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Open Poetry #38
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Parting, Valiant, Whole
| Open Poetry #38 |
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Parting, Valiant, Whole |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass 
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Parting, Valiant, Whole It’s harder and it takes more time, but somehow a car is worth more sold piece by piece, than whole. Most people are too, now I think of it, but this is about a car. I’d bought her used and used her up on trips to Warrensburg for school, and late-nights back from Belton where my lady lived and taught the Air Force brats. Oh she could fly; I pushed her to a hundred-ten once, on an open stretch of Highway 50. She had much more but I remembered the recapped snow tires then, and eased her back to car speed. Here’s what I should have done, if I’d cared about the money; should have parked her by the house and put an ad in the K.C. Star or else some local circular, sold her part by part for months, then scrapped the rest. But every man loves his first, knows she’s the one he will remember when he’s too old to drive anymore. True or not that’s what I plead. That and hurry; I was twenty-three. So I sold her whole to a guy from Washington State. They know quality and they don’t mind rusted quarter panels there. He looked her over, adored that small-block eight and the oversize clutch plate, cashed in his airline ticket, drove her home. |
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| © Copyright 2006 Ed Ratledge - All Rights Reserved | |||
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stevebrklynnyc Member
since 2004-01-04
Posts 292GA, Camden |
My first car was a 69 chevell, wish I still had her, nice write. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Smiling at this... knowing first hand what an old "first car" can do to a man's stop look, and listen... and the glazing of the eyes as memory takes a back seat once again.  Well done... |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Ed~ Your nostalgia gave me a memory ride~  Yes ... a wonderful drive down memory lane~ *Huglets*  ~*Marge*~ ~*The sound of a kiss is not as strong as that of a cannon, but it's echo endures much longer*~ |
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divine chaos Senior Member
since 2006-07-09
Posts 617dancing 'neath the moon |
my first car was a 79 Gran Torino *sigh* I loved that battleship  Thanks for awakening the memory ~*Sheli*~ |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ed...I just got back from a car show....talk about shine ....that old 56 Chevy of mine never looked like that...and that music..how not dance? Enjoyed this look back of yours. |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
Oh ED, I was given my Dad's slant 8 engine Plymouth Valiant, when I took him home from Florida. Hated the awful green color but loved the car. It was a dream. Had offers for it but did not budge. Finally when long after Dad died and we were moving to Florida I gave it to my niece. Her daughters were ashamed to be seen in it and her husband did not appreciate the car so it was run into the ground. It looked good, they just did not like the age and color. I know someone bought it cheap and brought it back to life as that car was understood in Connecticut. best to you, martyjo |
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The Lady Member Rara Avis
since 2005-12-26
Posts 7634The Southwest |
Every woman loves her first, too, Ratleader. Mine was a powder blue '65 Mustang and she still lives with me, my dream girl. Great poem! |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
Yep, Ratette can get positively misty, if you mention that old Falcon of hers.....which, after the Valiant was sold, I drove to New Jersey for her. ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> ______________Ratleader______________ |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
You might have made more money selling the parts... but the dismantling would have torn at your heart... I'm glad you left all those memories intact. *S* |
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