STYLIN' ON UP

The DAY I turned 16, my brother took me to get my very first driver's license. It was like the happiest day of my life. I couldn't believe that I'd FINALLY be a free spirit on the road. YIPPEE. And, I couldn't believe just how much I impressed my brother.

Bob couldn't get over how well I did, ESPECIALLY since, to pass the test, I had to parallel park. Uh... in a '59 Cadillac, no less. No. Wait a minute. It may have been a '63. Doesn't matter, actually, because BOTH cars had tail fins on them that reached all the way from Florida to Timbuktu. No lie... this car was HUGE. Thus, any 16 year old who could parallel park this car PERFECTLY, as I did, truly had reason to celebrate. Come to think of it, however, I guess I have to give SOME credit to my brother... after all, he WAS my at home driving instructor.

Bob took me to the empty parking lot at the Junior High School right near us, and each day, he'd sit next to me as I whirled around and around, backed in, backed out, turned this way and then that way. Never once do I remember him yelling at me, nor sitting there with white knuckles... much like I did with MY son. Anyway, at 7:30 a.m. we pulled into the testing center and by 8:30 a.m., boom. I was on the road.

For as long as I can remember, I drove Cadillacs. Either my parents', when I was a kid; or my own, as an adult. Until I turned 50, that is. At that point, I no longer needed a car that could seat a family of 5, nor 5 growing teenagers all headed to high school. Enter: Nissan Maxima. I was THRILLED the day I bought that car. I was slipping into parking spots like I was driving my kid's Matchbox toy car deals.

Well... get this... another 10 years has passed and bingo. I'm back into a Cadillac once again. That's my new car, up above in the pict. Wanna ride? Considering it's so roomy, why not bring along 5 of your friends? Also, it has more buttons than I'll ever possibly know what to do with. It took two nights of lessons from my son, to teach me what each button operates and trust me... I STILL have plenty of confusion. Anytime someone gets in the car with me, I automatically have them bring out the Owner's Manual for research into my latest question. My son also hooked me up with the OnStar directions and XM Radio functions. I made him PROMISE me that the dealer wouldn't call me back and make me reclaim the Maxima I used as a trade-in. Talk about going from plain to fancy schmancy. I almost feel as if I'm suddenly in the automobile production of Pygmalion.

I also feel absolutely thrilled that I have a new car. After 10 years, I certainly deserve one. So... should you see one happy lady driving down the street, pretty much stylin' in something like that up above, WAVE. Or... stick out your thumb. If you're tall, dark and handsome, I just may give you a lift.