My First Car

          The first car that I had ever purchased was a used chocolate brown Volkswagen Dasher.  The only images I can find are of hatchbacks but I am certain that my car had a trunk.  I didn’t want a hatchback.  The saleman had tried selling me a Ford Pinto.  I did not want a Ford Pinto.  I did not care for the salesman’s tactic. I went and found another salesman.

not exact but think similar to what I had

          It was a cute little car, but NOT a spontaneous one.  I would have to warm the car up at least an hour before going anywhere.  I would let it warm up and allow the car to run for about five minutes and then I would have to give it an extra few minutes before I was seriously ready to go.  I don’t even know what year it was or how many years I had it.

           When I left for my mission, I allowed my brother Patrick to drive my car  - though I don’t know how often he used it – but I know he did use it.  Just before my mission ended a bird had flown into the grill and Patrick had asked a friend of ours to help him with the damage.  Replacing the grill cost more than Patrick could afford and so Dan made a temporary fix using wood as a temporary replacement.  It seemed to work at the time.  I’m sure it wouldn’t pass inspection however and I know it would be cause to pull over today. 

 

not exact but similar to how it looked

          My grandma had purchased a car for herself just before my mission.  It was a white Plymouth Duster which she didn’t drive often herself but had either me or her daughter drive it.  I remember driving her to a funeral of a kid whom neither one of us had known – but she had been friends with her mom and so had gone to support her.  One thing that I really do enjoy about most LDS funerals (or at least the ones I have been to) is even if you don’t know the person before the funeral, you will definitely know something before the funeral ends.  I like LDS funerals.  I like how they pay tribute to the life of the deceased.

 

tried to find a Plymouth Duster
without a background - no success

          After Grandma Helen died and the family was cleaning the house and marking her belongings it was decided that I would get her Plymouth Duster.  In time I understood why she never wanted to drive it herself – or why so much of the time I would just see small old ladies behind the steering wheel of this monster tank (I thought the Duster was huge).  It’s because nobody over 5’2” could feel comfortable driving.  My grandma was six feet tall - or close to. I’m 5’4”.  I could never wear a hat while driving as my head touched the ceiling as it was. 

 

          My brother, Corey, borrowed the Duster while going to school in Ephraim as he was in need of a car and I worked downtown and took the bus.  The best feature about that Plymouth Duster was that the heater worked – almost too well.  We’d have to turn on the defogger when it rained or was cold.  I remember I would always drive with one coat sleeve over my left arm as I had to have the window open.  The rest of me was still hot.