Category: Uncategorized

MY FIRST CAR

It’s March of 1960.  I’m a week, or two shy of my 16^th birthday.  I’ve been pestering my dad to take me shopping for my very first car for nearly a month now.  I’ve been saving for it for several years and I think I’ve got enough to buy a really nice one, but he’s been dragging his feet. 

Looking back on it now, I can see why.  He knew that I wouldn’t be able drive it anywhere once I got it and he just didn’t want to put up with me constantly badgering him to let me take it for a spin.

Finally, the big day came.  Dad took me to the used car lot of a neighbor that he knew quite well. He felt certain that the neighbor would steer us in the right direction.  As it turned out, however, the very first thing he tried to ‘steer’ me toward, was a damn old 54 four-door Nash Rambler. 

Are you kidding me?  What respectable 16-year-old wants to be seen driving around in a 4 door? A Nash Rambler at that?  It looked like a box with wheels on it.  I’m a Ford kinda guy, show me a Ford. 

Finally, he showed me this beautiful black 1953 Mercury.   It was gorgeous and I fell in love with it from the moment I first saw it.  It was solid black, except for the chrome.  And I gotta tell ya, it had lots of chrome.  

But!  It was a year older than the rambler and the price tag was $50.00 more.  Probably had more miles on it too, but I didn’t care.  That’s the one, I thought, that’s my car.

Of course, since I was still a week shy of my 16^th birthday, I couldn’t even test drive it.  Dad had to do that for me, but I got to ride shot-gun.  To put it succinctly, she hummed like a Swiss clock.  Before we got back to the car lot, I said, “I want this one, OK Dad?”

I bought it right there on the spot. I hauled out the $350.00 that he needed to close the deal and paid cash for it. In today’s dollars, that doesn’t sound like very much, but in 1960 Three Hundred and Fifty Dollars was a pretty healthy sum for a 15-year-old to have accumulated.

Next, we had to figure out how to get it home.  I couldn’t drive it home, cause I still didn’t have my driver’s license.  Finally, our neighbor promised he’d have it delivered to our home the very next day.

You can’t imagine how much I hated the thought of leaving that car lot without my money, or my car.   Boy oh boy, talk about your sleepless nights, I just couldn’t wait for it to show up.

When it finally did, I spent the next several hours just sitting in it, getting the buttons on the radio pre-set to all my favorite country music stations, getting my tool box situated in the trunk, vacuuming it out, washing the windows, inside and out, checking the air in the tires and checking, then re-checking all the fluid levels.  It was well after dark when I finally gave it a rest and went into the house.

I was so excited to own this beautiful car.  It would be difficult for you to even begin to understand that feeling of pride and the feeling of freedom that was just around the corner for me, once I finally got my license.  I couldn’t wait to drive my new car to school and show it to my friends.

Truth be known, other than the day they delivered my car, the day I turned 16 was probably the best day in my life.  Looking back on it, although I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, I think Dad understood just how important that day was to me.  He came home from work early that day, so he’d be able to take me to the licensing bureau before they closed.  My 16^th birthday and I’m finally legal to drive.  It just don’t get no better than that.

Dad had recently gotten me a job, working as an attendant, at a service station.  (More about that at another time.)  I couldn’t start my new job until I turned 16 and had my driver’s license, but the day after I turned 16, was my first day on the job and, as soon as I started learning about my duties, I started learning a lot of new things about taking care of my car.

This car would now be cared for like it had never been cared for. I washed it every few days, waxed it 3 or 4 times in the first few months after I bought it, changed the oil, gave it a grease job, and constantly checked all the fluids.   …Again, and again.

All of that was over sixty years ago.  Today, if my car is going to get washed, it better rain.  Or maybe I’ll take it through the car-wash at the Mobil station.  But I sure ain’t gonna be washing it myself, and I damn sure won’t be putting any wax on it.

Gramps use’ta say
©R.L.King2012 #568

About: Enlightenment

“If you’re ever to see the light,
you must first confront your own darkness.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: We are both writers.  Please check us out at:

amazon.com/author/richard-lee-king/

amazon.com/author/donnachandler

Kindle versions of most of our books are available at only 99 cents.

