March 5, 2010
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From Here to There
The house had sat empty for years and years. We asked some of the neighbors about who had once lived there but even the neighbors hadn’t been around enough to see the home occupied at any point. The car had probably sat there since the house was abandoned as well. It looks like it would have been a nice car at some point. It was a shame that the car had sat out in the elements. It was probably ruined by now. Mother Nature has a way of breaking down even the strongest materials like the heavy metal that cars were made with during the 50s and 60s.
The car reminded me of one we had growing up. My dad loved that car. It was a 1960s Plymouth Fury. I remember how much I loved the smell of that car. It smelled dusty but the seats had been worn down until they were super soft. It was the perfect car to take naps in on long car trips. I remember once when we still lived in Illinois, we packed the car full to go to a wedding in Nebraska. My parents had my sisters and I sleep in sweats so that they could just carry us out to the car in the very early morning. My aunt and cousins were also with us. The car was absolutely huge and fit us all pretty comfortably. My parents were incredibly brave to take four kids under the age of four on that long of a road trip.
We stayed in an absolutely horrendous hotel. It was the kind of hotel where it was highly advisable to wear shower shoes. I still remember that even though I was all of 3 or 4. It’s amazing what you do remember.
(67. Something inspired by this picture by Youandwhosearmy: mode of creation open ( 3 pts) , 45. Something based on or about a road trip- Mode of creation open- ( 4pts) )
Comments (9)
Nice memories – assuming this isn’t another fictional piece. We had a huge old 1968 Ford Fairlane about which I’ve been meaning to write.
Love old houses and cars and I always wonder who lived there, why they left and why they left thier things behind too.
Nice piece. It makes me think of the old place we are refurbishing!
It is incredible the fond memories a car may bring to us . What you say recalls our own experience : we carried our six children + a dog in a big car ( Citroën DS break ) during 10 years . And indeed the youngest were wearing clothes for night in the car at night ? So they were ready when we came back home .
Love
Michel
I love old things. They’re so interesting.
awww, the Shiney as a new Penny car. I remember visiting you guys in Plano and driving into Dallas in that car and your dad carrying water because he never knew when it was going to over heat….Good memories.
You played this one straight and I like it…you have a way of writing that does indeed make one wonder if it is fiction or not…
@christao408 - This one is actually non-fiction. I’m glad that I can write believably though
@styx_site - That sort of thing always makes me feel really small. It’s amazing how much has come before us.
@sloggy - Thank you!
@emiliahhhx7 - Indeed
@youandwhosearmy - Thank you! That’s a nice compliment
@gradesmom - We had the car all the way until we moved to MD in the early 90s! It was a pretty reliable car even with all of its issues
Well written… I like the part about sleeping in sweats and the image of the scummy shower floors.