I'm 58.  I can best be defined as a working class married man living the dream in the twilight of a mediocre career.  I was 15 when I first dated my wife Patti.  Not old enough to drive yet but I had my Oregon learners permit and my older sister went along with my scheming.  With her along I could drive and we had a double date in Dad's 1964 Dodge Polara 2 door hard top.  We went to, "The Grove", drive in theater in Hermiston, Oregon.  Patti and I sat up front and my friend David and my sister in back.  Patti would have to tell you if I kissed her goodnight because I don't remember.  What I was more excited about was driving.  That Dodge had a 383 cu. in. V8, bucket seats with a slush box, I loved it.  Patti could probably tell you the date and what movie played.  These days I hold her hand in the movie theater, we share our popcorn  and, drive-ins' are a thing of the past like that old Dodge. 

If there is one thing to learn from this old world it is that there are ups' & downs' and sometimes bad things happen to good people.  I can handle that in my sleep.  I swear to God there is a silver lining to changing out a starter motor under a 45 year old Mustang after dark in the freezing cold, on the side of the road.  The starter was only $41, the core return was $25 so it only cost sixteen dollars and it was on the shelf at the closest parts store on a Sunday evening.  Try that trick with a Mitsubishi or a BMW, HA!  Don't get me started or I'll take off on another subject.  What I'm trying to say is the Mustang belongs to my 24 year old son and, he was very upset because it wouldn't start.  I loaded up some tools, a jack & a piece of carpet to lay on and an hour later we were laughing about it and praising the Ford Motor Company of Detroit Michigan, and talking of things like fellowship and horse shit.  Those were very inexpensive cars back in the 60s' and they were not designed to last fifty years.

So there is one more little thing to clear up here.  Are you getting a clue by now.  I'm a car guy and not just a curious type that watches NASCAR on Sunday.  I sell them professionally for a living.  I like to have about fifty to eighty folks sit down at my desk each and every month to put their signature on the dotted line. For the past few decades, I've been able to do that.  As a professional it has afforded us a good honest living.  I do know that some folks with small minds think for some reason it is not an honorable way to earn a living but they would be wrong.  Sure there are some bad apples in every profession but one of my favorite parts of the car biz is the people I am privileged to have worked with.  Wow, there have been some great ones over the years. 

Our four kids have seen Mom & Dad get up each and every morning, iron our work clothes, shine our shoes and head off for our days work.  The most unfortunate part of my schedule has been the retail hours I have had to keep, every evening till eight or ten, and every weekend. That my friend, is a legacy.  Show em' how to get out of bed in the morning, bring home a pay check at the end of the month and you will increase their individual chances of success as well. That is half the duty of raising kids the right way.  The other part is never, ever, let them doubt for a moment your unyielding love for them.  Got it?  Sounds simple right. 

If it seems too easy you never raised a teenager.