad this decision is and what is the proper tack for me to take. Sissy me, I decide to listen further...
"She has bought one of those new fancy red sport cars and our insurance is sure to go through the roof." Now Peggy is a lovely girl who, at this time, had reached the exalted age of nearly 21 years. She was working at a full-time job, living at home and she had to have the absolute worst taste in boyfriends a father could imagine. Her latest beau drove a massive pickup truck with tires that were better suited to a Boeing 747. I had a habit of knick-naming her swains the exact opposite of how I viewed their charms. Current swain was known as "brilliance". I tell you all this because it fits into the life that the new red sports car would have in our family circle.
Up until now I had provided Peggy with all her cars and the current mode of transport was a conservative, reasonably appointed and safe Opel. Admittedly, the Opel, when driven by Peggy seemed to have a target painted on both sides and the trunk. Peggy didn't hit things; things hit Peggy! One of the results of all this inherited abuse was that the engine mounts were weakened to the point that if Peggy stopped hard the motor and fan would shift forward and chew up the radiator in merciless fashion. I was on a first name basis with the guy in the radiator shop who could have suggested to me to replace the engine mounts but the man was not an idiot. I was! So Peggy's move to independence was as much my fault as anybody's.
Now that I think of it, of our five children ALL of them have had suspect histories of automobile ownership. Patrick who owned a vintage Dodge Charger called me one afternoon to announce that his gas tank had fallen out of the car on the Interstate( well, gee, I had it tied up with rope) it pirouetted gracefully for about a quarter of a mile before quietly surrendering to both gravity and Charles laws of motion. I will never understand how there wasn't an immolation of tank, car and Patrick. But then, he could never afford to keep more than one pint of fuel in the tank anyway.
Peggy's new car was a Pontiac Fiero when, after trading in the Opel, cost her a whopping $6400. Peggy and her friends thoroughly enjoyed "Freddie the Fiero". The enjoyment paled when a few years later Peggy was a mom and a baby-seat didn't fit well or legally into "Freddie". Since I was moving to Charlotte and a new TV job, I gave Peggy my Chevy truck and "Freddie" became mine. His existence now became a lot more mundane with no great party nights and vacations to the beach. He languished that way until his next chapter of life began.
Grand-daughter Denise was going to Florida State University and of course needed wheels. It was only natural that "Freddie" should join the ranks of the Seminoles and become a member of the vaunted FSU Marching Chiefs. "Freddie" saw a lot of college band activity but a piddlin' amount of time outside classrooms. Denise's father Bill saw a LOT of "Freddie", usually somewhere along Interstate 10 between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. When queried about Denise's preventative maintenance program it was usually along the lines of "...what's oil?" Needless to say the Fiero found itself on the seedy side of availability and wound up at the turn of the century back in Peggy's garage. "Freddie" had fallen on hard times.
About this time I finally retired from the television business and we moved to Florida to live the good life. When faced with getting another car we decided to give "Freddie" a new lease on life. A re-manufactured engine and a fresh new coat of red paint and voila' he was resurrected! Now he enjoyed slow trips to the golf course and an occasional trip to school. The good life.
Time however, was not a friend to "Freddie" and not unlike me, parts were wearing out with greater regularity. It was time. A call to the local high school automotive shop elicited a whoop of joy when I offered "Freddie" to them as a donation. Today, I jump-started "Freddie" to take him to the High School. He let me get about three blocks away before balking and decided to turn off the alternator and go no further. The temperature is today 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I finally ended up pushing him home. Denise's dad will enjoy that! He will go this weekend, towed away by the High School but with a last arrogant snort. So long "Freddie". It's been fun. Thanks for the memories.
"She has bought one of those new fancy red sport cars and our insurance is sure to go through the roof." Now Peggy is a lovely girl who, at this time, had reached the exalted age of nearly 21 years. She was working at a full-time job, living at home and she had to have the absolute worst taste in boyfriends a father could imagine. Her latest beau drove a massive pickup truck with tires that were better suited to a Boeing 747. I had a habit of knick-naming her swains the exact opposite of how I viewed their charms. Current swain was known as "brilliance". I tell you all this because it fits into the life that the new red sports car would have in our family circle.
Up until now I had provided Peggy with all her cars and the current mode of transport was a conservative, reasonably appointed and safe Opel. Admittedly, the Opel, when driven by Peggy seemed to have a target painted on both sides and the trunk. Peggy didn't hit things; things hit Peggy! One of the results of all this inherited abuse was that the engine mounts were weakened to the point that if Peggy stopped hard the motor and fan would shift forward and chew up the radiator in merciless fashion. I was on a first name basis with the guy in the radiator shop who could have suggested to me to replace the engine mounts but the man was not an idiot. I was! So Peggy's move to independence was as much my fault as anybody's.
Now that I think of it, of our five children ALL of them have had suspect histories of automobile ownership. Patrick who owned a vintage Dodge Charger called me one afternoon to announce that his gas tank had fallen out of the car on the Interstate( well, gee, I had it tied up with rope) it pirouetted gracefully for about a quarter of a mile before quietly surrendering to both gravity and Charles laws of motion. I will never understand how there wasn't an immolation of tank, car and Patrick. But then, he could never afford to keep more than one pint of fuel in the tank anyway.
Peggy's new car was a Pontiac Fiero when, after trading in the Opel, cost her a whopping $6400. Peggy and her friends thoroughly enjoyed "Freddie the Fiero". The enjoyment paled when a few years later Peggy was a mom and a baby-seat didn't fit well or legally into "Freddie". Since I was moving to Charlotte and a new TV job, I gave Peggy my Chevy truck and "Freddie" became mine. His existence now became a lot more mundane with no great party nights and vacations to the beach. He languished that way until his next chapter of life began.
Grand-daughter Denise was going to Florida State University and of course needed wheels. It was only natural that "Freddie" should join the ranks of the Seminoles and become a member of the vaunted FSU Marching Chiefs. "Freddie" saw a lot of college band activity but a piddlin' amount of time outside classrooms. Denise's father Bill saw a LOT of "Freddie", usually somewhere along Interstate 10 between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. When queried about Denise's preventative maintenance program it was usually along the lines of "...what's oil?" Needless to say the Fiero found itself on the seedy side of availability and wound up at the turn of the century back in Peggy's garage. "Freddie" had fallen on hard times.
About this time I finally retired from the television business and we moved to Florida to live the good life. When faced with getting another car we decided to give "Freddie" a new lease on life. A re-manufactured engine and a fresh new coat of red paint and voila' he was resurrected! Now he enjoyed slow trips to the golf course and an occasional trip to school. The good life.
Time however, was not a friend to "Freddie" and not unlike me, parts were wearing out with greater regularity. It was time. A call to the local high school automotive shop elicited a whoop of joy when I offered "Freddie" to them as a donation. Today, I jump-started "Freddie" to take him to the High School. He let me get about three blocks away before balking and decided to turn off the alternator and go no further. The temperature is today 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I finally ended up pushing him home. Denise's dad will enjoy that! He will go this weekend, towed away by the High School but with a last arrogant snort. So long "Freddie". It's been fun. Thanks for the memories.
posted by Terri Bennett @ 11:04 PM
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