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| Photo credit - Ford Pinto Car Club |
When they remodeled their house, the Pinto doubled as a pickup truck.
They hauled lumber, plywood, paint, and sheetrock from discount salvage, and home improvement stores all across central Alabama.
Once when I was down there helping unload some wood, I noticed a red and white fishing cork as big as a golfball on the antenna.
When I asked about the fishing cork, he laughed and said that on a recent shopping excursion, they'd misplaced the Pinto and had walked the parking lot from end to end without finding the car.
Just before they were about go inside and report the car stolen (who would have stolen a 1974 Pinto?), a van backed out of a parking spot, and there it sat.
The Pinto had a curiously long antenna and when extended to its full length, the cork was like a beacon. You could spot the vehicle from thirty yards away.
I said all that to say this: Jilda and I went to her sister's retirement party today and afterwards we drove to the nearby Apple store to buy a car charger for my new phone.
There was a Williams and Sonoma a few doors down and we stepped down to browse for a moment. When we headed to where our car should have been, it wasn't there. We walked few aisles over and nada.
I was scratching my head and trying to figure out our next move when an SUV as big as a mobile home backed out and there was Ingrid.
I laughed and started to speak, but Jilda beat me to the punch when she said, "We need a fishing cork for our antenna." We both howled.
I knew immediately what my blog would be about tonight.
Great post!! I have the SUV and still can't see it sometimes in the parking lot... I try to be real careful and notice what number is on the sign at the end of the row. LOL
ReplyDeleteGood one tonight. I misplaced my car and in tears when back to the store I had just left, cried a few minutes, an employee came out to help and low and behold - there was the car one alley over from where I usually park. Red face.
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My car is teeny weeny, it is considered a sub, sub compact. It is really nice that it is also a very funky green color so that makes it easy to pick out IF is isn't surrounded by SUVs. But the problem is always basically solved because with it being still so new [to me] I park as far from the store as I possibly can walk so no one will open their doors into it. With every brand new car I have ever purchased this has happened within the first week of having them. I swore it would be different with Oscar. Going on week 5 and so far so good AND I always know where he is. :D
ReplyDeleteAnd OnStar informed me that if I ever lost him in a parking lot all I had to do was call them and they would flash the lights and honk the horn so I could find him. ::GRIN:: now how cool is that? I honestly have never been fond of all this new technology and feel incredibly spoiled having him, but it sure has been fun so far.
I would love to use the cork lure idea, but his antenna is only about 3 inches tall. There really is something to be said for the older cars, isn't there? And I love that Jilda's parents kept that car for so long.
Someone told me that at Disney World they have a special team assigned to help people find their cars. There they have a double-whammy: many people who can't remember where they parked are also in a rental vehicle and can't remember exactly what they rented.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times when I thought I would have to wait until everyone was gone and I would have to take whatever car was left! This also reminded me of my Sister who bought a pinto when she was a teen. She was proud of the fact she had bought it with her own money and all by herself. Dad went to take a look at the engine, leaned on the fender and his arm fell through...they had painted over the rust! She learned a valuable lesson...never buy a pinto by yourself!
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