We dream many dreams in life. Some of them are based on relationships or legacy; others revolve around ambitions; and still others are aimed at material acquisitions. The dreamer feels the dream first; then he decides what is worth his continued dreaming. Finally, he decides whether and how to go about making his dreams come true.
Since he was a little boy, Handsome has been a car guy. He developed an appreciation for all sorts of motorized vehicles and established his opinions on aesthetics and mechanics at a pretty early age. Looking back over the years on his constantly rotating collection of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and watercraft, you can see his life change and witness his personality evolve. You can see him experiment with style, rebel against authority, protect young children, go lunching with white collar colleagues, flirt with speed and danger, bond with his dad, and even fall in love.
If you know him personally then you know I am not exaggerating one bit to say that his car collection represents much more than transportation; it is satisfaction on many levels and self expression in the truest sense for him.
Though many of his selections have come and gone, keeping that “visiting” spot in the garage pretty warm and filled with mystery, a couple of cars will always hold a place in his heart.
One of them is the Shelby Cobra.
He started loving this car in 1981 when he was six years old. His specific memory of a date perked up my ears. I asked him, “What happened? Was it a significant event? Where were you? What was the weather like that day? Were you hungry?”
He said, “I saw one.” Simple as that, I suppose. Love at first sight.
Someone gave Handsome a poster early in his Cobra love affair, and it hangs today in his car shop, barely tattered considering its age.
He had a toy car model that represented his ultimate Cobra package: Blue, white rally stripes, white pipes, single roll bar. He keeps it in his office.
Here is a painting our oldest daughter made for him when she was about ten years old.
That was almost six years ago, before we lived here at the farm,
before Handsome’s career took such an unexpected and incredible turn,
before a lot of family changes frankly.
She captured the blue paint, white rally stripes, and single roll bar.
It was a spontaneous work of love and gift for him, and we will treasure it forever.
Side note: At that age, her dream car was a pick up truck, painted sparkly purple.
She captured the blue paint, white rally stripes, and single roll bar.
It was a spontaneous work of love and gift for him, and we will treasure it forever.
Side note: At that age, her dream car was a pick up truck, painted sparkly purple.
He never expected to own it until after retirement. But thanks to a slightly depressed car market, incredible long term financial discipline, and very, very, very patient searching, my dream guy was able to buy his dream car a bit early.
One of the truly beautiful cars we considered and ultimately declined.
When we shopped, we shopped for a long time and looked at a wide variety of cars all across the region, understanding that the unexpected and limited opportunity to buy might limit the colors available, motors, etc. He considered a yellow paint job, an aqua blue one, and a black body with red pinstripes. All of those cars were gorgeous and any of them might have been fine, but none of them was his dream.
Fate intervened.
Unloading the Cobra was almost surreal that night.
He gritted his teeth, waited, and got exactly the car he wanted. It matches his model car almost perfectly but also needs just the right amount of tinkering to make it his. He has big plans for his Cobra, knowing it will be a lifetime investment and treasure.
So far he has had it for about nine months,
and we expect to enjoy it together for many decades.
How I wish the girls could be under his wing for this chapter of their lives! He has so much to teach and offer, so many lessons and resources, so much talent to share. Maybe in the future.
One of favorite things at car shows has always been watching
what keeps the attention of little children too young to be attached
to commonplace labels or commercial popularity.
I wonder if we have a couple of collectors here.
I just love their faces!
So to anyone still dreaming of your ultimate car, keep the flame alive. In the back of your heart, in the margins of your thoughts, remember that dreams come true, even those dreams on wheels.
