Do you remember your first car, the first car that was truly yours, with fond nostalgia or with horror? Follow us over the orange gnocchi-doodle for a tale of listening to the wrong advice and a chance to tell us about your first car.
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My dad took a personal interest in my decisions exactly twice in my life, and as the youngest of eight kids unused to parental guidance I was flattered and paid heed.
Sadly, both times I was ill-advised, beginning with my first major purchase: A used car.
As a high school senior in 1974 I'd gotten a good after-school job and had saved up $300 for a car so I no longer had to ride my bike to work. In southern California a car was a necessity, and I was eyeing a small, gas-friendly VW bug I couldn't quite yet afford. Dad stepped in and convinced me to buy a car that rather conveniently belonged to his newly-retired secretary. I now suspect he still owed her money.
It was a huge, gas-guzzling '62 Ford Galaxie for only $200, meaning I could have a car now and have money left over to pay the insurance.
Dad made a big show of taking the car to a mechanic so we could watch him go over it and give it a double thumbs up. It was a one-owner car! This is how you make a good decision!
Trouble was, I hated the thing. It was a behemoth. Parking it felt like docking the Queen Mary.
Two months after buying it I had trouble starting it one morning. As it finally coughed and sputtered its way down the street I saw big black puffs of smoke huffing out from under the hood. I pulled into the nearest gas station (full service back then!), rolled down the window, and called to the two alarmed men rushing up to me, "What's wrong with my car?"
"IT'S ON FIRE!" hollered one of the attendants, throwing open the hood and taking a fire extinguisher to the leaping flames.
Having no further interest in driving a Spontaneous Combustion Vehicle, I sold it to the mechanic on site, walked home, saved up some more money, and later bought a beat-up little beetle.
How do you remember your first car?
Gotcher Top Comments Right Here!
Thanks to tonight's Top Comments contributors! Let us hear from YOU when you find that not-so-ordinary comment.
from nada lemming:
davidincleveland's comment concerning the "boycott" had a very illuminating alternate take on the whole business.
from Jane Lew:
Crikey! What a great comment! This is the most awesome reaction to a diary [How and Why I Made A Seniors Building a WiFi Hotspot] I have ever seen....something we all can aspire to:
Crikey! Your diary and all of
your comments.....make me want to be a better person!
from AnnieR:
David Kroning II describes the fault line and essential difference between Republicans and Democrats in ClarkNT67's diary Justin’s Grieving Mother Visits Michele Bachmann’s Office Today.
from blue aardvark:
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from Cali Scribe:
In my diary on Pat Robertson's hypocrisy, Vita Brevis submits the Republican Wedding Vows.
From bronte17:
hannah speaks of self-government, walks in the park and tools... and miracle workers (and it's not what you think) in the post Michael Moore Demonstrates How NOT to Criticize the President by David Mizner.
from joanneleon:
fly describes the choice Democrats have in the economic situation described in gjohnsit's diary One chart to rule them all.
and from your humble diarist poster, smileycreek:
In xajaxsingerx's diary Poor As A Second Language, cotterperson shares her deeply compassionate experiences in learning lots of informal English from non-white American cultures.
Laura Clawson's post, Seeking to deregulate python transportation, GOP unleashes a thousand 'snakes on a plane' jokes was absurd enough, but this comment thread started by Magnifico took the absurdity to even greater heights. Actually, all the comments in that post are worth reading.
And Now, a Little Top Mojo!
(excluding Tip Jars and first comments)
Got mik!
1) Child support is so unGalty. by Bindle — 149
2) It's like they're not learning from the polls by slinkerwink — 137
3) A fighter for the middle class! by ndrwmls10 — 124
4) I use Joe Walsh by Damnit Janet — 120
5) Anytime he starts a negotiation - it could and by Cassandra77 — 116
6) I'm glad that's over. by llbear — 113
7) Chained CPI? by triv33 — 109
8) I've seen precious little evidence that the WH by RFK Lives — 96
9) Chained CPI says, basically, "a declining by Robobagpiper — 94
10) Now this news has truly brightened my day. by Dauphin — 85
11) Maybe with all that money he's raised by Cassiodorus — 82
12) I am continually puzzled by gulfgal98 — 81
13) Yes! We're behind you! by PittsburghPete — 78
14) Gee, who could have predicted by Leo in NJ — 77
15) Yes by Joan McCarter — 77
16) I think you pay for your children by stellaluna — 75
17) Safe mosh pits? by kos — 75
18) Thankless job, but thanks Markos by Actbriniel — 73
19) Post this sign by Magnifico — 71
20) Once again we light the candles by llbear — 71
21) That's funny, Walsh didn't seem to think by jazzmaniac — 71
22) You go to court by The Pollster — 71
23) If Walsh made the payments by gchaucer2 — 70
24) Just tell the truth by hopeful — 70
25) If his net worth by Philpm — 69
26) In South America, the ultra rich live behind walls by greendem — 66
27) He's "Reality Constipated" by Damnit Janet — 64
28) RIP American Middle Class by Shockwave — 64
29) What a shmuck by Vita Brevis — 63
30) Have you seen what LGBTs by indiemcemopants — 63
31) if Obama wants to head to the locker room by TJ — 63
32) Thankfully by costello7 — 63
See Ya in the Comments!