When I was ten years old, I saw my first 'Bug'... the man-made kind. I was at a car show with my dad and as we followed the red carpeted path that led through the gigantic showroom, we turned a corner... and there it was, a beautiful, shiny, bright orange, VW Bug - perfectly displayed on a round pedestal and turning e-v-e-r so s-l-o-w-l-y in order to give the eyes of onlookers the opportunity to view it from all angles - and to allow the lights to highlight its glossy curves. I was smitten.
When I was old enough to drive, and afford a car of my own, I purchased a brand new, candy-apple red Pontiac Sunbird. I had my eye on a VW Bug (with a sunroof I just have to say), but because my dad was a car salesman and did not happen to sell VW's... I went with the Sunbird.
Very soon after my big purchase, I met a very handsome young man who happened to drive.... you guessed it... a VW Bug!
Honestly, it was just the cutest thing to watch - from the moment that we started dating, that little Bug did not have a reverse, and so this handsome young man would strategically park it in places where he could just drive it straight out, although more often than not, a reverse was required and so he would hold onto the steering wheel with his right hand, position his back against the opened door frame, and use his left leg to push the car backwards... then quick as a flash jump in, start the Bug, and away we would go!
Eventually this young man had my heart... and we were soon married and starting our new life together. My husband's brother, who was an art student with the Emily Carr School, gave his brother a beautiful sketch of his little Bug.
As the years went by, and our family grew, the day finally came when we had to sell the little Bug. As the new owners drove away and the familiar putt-putt-putt faded into the distance, my husband and I continued to stand in the driveway, arms around each other and unashamedly, cried.
Fast forward, to this past weekend, when we were out looking at cars... just for fun. We started out test driving a cute little white car - the dealer handed us the keys and told us not to turn the car off - we drove around for a few minutes and decided to park in a school parking lot to check out the vehicle more thoroughly... and you guessed it... we turned off the engine.
Short version of the story, I made an early morning emergency phone call to my friend Wendy (who just happened to live close to the area where we were) for a jump start.
Before we parted ways, Wendy joked about how we should go see her son at the VW Dealership; we took the little car back and headed over to the Honda car lot. We test drove a few cars there as well and then later on in the afternoon, my husband suggested we look at the VW Dealership before calling it a day... the fun was about to begin!
Ok, so this is what happened... just for a lark we ended up taking a VW Convertible out for a test drive. We were no sooner out of the lot, than we pulled over and put the top down, and turned into two of the dorkiest 16 year olds you could ever meet! We bombed around and laughed our fool heads off until we had tears coming out of our eyes. Every time we came to a red light, or a stop sign, we would look at the people on the sidewalks, then look at each other and start laughing all over again as we took off. It soon began to sprinkle and we remembered that we had washing out on the line, so with the wind in our hair, we sped off home, and while my husband was quickly bringing in the laundry, I snapped this picture before putting up the roof.
Before we parted ways, Wendy joked about how we should go see her son at the VW Dealership; we took the little car back and headed over to the Honda car lot. We test drove a few cars there as well and then later on in the afternoon, my husband suggested we look at the VW Dealership before calling it a day... the fun was about to begin!
Ok, so this is what happened... just for a lark we ended up taking a VW Convertible out for a test drive. We were no sooner out of the lot, than we pulled over and put the top down, and turned into two of the dorkiest 16 year olds you could ever meet! We bombed around and laughed our fool heads off until we had tears coming out of our eyes. Every time we came to a red light, or a stop sign, we would look at the people on the sidewalks, then look at each other and start laughing all over again as we took off. It soon began to sprinkle and we remembered that we had washing out on the line, so with the wind in our hair, we sped off home, and while my husband was quickly bringing in the laundry, I snapped this picture before putting up the roof.
We laughed and giggled all the way back to the VW lot and were still laughing as we handed back the keys.
We were then shown a very sedate sedan and it was suggested that we give it a test drive as well.
As we pulled out of the lot we were very quiet...
very sedate.
We did our obligatory four right turns around the block and as we turned into the dealership lot...
we both saw the little VW bug...
and instantly looked at each other and began to laugh all over again.
