Selling Daddy's Car

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you probably know that my Daddy, who died at the ripe old age of 102, loved his cars. In fact, he often remembered key dates by which car he was driving at the time. So it's with a certain level of misgiving that we have finally put his car out in our yard, with a FOR SALE sign on it. It's a 1969 Chevrolet Caprice (our younger daughter was born that year, is what Daddy always said), 350 engine, green vinyl hardtop, that he bought new, in all but perfect condition. After all, Daddy babied and pampered it constantly, cleaning off the engine every time he drove it, and keeping it in the garage all its life.

We put the price in the window, because we didn't want to have to bother with the locals who might think this was an old car they could buy for a few hundred dollars. There have been a few lookers who understood just how much of a thing of beauty this one is, and admired it with an eye that told me it was alright to sell it to them. But one fellow has been by twice now, and says he already has a '69 truck. So we know he recognizes its value. He says he'll be back when he gets the money together, if it hasn't been sold by then. I'm rooting for him, as he will be somebody that Daddy would approve of "inheriting" his car. I'm tempted to put the car in the garage and just wait for him to pull the money together! If we can talk to him on the phone and get a sense of how serious he is, I may just do that.

I really didn't want to try to keep the car, but I sure am going to feel sad when we do get rid of it. Knowing she's going to someone who will treat her with the respect and awe that she deserves will make it far easier, though. And then, I, too, can mark an event in my life with a car - the car Daddy had when he died.