Luke and I went on a top secret mission today. It's so secret that I can't tell you about it. Now. But, the day is coming when I can tell you everything. Every. Thing. Only not today.It will be worth the wait. I promise.
Anyway, I can't tell you why we were where we were, but I did see this while we were there....
Some great kid wrote "I love you Daddy" in the dust on the passenger door of Daddy's van.
This made me smile because some little kid felt this way about their Daddy and because it's clear that the little kid is just mastering writing with a pencil, much less with their finger in the dust on a car!
But, really, what made me smile is a memory....a memory of writing on a car. Only not in the dust and not with my finger.
The year was 1974 (maybe 1975), I was old enough to know what I was doing and, probably, know better.
I spent the summer and many weekend nights babysitting for a particular family. (The same kids who I rediscovered and met in Colorado in December.) Their dad was a HUGE Oklahoma University fan, still is. And he had a sweet car. A very sweet car. I think it was Charger; it was blue with a black top.
As I look back, I can't believe that they let me drive their car. Or look after their kids, for that matter.
Anyway, on the dad's birthday, I got a can of shaving cream (you know where this is headed, right?) and I wrote all over that sweet car. I didn't just spray the shaving cream on it, I WROTE on the car. I wrote "OU Sucks" and I wrote "Happy Birthday (and inserted the name his 3 year old son called him)".
There was NO doubt who had done this little bit of criminal damage to property.
I did not know that shaving cream would interact with the paint on that silly car and turn it dark so that when the shaving cream was washed off, my messages of love remained. In the paint. After all traces of shaving cream had disappeared. SHIT!
There was some kerfuffle with the insurance company refusing to pay without a police report, and the hesitation of the car owner to file said police report (and risk losing the best babysitter in the entire universe). My dad stepped right in, told the car owner's to file the police report (YIKES! My dad was selling me down the river?) which I am not sure they even considered. Instead, a buddy (isn't it great to have a buddy?) with a car buffer, buffed all traces of "OU Sucks" off that damn car.
Since that day I have NEVER , ever, ever put any kind of substance on someone else's car. Ever. In fact, I am the one you want in charge of your car at your wedding.
But, if I ever did do something to someone's car (which I totally would NOT do) I know, now, not to write something on that car which would be tantamount to signing my fricking name.
In my list of youthful indiscretions, this one is close to the top of the list.
The one at the top?
Another story for another day.
