Reflections From a Country Girl

For the men looking at this, it may bring back old memories OR fantasies of what you have wanted to own and drive sometime before you die.

For the women taking a peek at these pages, it may bring back thoughts of riding with the hood down on the way to the beach with friends when you were younger.  

I’ve never thought of owning a little red sports car….or anything “little” with 4 wheels…except for the classic red wagon we had when we were kids in the country.

You see, I think sports cars are too small for me.  I am tall and “well endowed.” Just because of those two things alone, I can’t imagine being in one…much less owning one.

Then there are the stories I hear about little sports cars being law enforcement magnets.

My 23 year old niece, Laura, is a prime example of that. 

She bought a small Mercedes Benz sports car from a colleague who was moving to Europe and couldn’t take it with him.  She got a great deal on it, but she has been stopped more than once by law enforcement for no apparent reason. 

Once, an officer stopped her when she was taking some inebriated friends home from a party.

She wasn’t breaking any laws as the designated driver but it was 2:00 in the morning.   She got the feeling he stopped her because she was young and was driving a fancy sports car.  He even brought in a backup officer with a drug dog to sniff the car.  She suspected he thought no one that young would be driving an expensive car like that unless it was bought with drug money.

She was not happy about this and I don’t blame her. 

I invited a friend to go to lunch yesterday.  She recently worked with me and had just moved to a new job closer to her home.  We wanted to celebrate.

Her husband recently had a minor surgery that turned out to be a major one.  He was very ill and there were times when the worse was possible. Miraculously he pulled through it and, after the tender loving care my friend gave him, he was up and running again like the energizer bunny.

I went to pick her up at her workplace and see her office.  “Let’s go in my car.” She said.

She explained she had a new car…one her husband got her to “thank” her for taking such good care of him.

It was a fire engine red Porsche Boxster. 

As we approached the beauty I said “I’ll never be able to get in that.”

“Yes you will,” She said  “If my husband can get in it, so can you.”

I slipped in and, much to my surprise, fit in it comfortably.  Never mind that I felt as though my behind was going to drag the ground.  I buckled up and, since it was a pretty day, we agreed the hood should come down.

We headed to a favorite barbeque restaurant on the other side of town. 

You don’t see many little red sports cars at a barbeque restaurant. 

Most of the vehicles there were pick up trucks or work vans.  There was also one police car.

Then, there was this little red sports car with the hood down.

The place was packed inside.  Most tables consisted of eight seats and they were all full, except for the table with the deputy.  Since we both knew him we decided to sit with him to eat. 

We had a great time catching up with each other and with the officer.  He was the community residential deputy in the town she lived in. 

As we left, we all went over to the car and took a closer look.

We laughed when she told us the spoiler would rise up about two feet in the back when the car reached speeds of 75 or more.  Our deputy friend agreed that was a sure way to be aware of high speeds.  He smiled and said he’d surely stop someone if he saw a spoiler up on that kind of car. 

It’s always good to be friends with the law when you drive a little red sports car. 

I never dreamed I would be riding in a car like that.   The pleasure of being a passenger was refreshing.   The looks we got as we were riding down the road were priceless.  I even called my son while I was riding in it and told him.  He laughed as we recalled the time he told me he wanted a sports car when he was younger.  That was, of course, before he knew how much they cost!

This experience will likely be the only time in my life I will ride in a car like this.  I thanked my friend for the ride and the memory. 

My wish for you today is that you have a chance to enjoy a safe joy ride in a little red sports car at least once in your life.  It’s the simple pleasures that make great memories.

~Joellen