My kelly green mustang convertable died an untimely death
and
could no longer make the grade
During my first year teaching first grade I bought my first car.
After going to the bank to take out my first loan,
I was the proud owner
of a kelly green mustang convertible...with plaid seats in mint condition.
It was a larger version than the other mustangs that came out the following year.
I found it
practically packed in bubble wrap
in the garage of a guy I was dating.
It belonged to his twin brother
another story
My exciting purchase was totally against my fathers wishes.
He didn't understand why I would want to take on debt
when he provided a perfectly good vehicle for my use?
Well, perhaps the reason was
because my new car was so cool!
and
that other Hurst like 4 door nightmare that I shared with my two brothers
was embarrassing.
The top was down from February till November!
Actually, on the year anniversary of my girlfriends wedding,
I put on the bridesmaid dress, gloves and shoes that I never had the opportunity to wear
because of the colon resection surgery
I had the day she walked down the aisle
see post:
Summer of 1973 weddings and barium
and
picked up one of the other maids.
Off we drove with the top down along the the Dan Ryan,
with our floppy hats flying in the breeze
singing at the top of our lungs all the way to Evanston
to surprise our good friends, the newlyweds!
(that's another story)
I just loved that car
and I'm really not a car person.
My glorious green machine sadly died
a very untimely
as well as
horribly tragic
death.
Seems there was an arsonists loose in the neighborhood
who decided to go on a rampage at 2 am.
The guy set a row of random cars on fire
and then finished himself off in the vestibule
of the condo 2 doors down from my parents.
No one had any idea how this seriously sick man found his way to our block.
Its a long story
but
all I had left
of my beautiful kelly green mustang convertible
with the plaid seats
was
half a license plate!
The good news
after the insurance claim was made
I received more money than I originally paid for it!
but we all know that
money can't buy happiness
The bad news
was
it was the night before the last day of school
and
all my report cards were in the trunk.
Just imagine the look on my principals face
when I gave him the red hot news that following morning.
"Um Mr. V
we have to talk
you are never going to believe
what happened last night"
All the special teachers at Dorn School in Hickory Hills
Music, Art, PE etc
formed an assembly line
and worked diligently against the clock
we only had an hour and a half of school on our last day
transferring the grades from my grade book
on to the new blank report cards.
It was a mad rush, but we made it,
they finished just in the knick of time.
whew
that was a close call
As I was saying goodbye to my little darlings
one child came up to me with tears in his eyes thanking me for the A I gave him in Math.
what?
oh no
oophs
you guessed it,
unfortunately
he was not an A student
Mr V made me go to each and every kids house
to make sure they received the grade they earned.
I missed
the end of the year teachers luncheon
but that was not the first time that was to happen
I missed the annual event the following year too
and that
is yet
another story....