We were definitely blessed that day,
and although the little test driven convertible did not come home with us that night...
its younger sibling, the 2009 Special Edition VW Bug did!
And we are still laughing...
For some reason I have always had an appreciation for bugs. It's not like I go out looking for them, but whenever I happen to come across them... well, like I said... I have an appreciation for them.
13 comments:
I am so happy I foung you, after looking here, there and evrywhere :)...You really are a "bug girl" not only God made but man made...I love it. Congrats to you and Scott....XXXX
Thank you sweetheart. I think I found you in every Pure Grace Room over the last few days, trying to get a peek at the bug... by the way Edna, thank you for the lovely garden lamp... it is gorgeous!
Great little car...fun story.
Enjoy!!!!!
I am so glad that ole neglected lamp finally found a home where is would be appreciated. When we moved here...3 years ago. I plunked in the corner by the fence and there it sat through wind and rain, sun and smow....waiting and waiting for some sort of acknowledgement that it was still of some use, to someone, somewhere....alas it has found it's way into someones garden :) :) :)
Hi Cathie,
I loved your "bug story" and pictures!
Hi Cathie,
Me again, lost my long post so just did the one above to see if it worked.
Bob and I had a VW Bug years ago before we had the children.
It was sky blue and we loved it althought it misted up inside in the Winter and we had to constantly wipe off the wind screen to see where we were going!
It was a sad day when Bob got rear ended and we watched our little Bug towed away. There were tears shed that day I can tell you.
Have fun in your new Bug!
A "BUG" story. In 1968 2 of my girlfriends, both were hairdressers and I decided to pack up our belongs into Pat's (owner of the bug)bug and head up to Alaska. There we would open up our own Salon, they would do hair and I (not trained in anything to do with hair) would be the shampoo girl. We, would of course become rich because, as everyone knows if you went to Alaska that is what would happen. Absolutely no doubt in our minds. I made it as far as Ashcroft to visit my brother and would catch the bus to Alaska in a few days. Off the girls went(with all my luggage except a few neccesities) to stake their claim. I soon to follow.I never made it to Alaska, no money, had to get a job and the rest is a different story.
But that bug did get me to Ashcroft and I never saw it again.
Oh yea it was February and cold and the heater did not work to full capacity.!!!! We had a lot of fun in that bug and I would often get to drive it whenever the 3 of us would go out.
Who knew there were all these 'bug' stories to tell! I love it! Anybody else?
Margaret, I think your sky blue bug must have been the same colour as Scott's - totally can relate to the winter windshield wipedown; and Edna... did you ever get your luggage back... did you ever see your two rich friends again... the job that you did end up getting - was it as a shampoo girl... I'm fascinated!
Well, I never did get my luggage back... they never did become rich, they both ended back up in Burnaby and I did re-connect temporarily with my one friend about 5 or 6 years later and she re-surfaces every 5-10 years since that time. No shampoo girl job for me. I stretched the truth (nice way to put it) about my age by a few years, got a job in a cocktail lounge at the Sand n' Sage Hotel in the thriving metropolis of Ashcroft . Made enough money to buy some clothes and from there my journey continued.
Man, those "bugs" are everywhere!!
While on my way about town this a.m. I stopped in at my favorite coffee place AND there mounted on the wall was a oil painting of a little blue bug, roof rack on top.
Cathie, I immediately thought of you.... :) :) :)...in case you want to check it out.....Blenz, located in the Mall where Extra Foods once was.
Man, those "bugs" are everywhere!!
While on my way about town this a.m. I stopped in at my favorite coffee place AND there mounted on the wall was a oil painting of a little blue bug, roof rack on top.
Cathie, I immediately thought of you.... :) :) :)...in case you want to check it out.....Blenz, located in the Mall where Extra Foods once was.
off Friday am to Kaslo to meet up with Debbie and Lorne to visit a friend there. Back next Wednesday after a detour trip to Vernon to visit with Pat's youngest daughter.
See you next week sisters
Hope you girls (and guys) have a wonderful time!
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