Well, today I rolled up my sleeves and plunged into battle. I stepped up to the purple car with my scraper and took no prisoners. I thought as I scrapped and peeled and sanded of the family my sister first bought the car from. They were nice. A grandmother raising her grandson I think. They lived in a trailer park, the kind news crews drive through after a bad storm so that those of use who are sitting at home starring mindlessly at our TVs can take time to pat ourselves on the back for living in a house made out of brick. They seemed really nice, and quit sad to be loosing the car. They had just gotten an brand new used car and so they no longer need the old Geo. Still, you can tell they were attached. The 12 year old future hair dresser had once dreamed of driving the "Purple Grape" once he reached high school.
Yes, they named their car, Purple Grape. It was one of the many charming things about the car. Soon we all were naming our cars after their colors. Heather had the "Blueberry" for a short time. I admit, when I bought my Saturn I was influenced by the colors name, "Dragonfly Green". (In reality I would say it was teal, but Dragonfly seem more mystical). Anyway, in Anna's absence, in her increasing embarrassment of being a lawyer who drove a POS I had almost forgotten about the magic The Purple Grape once held. There was something about the time I spent with it yesterday and today that helped us to re-connect. Yes, in a way I was tearing it apart, deconstructing it, but in a way it felt like I was freeing her. I gave her her first real bath in years. In the process of removing that decal I felt like I was earning her respect. Like the Karate Kid..."wax on, wax off Daniel son."
I didn't get to paint her this weekend. In a way I'm sad about that, but in a way I'm not. I'm glad we had time to sit with each other and reconnect. I was reminded of her origins which I think will serve me well as I shape her future. Thank you Purple Grape.
Funny Alex story....
We got in the Purple Grape (a '96 Geo that has no power steering) to go to the ice cream story with my sister Anna. There was a truck parked behind us, and in my very bad no-power steering driving skills I was trying not to back into it. This meant it took me a couple of tries (I think I did a 6 point turn) before we were able to drive off. As I was preforming this highly awkward maneuver Alex asked, "Are we going to drive this car in the parade that is on TV?" I really hadn't thought about it much so I just said, "I don't know, I guess."
"Well, then," Alex said, "I hope it doesn't have a lot of turns."
I just had to ask, "why not?"
With out hesitation, and in all sincerity she flat out said, "Cause I'm going to be riding in the car and I care about what I look like."
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