I was in my first semester of college in the fall of 1972. Still living at home, not sure of what I wanted to do with my life. My father bought me a 1967 oldsmobile F-85 for my graduation present. To me it was the finest car ever made. It gave me a freedom that I never had before. At that age, though, I didn’t stop to think about the responsibilities car ownership brought with it.1
Well one Friday after school I decided to take both my loves (the car and my girlfriend, Gwen) to a concert in Houston. Never thinking once about the warning my father had given me about driving in downtown Houston, I proceeded to swing by and pick up Gwen and drive to the concert at Hoffeinz Pavillion. 2
Gwen and I had known each other since elementary school but we had only been going together for about a year. She was a pretty young woman with emerald green eyes and long curly hair. I simply adored her. She was so much fun just to be around. She had a smile and a giggle that would just make my heart skip a beat.3
The journey to the concert was uneventful. I was prepared for an evening of music and (maybe) some intimate enjoyment. The band, Ten Years After, was fabulous.We were enjoying the show and puffing on the numerous ‘roll your own’ cigarettes that were being passed around. Finally it came time to leave. We walked ( I use that term loosely) out to the car and started the thirty minute drive home. 4
Gwen sat beside me on the way home. Obviously we were both feeling the affects of the smoke and the high powered music. She was teasing me with her hands and her lips when all the sudden something went very wrong with car. It was like someone had pressed the accelerator through the floorboard. There we were going 100 mph on a freeway in downtown Houston. Well the excitement lasted about a second then turned to sheer terror. Not knowing what had happened, I didn’t know what to do. I tried to step on the brake… that didn’t work. So I stepped on the clutch. I thought the engine was going to blow up. Then I managed to turn the key off. The car finally lurched to a stop.5
Here we were stranded in Houston on a busy freeway at midnight. I did figure out what went wrong. The return spring on the gas pedal had broken off and I didn’t have anything to replace it with. We walked about a mile to a service station. I asked the man if he had some kind of spring that maybe I could rig up to get my car going again. He rummaged through his tool box and found one. I offered to pay for it but he just gave it to me. I also made a phone call to my Dad. Needless to say, he was upset. He told me to sit tight and give him thirty minutes to get there. We walked back to the car and I attempted to make repairs while we were waiting for my Dad. 6
He finally arrived and without saying a word went to work under the hood. In about ten minutes he had attached the spring. Then he told me that he would follow me home. All the way back Gwen was crying. Somehow she had sensed just how much trouble I was in. All hope of any hanky panky was gone. I took her home and walked her to the door. I could feel my father’s anger building while he was waiting behind me. I finally got back to the house, fully expecting an ass whooping. My Dad just turned to me and said, “Don’t ever let it happen again.” Then he went back to bed.7
Author notes
MORAL OF THE STORY:
When you go fast the date slows down..lol.
What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
1 - 18 of 18
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A+ excellent...thought provoking..
I'm glad this story ended ok, my friend. This takes me back to the 70s when my friend and I were on our way back from Texas in my little 67 VW Bug and just outside of Calhoun, LA the engine went out(turns out a piston went right through the crankcase). We had to have my friend's dad come and pick us up and I had to leave my little ol' bug on the side of I-20 just outside of Calhoun...the next day I had to have it towed to Monroe from there...cost me a pretty good chunk of cold hard cash; not to mention what it cost to replace a vw engine. I really like that bug. Kinda wish I had it back..I drove the heck out of it..literally drove the clutch out of it.
Good story, my dear friend...
I like the thought and memory provoking ones like this...keep on writing...you truly have a gift from God here..
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You're an astute story teller as well! Master of the pen! One of qualities of a good writer is his ability to bring the reader along for the ride and in this case you literally did, lol. I enjoyed hearing about your little escapade. On my first date, he ran into the back of a parked car, much to his
chagrin.
Well done, Mr Leo2!
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This is a darling story - I hope there was a sequel where you and the lady DID enjoy some hanky panky - in the slow lane.
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Don't you just HATE it when that happens???? LOL Sounds to me like you should be really glad that nothing happened to the two of you while on the freeway in Houston, in the dark, with traffic whizzing by you, as you waited for your dad. And I have to say, you had a MUCH more lenient dad than I did! (Or do! He's STILL as hard as nails! lol) This was a great story, Leo, one that I'm sure you've looked back on many times through the years, and gotten many a chuckle from. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Paula -
Poor Leo!
