Daddy did all the hard work like knocking the windows out, taking out the seats (except the driver's), putting the radiator and battery in the back, welding all the doors shut, securing the hood and trunk with powerpole wire, wiring a starter button to the gearshift lever so he didn't need a key, and *whispering* filling the tires with water so they wouldn't bust. Shhhh, keep that under your hat.
My job was to decorate so the numbering and stickers you see here are all my 15 yr old handiwork. I also painted a wide red mouth on the front of the car and "Eat my shorts!" on the back (I loved The Simpsons at the time). I don't remember what else I spraypainted on the car. It was no doubt lovely whatever it may have been.
This particular time, we won! It was at Birmingham Internation Raceway (much like Bham Internation Airport...international in name only) and Daddy mentioned just last month to me that they tore it down not too long ago. Sad to think about as I was there quite a bit as a youngster.
Anyway, Daddy won a good bit of money and he gave me $100 of it as his only official pitcrew member. I did help change one tire...sort of. I helped as best I could anyway. The car still ran fine after this and he sold it right there on the track after the derby...double win! We always got in the top 3 or 4 but this is the only time I remember winning.
Good times, good times. I still have the trophy I'm holding up in the photo. It is on top of a bookshelf in my living room.
I was quite happy then. My brother was still dead but my parents were still married, they were making more than a decent living, and I didn't have a care in the world really. That is why I particularly love this photo. It represents that last few years of what little childish happiness I had left. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy now but that happiness you have as a child seems more golden from a distance. At least to me it does. Anyway, you can tell it is getting late since I'm getting maudlin.
evenin' ya'll!
6 comments:
that's a really awesome pic, holley. good story too. i think it's probably weird for lots of people to look back at childhood memories and think about how different they were, or circumstances were, then. *sigh*
btw, my word verification for this comment is "penin" which is frankly hilarious ;) that's because on the inside, i'm really about 8 yrs old still...
Haha, Grandpa Terry the Terminator.
love the pic--i've always wanted to go to a demolition derby...but we don't get too many of them out east. i tried to fit one in on one of our last road trips, but we went to a rodeo in wyoming instead.
it looks like you and your dad really had a great time--and you won! childhood does seem fun when i look back on it, but i also tend to block out the icky stuff. :)
B - yep, I blocked with the best of them...still do for the most part :-)
E - I would snicker at that as well so obviously we hide our 8 yr old selves quite well at work :-) we should swear one another to secrecy then spit in our palms and shake on it..
shelbo- Grandpa Terry has always been a Terminator :-) See you on the morrow!
Thanks for sharing that slice of your life. How fun that must have been! Though, driving on L.A. freeways isn't all that different ;)
KP - alas, I have only seen L.A. freeways in movies. I shudder to think of anyone driving on them. Atlanta, Georgia's 8 lanes is as metropolitan as I've ever gotten.
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