Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Chevy vs. Ford

My Dad has informed me that the blue and white "Ford" in my July 5th post was actually a "Chevy". Oops, my bad! After he jolted my memory, I honestly can't believe that I made that mistake.

The mist of time takes me back 30 (ohmygosh!) years. I'm once again standing on a concrete patio at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Pendleton, Oregon. The July sun is beating down and the smell of summer permeates the air. My Uncle Dale flips the burgers and hot dogs on the grill. My Dad stands by, heckling the chef. Each has a red and white Rainer beer can in hand. The seven of us kids are running wild - rolling down the green grass in the hillside yard, running into the playhouse to tell some secrets, up and down the dirt road on our bikes, back to the patio to see Mike and Kerry's latest skateboard tricks. All the while, we keep our ears open to the grown-ups conversations, not wanting to miss anything. It isn't long until the talk turns to trucks, as it always seems to do. Dale drives a Ford, Dad drives a Chevy. The verbal jousting match begins. Chevy...Ford...Chevy...Ford. Us kids take our cue from the parents. We Chevy riders taunt "Ford stands for 'Found On Road Dead' and 'Fix Or Repair Daily'!" The Ford passengers come back with something just as scathing, though the exact words escape me. The sparing continues until something equally as exciting turns our attention elsewhere.

The mist lifts. I'm surprised to find my older self sitting at my desk. Is that a Ford that I see in the driveway? And a Chrysler? What's with that.....?



Does anybody recall the "Chevy taunts"? Please, leave them in my comment box.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't remember the Chevy, but the come back for Fords was "First on Race Day"

Paula said...

Stacey,
Too funny! I forgot that!!

Anonymous said...

I guess I wouldn't know any of that at all. LOL One thing that does come to my mind is the dumb kid peeing on either Ford or Chevy (your take) at the shirt stores found all over here in New York. :-P
Though I never got to experience that stuff like you did, I can picture all of you there in Pendleton with Dale. My memories of Dad and Dale arguing always brings back to Oregon vs. California (especially which cops are bigger jerks). I would swear that at Dale's funeral that Dad looked down at Dale and told him I am going to miss our arguing. I will never forget the look on Dad's face as he looked down at his friend and the fondness that he held for Dale, and the tears coming down his face (I had NEVER seen Dad cry before). It was then that I realise that Dad and Dale were best friends and that aruging was their special way of being them.
Wow how things change but yet stay the same. Hmmm, I should take a trip out to Oregon. I will try to get a time when me and Eric can come out and visit everyone.

Paula said...

Joshua,
Thank you so much for sharing your memories. You were so much younger that you have your own special memories that the rest of us don't have. I love to hear yours!

Anonymous said...

I don't remember any Chevy taunts, probably because they all knew Chevys were truly the superior rig. I do remember Mike teaching us Found On Road Dead, which he still uses as he is still a Ford driver. KP has a theory on people who drive Fords. They are either really dumb and don't know any better or really intelligent and like a good challenge.
Susan