Thursday, June 24, 2021

People

 I listened to two of the older women talking. They have opinions on everything, and their opinions are always the 'right' opinions. One of them said, "I wonder who drives the Mercedes out in the parking lot?" The other answered in a very sarcastic tone, "One of these young kids. Mommy and Daddy bought it for them," and then they went on at great length at how spoiled kids are these days. This conversation went neatly into the first cars their parents had bought them, and they didn't seem to recognize the irony of that.

(I said nothing, but in case you are interested, it was a 1969 Volkswagon Kharmann Ghia and I bought it myself.)

Anyways, I'd seen that car in the parking lot. I also knew who drove it. 

The first thing that I noticed is that it is a pretty old Mercedes. I also noted that the 'kid' who drove it is a bit older than most kids that Mommies and Daddies are buying cars for. The clincher came on the day that I was parked nose to nose with him. We both got into our cars at the same time, and I watched him as he started that old diesel.  His head was cocked, as if he was listening to the engine as he started it. I am married to my mechanic, and I know that look. 

I decided that the kid was a mechanic and given the pristine, well cared for condition of the car, I was betting that he fixed up that car himself, and that it was his 'baby'. 

Maybe a couple weeks later, I happened to be walking into the cafeteria, and he was alongside. So I asked the question that I'd been wondering. "You're the one that drives the Mercedes, right? What year IS that?" 

He told me that it was a 1981. I told him it was a beauty. He told me that he was restoring another from was the same year. We got into a discussion about Mercedes', being that my husband the mechanic has one in our garage as well. He took down Tim's number and asked for a good time to call. 

I like figuring people out.

When I got home that night, I said to Tim, "I may have sold the Mercedes." He looked a little shocked.

10 comments:

  1. I was just telling my friend yesterday that my grandfather bought my first car as a Xmas present just before the legal age I was allowed to drive, luckily my birthday was in January.
    Man car love is sweet ;) My only tale for Mercedes was my first FiL, when he arrived in Switzerland, the first thing he bought himself was a Mercedes, because he thought it was a posh car to ride round in. His disgusted 'even the bloody taxi-drivers drive Mercedes here' echoes down through the years.

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  2. " Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz.." Janis Joplin.

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  3. My first car only lasted until I got it home. They sure saw me coming!

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  4. A Karma Ghia. I impressed. I paid my grandmother real money to buy my late grandfather's car from her. No one bought me a car.

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  5. Northsider's comment was my first thought so:

    "... my friends all drive Porsches I must make amends"

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  6. We told our kids that we would match them dollar for dollar when it came time to buy a car and that it had to be paid for in full, no note. As long as they earned their share, it could be any price. Kids tend to take better care of something they have a monetary stake in.

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  7. I don't think women get this obsession with cars thing do they?

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  8. I don't but I am not a mechanic.

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  9. There aren't many people who have a soft spot for '80s cars!

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