Who knew this station
wagon would inspire hours of stories. Instead
of the red and white Ford station wagon, I got to keep company with a 1972 Ford
LTD Country Squire this night.
It was sitting right next
to the door, and the first thing most men and women said was that they rode in
the back. Many said facing backwards nauseated
them, others commented their father’s or grandfather’s had one in green, in
gold, and in crème. One lady laughingly
told me that her father would put on the brakes, and everyone flew
forward. “We just flopped around in
there.”
“No seatbelts,” everyone
said in chorus. Yes, there were
seatbelts, but no one used them.
I learned it got 8 miles
per gallon, it had a 429 engine, it had only three gears, and no one used the
seatbelts. That brought a laugh every
single time. And too, it’s a very, very
long vehicle. Perhaps originally it was
supposed to seat eight, but every person remembered all the neighborhood kids
jamming in…one sometimes hidden in the back well.
Drive in movies and ball games, rides to school, and all with the sports equipment too.
We were told to not
encourage stories, but this station wagon is only one or two generations
removed from the factory. Everyone had a
story to tell. Tales of long trips with
the luggage on the top was a frequent story.
The LTD as a ubiquitous Tijuana taxi until recently crowding the city
with noise and pollution. Loved by the
taxi drivers because you could get so many people in the wagon. Loved by the little league moms and traveling
dads. This was the transportation of the
end of the 20th century in America.
All without seatbelts, of
course.
Grand old car! I would love the stories!
ReplyDeleteYou did a remarkable job!
ReplyDeleteFor an absolute neophyte, yes I did. LOL
DeleteCars got smaller xo everyone started driving SUVs and mini vans.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has a story...and should get to tell it.
ReplyDeleteOk, tell me why you were not to encourage stories. I thought that would be part of the point since some of the other cars were affordable.
ReplyDeleteI'm no car person, but this one cleaned up nicely. Yes, I rode backwards and hated it. Cookies are good for you. I am fond of Trader Joe's alphabet cookies. Feel like a kid again!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting adventure. You were a car show model.
ReplyDeleteWe had a Ford station wagon a long time ago. Ummmm... I got into an accident with it. Oops!
ReplyDeleteseeing this car makes me think of cool little motels, diners with vending machines that sold rain bonnets, old cigarette machines, juke boxes...
ReplyDelete