Not really the best end of a date...and you thought to get the car shaking lol If that night has left a trauma in you, try do get it right, use the old car or a bigger one, but don't forget to check the pedals 
Very amusing (people are evil, we actually enjoy someone else's misery lol)
Kisses and love,
Mari
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This brought back memories. Not of fast cars and fast women, but the kind that embarass you and still effect you years and years later.
Like the time I was engaged in some heavy dutied open mouth kissing with my first true love Patty. It was our early and still experimental stages of the joys of kissing with tongue.
Neither of us were all that good at it yet, but we knew enough about it to really enjoy it and practice it every chance we got.
Until we discovered that two young teens,in the throws of teenaged horny passion, and also in the throws of serious orthodontica, could become hopelessly connected at the mouth by all the wires and brackets on our teeth.
Try explaining that to dear old Mom and Dad.
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laughing with the moral comment, a fast ride indeed. i wish my dad would of been so generous, i frequently got a clip round the ear, they were nice but you couldn't drive them. mind you thinking on it now i am glad i don't drive as it ost a fortune these days just to get from a to b. concerts and smoking, arrr the good old days. i was thinking along the lines your car would of been wrecked while you were enjoying the concert. good story.
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I bet this was a sobering experience. I remember in my younger days cars were always a source of mishaps on a date. Glad we are over that hump now. On second thought, maybe those days were a lot better after all. Good story here.
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This was such an awesome telling of a night that must have been “fun.” When I was reading about the accelerator, I figured maybe Gwen had accidentally pushed down on it with her foot or something. I didn’t even think about the spring. This is some really good story-telling. I saw everything going on. You gave just the right amount of detail to paint the picture without bogging down the reader. Nicely penned.
~ John
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LOL...hell if you where stranded you could have just said the hell with it and went on with the hanky panky right there in the car while you where standed...oh wait better yet you could have gotten really heated up when the car started doing 100mph on the freeway...that would have been one hell of a rush
...yes, I'm an adrenline junky...LOL...nice story...thanks for sharing and good luck in the contest
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wow, that's really scary! I didn't even know that that could happen. Awesome story, very well written. Good luck in the contest!
Becky -
Sad tale you have told here Leo. I am sure cars have been at the butt of a lot of teenage mishaps. Alas I did not have a car 'til I was in my 20's. It was buses, trams, taxis or walk ... lol
A good tale. -
hmmm...sounds a bit like you combined 2 of my experiences when I was young Leo. I had a motor mount go out in my little 64 Falcone Sprint. This made the accelerator linkage flip over and all of a sudden it was REALLY pedal to the metal! Add that one to not being able to get my car back in gear one night after parking and a little smooching and havin to have my dad come and fix it (took all of 3 seconds) and you just about have your story. Makes me wonder how many of us 70s kids have stuff like this happen to us.
Of course, back then I had just about EVERYTHING happen to me anyway. In the little town where I grew up there wasn't much else to do besides get in trouble in your car. I'll always remember running across the border into California with 6 local police on my tail, trying to nail me for drag racing. They didn't catch me!
Times sure were different back then. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. hmmmm.... maybe my kids aren't so bad after all!
Edited on Oct 03, 1:11 p.m. because ''. -
Trip down memory lane...
A story that took me back in time - I so enjoyed reading this even though I have much empathy with you - to have your dream of young love go up in smoke! But I guess the positive side to this is that it inscribed the memory (and the girl) on your mind forever...Yeah, the songs that stay unsung, lol! Thank you for sharing this nostalgic ride in your time machine....and may all the young ones learn from you
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Nicolette
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I lost sight of the date in the face of the danger and car trouble. I'll bet you almost had a heart attack considering that those roll your own ciagarettes tend to highten experience and perception. As for the end of the date turning into a big disappointing detour, well, it occaisionally happens even when married all these years. Glad I read this. I kind of lost track of you.
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This story reminds me of why I DON'T WANT TO BE YOUNG AGAIN. What is wrong with these people who want to relive moments like this. Great story though.
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I love the simple use of your (maybe). And you just knew we were all so sympathetic at the end when it became apparent your evening was screwed - but not as you had hoped. lol
So nice to read nostalgia from our younger days. How well I remember those concerts and the accompanying freedom we had back then. siggghhhh... oh for the goodle days.
Edited on Oct 03, 12:35 because 'freudian slip needed covering'. -
I detest any kind of car trouble. I could certainly see how this would put a big damper on your date. What a bummer! Especially after it had obviously been going so well. You did a great job telling this Leo. Great attention to detail. Thank you for entering my contest.
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