Locomotive to the Past, George Schultz [snow like ashes series txt] 📗

car lots. (This was before those automobiles were to become known as “pre-owned”) The pair tooled, up and down Livernois Avenue—from Grand River, to Six Mile Road! (The word “multitude” is valid! There were, literally, dozens of such lots—large and small—densely populating both sides, of that busy street.)

Finally, at the lot of a fairly large Dodge/Plymouth dealer—“Hodges For Dodges”—they’d settled, on a 1935 Dodge! A four-door sedan!

Originally, they were going to take delivery—of a 1937 Plymouth two-door sedan! This was after “coming close”—to purchasing a 1936 Studebaker Champion, at Bert Baker’s “Big Lot”. (An exact replica, of Valerie’s father’s auto—till he’d gotten his new Ford!)

Our Hero, from the start, had thought that the Studebaker had looked “just a little bit dorky”! Fortunately, he’d caught himself—before using the term. He would’ve been more than willing to defer, to his advisor’s judgment, however—when it came to the Studebaker. It turned out, of course—that (thankfully) he didn’t have to.

When all was said and done, Jason’s mentor advised him—that he’d considered the Dodge to be, in slightly better condition! “A little more dependable”—than either the Plymouth, or the Studebaker! An important bonus: The Dodge would cost $90.00 less—than the Plymouth! And $115.00 less, than the “beauty”—at Bert Baker’s.

“Besides,” his landlord had opined, “it’s prettier . . . than either of the other two!” So, Our Boy was to become the proud owner of a black Dodge! A four-door! A really “pretty” one! It had been rewarding to know that Eric had considered the vehicle “beautiful”!

The “feature” that had most impressed Jason was his “new” auto’s unusual dashboard! He’d never seen (or heard of) anything like this one! The speedometer—and the gauges—were all located in the middle, of the panel! Close by the floor-mounted gearshift! And the unusual arrangement reminded the impressed new owner, of—of all things—Mickey Mouse! Truly!

The round speedometer—estimated, by Jason, as being 10 or 12 inches in diameter—could be the Mouse’s “head”. The “ears”—if you were to follow this “logic”—could be the two sets of gauges. Both of these items—these oddities—had been positioned just above-and-to-the-right (for one “ear”)—and just above-and-to-the-left, of the speedometer (for the second “ear”)!

To further captivate the new owner, none of those three glass-enclosed entities was illuminated—from the interior, of their housings! Between the “head” and each “ear’, The Chrysler Corporation had—thoughtfully—placed an exterior light “fixture”! Each protruded out—three or four inches—from the surface, of the dash!

When one pulled out one of the small “plunger-like” tops—yanked it out—the strange-looking “gismo” would then illuminate merely one side of the speedometer—from the light fixture’s diagonal bottom—and that side’s gauge enclosure—from the light installation’s diagonal top! To gain full illumination, of course—to light up all three “groupings”—one had to activate both of the fascinating lighting sources! To Our Hero, the entire setup was absolutely incredible! Who could possibly have conceived such a unique system?

Amazing! What won’t they think of next?

And this had been done—in 1935! The ’36 Dodge would be, basically, the same car! But, without the instrument panel’s “Mickey Mouse” feature! The speedometer and gauges would be moved—back to the left side! And illuminated from within! (No imagination at all!)

Jason had, previously, planned on using that entire Saturday afternoon—to “practice driving”—in his wondrous “new” vehicle! (What-ever that might turn out to be.) He’d even set up a date—with his newly-minted girlfriend—for Saturday evening! He’d ‘harbored” non-esoteric visions—of driving Valerie, out to some moonlit, romantic, spot! He knew not where! As the reader might (or might not) imagine, these visions had given him a constant, an exceedingly, warm “glow”! Not ending—until he’d fallen asleep, on Friday night!

But, his well-out-of-the-ordinary expedition, up and down Livernois Avenue—had turned out to be far more extensive (and more time-consuming) than he could’ve imagined.

By the time he’d, very carefully, followed Eric’s Nash home, he was exhausted! And horribly nervous—after driving the eight or nine miles, from Hodges For Dodges! So, he’d called Miss Krenwinkle—filled with a staggering amount of apprehension—and asked if the date could be postponed. Till Sunday afternoon! Valerie had agreed to the change!

How nice of her, he thought. Then, the old doubts began to overtake him! To out and out overwhelm him! Was she being too accommodating? Did she have a shot—at another date? Some guy—“warming up”? “In the bullpen”?

Here he’d gone—and made all these heady plans! To dazzle this young woman—with his “magnificent”, seven-year-old, “new” car! Romantic moonlit dreams! And now? It all seemed to be turning, to ashes!

After a, practically-sleepless-though-exhausted, Saturday night, he drove to the Krenwinkle residence—and ever-so-tentatively—rang the doorbell!

Valerie swept out of her parents’ home! Passing Our Boy, in the process, she made an immediate beeline—for the glorious Hodges For Dodges refugee! And she was dazzled! The “dazzlement” came just a day later—than anticipated! As a result, of her sincere enthusiasm, it would’ve been impossible for Jason—to have puffed out his chest, an inch further!

It had become immediately evident—that his fears (and loathing) of the previous evening, had been totally unfounded! The realization did wonders for his, always-shaky, confidence! Wonders!

“You know?” she suggested, once he’d caught up with her—and the detailed vehicle inspection had been completed, “I haven’t been out, to Edgewater. Not in a coon’s age! Can we go? Go out there? Hmmm? Could we? Hmmm? I’ll promise to be a good girl! Or is that . . . gonna louse the whole thing up?”

The Edgewater Park amusement park was a fair distance, out Grand River. Well, the fun attraction was actually located, on West Seven Mile Road—about a half-mile before that thoroughfare crosses Grand River!

The facility was opened—in 1927! It featured a high (really high—for the time)—rickety-looking—roller coaster! The place had reached its zenith—in popularity—during the 1930s. The park had served as a cheap outing—for a, depression-strapped, populace—in those, financially-dark, days!

Grandpa Piepczyk had always lauded the attraction! “Many a happy day… and, usually, well into a happy night… did I spend there,” the old man had touted—continually!

Talk had started, by this time—over the possibility, of closing the wonderful park! “Boarding it up”—for the war’s duration! Mostly, it had been chatter,