March, 1998. Baltimore, MD
Decision Time: a minivan or a coupe. A difficult choice.
When I saw her sitting on the showroom floor - red, with factory hardtop and red piping on the seats - my decision was made.
"Wrap it up." I told the salesman. "I'll pick it up after school today - but I don't want my son to know I bought it. Let's surprise him..."
After school that day we told our 6th grader that we were going out looking at cars. He protested stopping to look at Toyota's and Honda's but cheered up a bit as the BMW sign appeared. As we walked in, I asked the saleman if he had any Z3s for sale. He told me "no." at first, then got a thoughtful look on his face before saying...
"I do have one that just came in in the service bay, being serviced. Care to see it?”
I looked at my son and he was nodding up and down. "Yes-yes."his eyes said.
The service crew was just finishing the delivery prep as we walked up to her. She was gleaming.
I looked down at my son and said "Wow! What do you think? Should we get her?" He simply nodded - sure! - eyes never leaving the car.
"I'll take it." I told the salesman.
My son jerked around screaming "Really?! Really!!? No way!"
Yes, really.
We drove her home that night and he fell in love with his first car. He made me promise never to sell the car until after his high school graduation. I promised.
He drove it to his senior prom and to graduation.
I told my son I would give it to him the day he graduated from college. But he must have seen someting in my eyes, because he swallowed hard, and said" No thanks, dad. I'd just sell it and buy something else. You keep it."
He now drives a Honda Civic Si. He's happy.
I still drive the 'Z’.
So am I.