It all started back when we were all homebound by the Covid 19 Pandemic.  That was when we first started actually relying on having things delivered to our front door, rather than go to the store ourselves.  Since that time, I don’t think either of us has been back to the grocery store, it’s just so much easier to have them delivered.  Not just groceries, but pre-cooked meals and take-out as well. 

I’m sure we pay a little extra, but it’s just so damn convenient.  Instead of fighting the crowds at the grocery store, then having to carry them out and load them into the car, drive them home and carry them into the house, we now just go to the front door and allow the delivery man to bring them in.  So far, we haven’t found one of them willing to put them away for us, but we’re still perfecting the system.  Don’t rule that out, somewhere down the road.

So, what I’m saying is that it’s just so convenient, we’ve taken to ordering lots of things “online” and having it delivered.  There are numerous delivery services including, but not limited to FedX, Ibotta, Door-Dash, Ubereats, Grubhub, Instacart, Factor, and Home Chef.  Over the last two or three years, we’ve used them all and we’re ever so thankful for them.  All of them.  However, we have one complaint.  Actually, I guess we have two, but one of them is a real doozy. 

Why in the hell don’t they ring the doorbell when they deliver something that they are going to leave just outside of the door?  I get so pissed when I open the door to find something that’s been sitting out there in the hot sun for several hours.  What kind of idiots must they be hiring?  It ain’t that hard to push the button on that doorbell.  That’s what it’s there for.  Use it!

But what is almost as maddening is to open the door and find a delivery sitting right in front of the door.  How the hell am I supposed to get out of my out-swinging screen door when it’s blocked by a box or a bag?  They’re hiring idiots, I tell ya.  

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Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012 #562

About: Common Sense

“When people show you who they are, believe them.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: We are both writers.  Please check us out at:

amazon.com/author/richard-lee-king/

amazon.com/author/donnachandler

Kindle versions of most of our books are available at only 99 cents.

When a man and a woman have been together for a long period of time, it’s easy to get neglectful and forgetful.  It isn’t intentional, but eventually, you just plain run out of new things to talk about.

When you first got together, everything was new and you had a lot to discuss, but after years and years of living together, she’s probably heard everything you’ve got to say. Truth be known, she’s probably heard it several times.  Once we’ve said all that we have to say, we tend to start repeating ourselves.  At least that’s what my sweetie keeps telling me.

My point being, when you run out of new and interesting things to talk about, you tend to stop communicating.  Don’t fall into that trap.  Don’t let it happen.  

Recently, I posted an item which mentioned that Sweetie and I set aside a few minutes every day, which we call “our time.”  These days “our time” often finds us discussing mundane things, such as, “what book are you reading, or what have you been watching on Netflix?  Less likely, (cause, I never watch the news) we might even discuss something that’s been in the news.” 

The point being, we talk.  You should too.  When it gets to the point where you stop communicating, one or the other of you is going to start feeling neglected.  For the neglected party, over the long haul, that can lead to feelings of doubt, despair and regret.  Don’t let that happen to you and yours. TALK TO EACH OTHER!

LOVE SHOWS
From the book Memories & Time ©2017 R. L. King

You can’t simply say, “I love you.” it constantly needs to show.
If all you do is say it, she’ll never really know.

Guys really aren’t stupid; we just make a lot of mistakes,
but just a little more consideration is really all it takes.

Where we fail,,, is in making sure she knows just how we feel.
She needs to be regularly reassured that your love is truly real.

Little gestures are so important to reveal your true emotions.
If she’s to know you love her, you’ve got to exhibit the notion.

Do the laundry, sweep the floor or prepare the occasional meal.
If she’s to believe you love her, you need to show her how you feel.

Compliment her cooking, then get up and do the dishes.
Try to think a step ahead,,, anticipate her wishes.

Kiss her without a reason, hug her with every kiss.
Show her she’s important, that nothing compares to this.

You can’t simply say, “I love you.” it constantly needs to show.
If all you do is say it, she’ll never really know.

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Gramps use’ta say
©R.L.King2012 #237

About: Manners

“Please and thank you

carry much more clout

when accompanied by a genuine smile.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: We are both writers.  Please check us out at:

amazon.com/author/richard-lee-king/

amazon.com/author/donnachandler

Kindle versions of most of our books are available at only 99 cents.