She was an old beast, a cranky old girl that I both loved and hated…but she was the first to let me have at her as I pleased…and I drove her hard and with reckless abandon. Some times I could turn her on…but most days she was simply to cold and tired to turn over, ha…that old 4 speed International PU was the first vehicle I learned to drive and I remember her well. We lived on a hobby farm just off Rutherford in Nanaimo…we had some horses and some other farm animals, but I was taken right away with the International and learned to drive stick through trial and error tearing up the fields and pastures. I must have been 13 or 14, I don’t really remember…but the memories of this old girl are vivid. But the real hottie that broke my driving cherry was a gold 1974 Trans AM – California 4 on the floor, T-roof, 400 cu in with growling dual exhaust – a freak’n hot golden rocket that made we quiver and shiver whenever I was allowed to be inside her…driving her, what? We lived in Oyster River and had a border named Audie (maybe Aldi) who would occasionally take me as the designated driver to party’s…on the way into town he would teach me the finer points of driving too fast, doing donuts, brake stands, and generally risking life and limb at 90 miles per hour…and yes, I was well under 16 (what planet was I raised on?) I would be so hot to drive this car home, I always made sure Audie had plenty to drink, fetching beers and other substances without prompting or reminder…every moment dreaming of what it was going to feel like to have my way with this dream, pushing her hard right to the red line, and having her blow me back in the drivers seat. Take me for a drive she purred the instance the ignition brought her to life and together we experimented, teasing out confidence…teaching me the importance of being gentle and warming her up slowly, understanding her rhythms and needs, and only when she was ready take her for the ride of a lifetime. Awe man…I loved that car and to this day she is a constant sparkle through my memories, a first love for sure and an experience that still gets me all revved up, ha ha ha.
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Lawrence Lewis
“There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.” ~Stirling Moss
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