Listening to this song always reminds me of our Metallic Enhanced Corvette Sunset Bronze 'Cuda - it shimmered like desert heat in the sunshine. That thing was hot!
Of course, nothing topped Bob's first love, his '68 Camaro … but that 'Cuda came pretty darned close 😉
Every time I drive past the Faith Temple Church across from Wal*Mart on Ocean Beach Highway I grin thinking of the night we were going home to Cathlamet from Longview and some smart-ass kid in a VW ass-ended us, locking bumpers - right there where the stop lights overhang; there used to be a vineyard to the left (where the Liquor Store is now).
Bob would have let it go … but when he looked in the rear view mirror and saw that kid howling with laughter, he got steamed.
Maybe the kid was stoned (don't know) - maybe the kid was scared and letting that fear dissipate by howling (don't know); but laughing wasn't the smartest thing to do at the particular moment.
I was watching the kid as Bob opened the 'Cuda's door and started unfolding himself from the low riding bucket seat to his full 6'2" height: as Bob straightened up and started for the back end of the 'Cuda, the kid's crazy laughter stopped and he slowly started slinking down in his seat.
It was funny. Because anyone who knows Bob knew he was a gentle giant - it took a LOT to ruffle his feathers and make him lose his temper; a locked bumper wouldn't make him go ballistic.
But the situation wasn't so funny.
Both cars had been damaged - nothing to laugh about.
Bob walked up to the VW's window and rapped on it with his knuckles and the window came down a crack; Bob asked the kid to get out of the car - and the kid looked at him for a long minute before getting out. Bob told him he'd let the whole thing go if the kid would unlock the bumpers.
It was a job: those bumpers were really locked.
Bob never offered to help.
He just stood by and watched as the kid struggled.
I was chocking on laughter I was struggling to hold in; let the smart-ass sweat it a little.
After about 20 minutes of watching the kid sweat, and huff-n-puff trying his best to get those 2 bumpers apart … Bob finally shook his head and told the repentant kid to get down off the bumpers. When the kid did, Bob lifted his foot and - I am not sure what he did at this point because I could not see what he was doing - as he brought his foot down on the locked bumpers, the car rocked, and it was free!
I hope the kid learned a lesson and was more careful after that incident.
We drove home, and YES! I laughed the whole way rerunning that scene through my head until we dropped into bed.
And, STILL, 4 decades later, driving past that specific spot makes me grin.
And, I swear, I can see Bob opening that 'Cuda's door and unfolding himself like it was only a second ago …
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