The first car I ever owned was a used 1964 VW Bug, I got it out of necessity at the end of my sophomore year of college in 1966. Prior to then I got where I needed to go by hitch-hiking. We used to call it “thumbing a ride”. I “thumbed” it all over the city of Philadelphia and its surrounding areas—to and from school everyday, to friends and families houses, to stores…. I have some great stories associated with those rides. But at the conclusion of my sophomore year I was to begin my co-op program at US Steel in Fairless Hills PA. Too far and too much uncertainty to rely on the thumb. So a car it was. And I loved that car. In truth it wasn’t always easy to love it. No air conditioning in the summer. Very limited heat in the winter. The windshield wipers worked only most of the times. If I was in a real hurry I could get that Bug up to 84 mph going down hill.. Tops. Not a single mph more. It served me well. But when I got married in 1969 I figured it was time to get a slightly larger vehicle. A used 1965 Buick Special. That vehicle too served me well. But then something wonderful happened. My neighbor had a connection with a Chrysler Dealer and he told me to visit his friend because his friend had a great deal on a NEW Plymouth Duster. A brand new car! And it WAS a great deal. Of course it was the last car on the lot and it was bright purple. With a white vinyl top. But so what! A brand new car! I kept that car forever. (I patched up its rust spots and painted it by hand with a coat of green Rustoleum paint in its later years). I’ve had a few new cars since then. Always a sensible car and always with a great deal.But a funny thing happened recently. I had saved some money so that I could travel in my retirement. But then I found out I HATE traveling. So instead I bought a fancy new convertible. It’s a fine car. And I do enjoy driving it. But the truth of the matter is that at 73 years old my driving that fancy new car probably doesn’t have the clout that it would have had when I was 23 years old--when I could have impressed the ladies and made my peers envious. Hard to do much impressing now. Especially with two grandchild safety seats secured in back and a handicap sticker hanging from the rear view mirror. Not to mention the exercise in humility I must perform every time I get in and out of the vehicle.But don’t get me wrong. I love driving it. And I drive it all over---to my cardiologist, to my urologist, to my pulmonologist, to my dentist, to my gastroenterologist, to my pharmacy….. Just can’t drive it too far because I have to stop and use the restrooms. So I ask a favor. If you see me driving around in my fancy new convertible please give me a wave. And, if you don’t mind, try to act impressed!! I’d really appreciate it.