I’ve only been in a couple of accidents in my life. 3 or 4 maybe.
The second one was in high school.
My buddy Chad Trent (whom Chadwick Machine is named after) had this big old car, known as “Ole Blue”. It was a (1960 something) tank of a car that Chad used to drag our gang all over Eastern Washington. Ole Blue took us to school dances, road trips, late night journeys to Canada, band practice, and even on rare dates. Ole Blue was a ship, and she was OUR ship.
Not surprisingly, we were always grubbing for gas money. Chad is a kind guy, so he paid our ways most of the time. I was pretty poor in High School, so cash was something I never really had. I didn’t have an allowance, and I didn’t have any real way to get money besides skimping on my lunch, and saving my $1.25 per day. So, sometimes, I’d be able to add that. (Though it was pretty rare that I’d contribute much of anything.)
One afternoon, Chad, his brother Travis, Brent and I all ponied up all of our money, and filled Blue’s cavernous gas tank. We were all about 17, and enjoying the season only as young, optimistic kids can. A full gas tank meant that we were certain to have an evening of adventure.
BAM! As we were crossing lone country intersection, we got nailed by a speeding pickup truck. It slammed into our aft, forcing Blue to lurch off of the road and into the vast country ditch. We all scrambled out, surveying the damage and checking to see that everyone was okay. (We were, though Ole Blue was smashed some.)
While we dealt with the guy that hit us, Chad noticed something even more tragic; gallons hard earned gas was pouring out of the gas cap (gone? I don’t remember).
Our elation turned to bitter disappointment as the fuel of our adventure soaked into the earth. This was one of the rare times I saw Chad really, thoroughly angered.
Soon after this, Chad retired Ole Blue, and we moved on to some other vehicle. (But certainly not mine.)
She’s gone now, but I’m certain that it’s a safe bet that each of us remember and respect that old car that defined our independence (and that summer).
- Daniel
UPDATE:
Chad wrote in to let us know that we’re talking about a 1964 Chevy Biscayne with the following awesome features:
- Straight 6 cylinder 194 CID engine
- 3 speed transmission
- “3 on the tree” shifter (manual shifter on the steering column)
- Steel dash
- Carpet
- 2 bench seats, nearly 6-foot long each, seating for 8 high school students
- Approximately 40 cubic feet of trunk space (Yes, we used this occasionally)
- Custom AM/FM/Cassette sound system (found in a garage as the original radio opening was covered by a metal plate)
Ole Blue looked like this.
For some reason, I remember her as a 4 door though.
- D
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methinks I hear Ben E King’s “Stand By Me” softly playing in the distance as I read that.
Ol Blue looked like that (she was a 4 door) in 1964. By roughly 1984 she had aged some!
The trunk would allow us to enjoy the car price at the drivein for roughly a nickel each