The Need For Speed





In 1976 my Dad bought a 1966 Ford Mustang from a next door neighbor. It was red with a beautiful white top. Dad had a thing for red cars and he fell in love with this one from the beginning.( To find out this car's eventual fate read my blog of August 27 2003. )I couldn't wait to ride in it. The only problem was that it didn't work well. It would sputter and stop after just a few moments. Many times we ended up pushing it back into the garage.
Finally Dad called Steve over to look at it. Steve loved working on cars almost as much as did playing the guitar.
It was a nice early summer day when Steve came over. Dad said he'd be back home after lunch to see how Steve was doing. Dad left with Steve working on the car, and me and Geno watching him. All Steve really did was change the spark plugs and oil. He backed the car out of the garage and said, "Lets go blow the cob webs out of her." I jumped into the passenger seat, and Geno happily sat in the back.
Steve slowly drove though the alley way and into the street. By the time we reached Main Street he was putting the top down. I had never rode in a convertible before and found this to be the coolest thing ever. We headed north though town passing the main section of town, fully decorated with flags waving in the breeze for the bicentennial.
The only defect in the car was hole in the floorboard under the passenger seat. I found it amazing to look down and watch the road move under the car.
By the time Steve left Kewanee heading north towards Annawan he was doing 60 miles an hour. The wind was whipping though the car. Geno actually sat up on the folded down top, his feet on the seat.
Less then a mile out of town Steve was doing 70. Steve's long dark hair was blowing around, a smile starting to make it's way on his face. It was getting harder to hear the radio. Steve just turned it up louder.
Steve's foot pressed down more. By the time we reached a large straightaway Steve was pushing past 80 miles an hour. I looked down at the hole in the floorboard. The ground was moving so fast it made me dizzy. Behind me Geno spread his arms out and was screaming,"Faster!"
When Steve went past 90 Geno found that he had to sit down in his seat or he was going to be blown off the back of the car. I looked at Steve. His hair was now blowing straight back, a look of pure enjoyment on his face.
Making sure my feet were away from the hole I grabbed the top of the windshield and slowly pulled my up, until my head was above it. The wind was incredible. I could only stand it for a few seconds. As I sat down back in my seat Steve let out a yell.
I looked over at him. We were now doing over a hundred miles an hour. I had never Steve so happy. Even Geno let out a whoop.
Annawan came up on faster then I would have thought possible. Steve slowed down to the incredibly slow speed of 65 miles an hour. Once we reduced our speed I heard a strange sound. A thumping noise. It took me only a second to realize it was my heart.
Steve turned the car around and we sped of towards Kewanee. If anything he drove faster. Steve didn't even slow down for the large s curve before town. Once in town it seemed like we were going so slow it was like we were almost crawling.
Steve parked it outside the garage. He sat back in his seat and just kept smiling. Finally he said,"Let it cool down and I'll check it over again real quick." Steve had me run into the house and grab some Pepsi. After we were done drinking them Steve opened the hood and started giving the engine another quick check over.
While he was doing that Dad came home for lunch. He walked over to the garage and asked Steve,"How's it coming."
Steve looked at Dad and said,"Almost done. Another hour or two and she'll be ready to go for a test spin."
Dad looked at his red car, then back at Steve. He ran his hand though his short dark hair. His eyes narrowed as if he suspected something was going on. Finally he said, "Ok. Just be careful with her when you take her out." Dad turned around and walked back into the house. Soon he finished lunch and went back to work.
Shortly after that Steve and Geno pulled out of the alleyway with the car. They each had huge smiles on their faces. I stayed behind. I was only 11 after all. There was only so much of a rush I could take in one day.

I know it was fool hardy and reckless of Steve to drive like that with two of his younger brothers in the car.
But it was damn fun!