Today, January 11, 2010 at 2 am., is the beginning of my blog. This has come about because I have been home from work on vacation for eleven days in a row. I need to find something constructive to do. This is it. First of all, this blog will probably not last, or I will have entries with several days or months in between. Once I return to work, as I am a very busy person, this blog will probably diminish. I am going to utilize this blog as my 'vehicle maintenance log', so eventually I can re-read it, or have an eyewitness of how I made a huge mistake, and it is now time to sale my dream car, as the hassle may not be worth the reward. However, this is my story I want to share. Maybe this confession will bring me to psycho treatment, or evaluation but this entry is true so here it goes. I cannot remember the exact date, however my partner did not go into work that night, as he was having Christmas dinner with his family that particular evening. I remember I came into work very, very tired, and it is always "my" rule, if I am not at my 100% 'A-game', then I am not going to engage in the fight for the evening, and just stay low profile; as in my profession - you must stay alert to stay alive. Anyway, lets get to the story. Since my shift was going to consist of killing time, I was practicing an old technique I learned as a city policemen, called the 'business check', and although it is something I was taught in the early 1990's, it is a subconscious task I still do every night. OK, back to the story...I was traveling westbound on SR 52, and happened to look to my right, and seen a shiny Porsche 928, (red in color) facing the roadway, apparently 'For Sale,' as it was displayed at a used car lot. I asked myself, was that a Porsche 928? I had to make a U-turn and investigate. First, just a quick background. I graduated from high school in 1985, so I know what a 928 is. I have always been a Porsche fanatic, and always remember Tom Cruise in 'Risky Business,' when he stole his dad's 928, and later was chased by Quido, the killer pimp, with the famous Rebecca Demornay in the passenger seat. Tom Cruise did get away, slammed on his brakes, looked at the movie screen, directly at me, and said, still forever etched in my brain......"Porsche, There is no substitute." I think every teenage boy has his dream car, and guess what? Mine was 'For Sale' at a local Hudson Car lot called "Golden Oldies." This 928 was not at the Porsche dealership, not at some Exotic Sports Car Sales lot, like Lokey Motors atttached with a heavy sticker price, this car was suspiciously sitting here, and to think about it, it was out of place, and probably the reason I seen it. The following morning, I met the car salesman, introduced myself, and inquired about my teenage dream car. The salesman replied, he got it at an auction, and did not know anything about it. He actually told me it was 'as is,' He did not want any problems, and honestly said.. I do not want to sale it to you. Anyway, I did not hear a single word he said, I just asked for the keys and wanted to drive it!!! My first destination was to my wife. Of course to get permission for the purchase, thinking she was going to love it like I do. I should of thought, she was born in 1979, and the car was older than her. My wife heard me in the driveway, came out, and had that look on her face as if I was a dumb-ass, as her body language said it all, with her left foot tilted to the left, both arms crossed, as she spoke in clear English language. "No, we cannot afford it." I did not hear her either, and continued on my test drive journey to my favorite mechanic I have known for at ten years. I was actually driving a Porsche 928! The car had balls. It responds to it's commands, and was something like I never experienced ever. I have been driving for at least 25 years now, actually drive for a living. I have driven across the country, drive several thousands of miles per year just on my job, but this driving experience was too much to take in just in one day. I pull the car up to my mechanics garage, and jumped out of the driver seat, with my arm leaning on the driver door, probably giving my best cop Starsky pose, smiling ear to ear, very proud. My mechanic friend said 'Get that piece of shit out of here.' I knew the car was older, it would need TLC, and my mechanic, wife, and salesman all said to me. Not a good decision. I sadly and delicately returned the car back to the dealer, and said, 'Thanks.' I returned home, and went to sleep as I had to work that evening. Anyway during my sleep time, I was wide awake, dreaming about the car, thinking about the car, rolling over to my left and right side, thinking about the car. When I went back to work, I got my coffee, and drove directly to the car lot, and sat, did reports, and glared at the car as if I was looking at my first Playboy centerfold. I could not get the 'test drive' experience out of my system. I have witnessed child birth, been in two wars, jumped out of planes, but this test drive blown everything away. Probably, and mostly, since driving this German car was something I wanted to do for decades? I think two more days past, still parked at the car lot doing my reports. I was still trying to convince my wife, I must have that car! I did do research on insurance rates, and google.com is always a good source. I read on some website, which read..."Life is not about how many breaths you take, it is about how many times it takes your breath away!" I finally called the salesman back, and told him over the telephone. Wash it! I am paying cash and I will be there later today! Did I know my mechanic thought I was stupid? Yes! Did I know my wife was going to be pissed? Yes! Do you think any of this mattered to me? No, because I was going to be a Porsche 928 owner, and my 30-year old dream was going to be a reality today! So anyway, my youngest son and I had a plan, as my seventeen year old was in the front passenger seat, and my youngest was in the backseat. We were going to drive by the car lot, and when we passed it, my youngest was going to say. "Dad, is that a Porsche for sale?" My rehearsed reply was "Where, let's check it out?" My 17 yoa, looked at me and said.. "Really," as well, hell, he is my son, he has known his entire living life his Dad loves his Fishing, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Porsche.' We pulled into the lot, and of course, it shined, as it was washed and detailed as asked, just awaiting for my arrival. I instructed my teenager to get in it, and check it out. Once he finally exits, he notices I am in the sales office buying it, and my teenager was staring at me in disbelief and his look was something like..Wow, really? Awesome! My dad is the shit! Cool man! I never seen this behavior or excitement from him ever, and I probably never gave it to him since his first base hit in Little League ten years earlier :) Priceless man...I drove it home, as my licensed teenage driver followed me. Do you think I let him drive it? Of course, it is Dad's responsibility to guide your children in the right direction. Although, a later conversation with my wife that night, she told me I taught my sons a very bad lesson today, and had to agree :(
I have put my first 200 miles on it, about three tanks of gas, mostly driving nowhere, or finding an excuse to go somewhere. My mechanic has got soft, and has actually referred me to someone where MY 928 will get an oil change, and transmission flush; and most important, my wife has tolerated my behavior so far!
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