My Neighbor's Baby
I bought my 1980 4-speed Corvette from my neighbor in 1984. This car was Paul's baby. I saw him spend many hours washing and waxing her, and then gently tucking her to bed each night, wrapping her in her custom made 'car cover pajamas'. But in 84 Paul was overtaken by the urge to purchase the latest model.
After the 1983 Corvette 'layoff', Paul was smitten with the 84's new sleek and slender look so he placed an order for one, and put his 80 up for sale. It took me NO time to make him an offer, which he accepted. She was mine! Still like new, no scratches, low mileage, and even with the lovely new leather seat scent waffling within her cabin. She also had plenty of lively response left in her pedal.
The day I bought her was one of my finest days. Meanwhile Paul waited two weeks from that day in maddening anticipation before his '84 order was ready for pick-up and he was finally able to pick it up. But, unfortunately on his maiden voyage back home from the dealership, some idiot in a pick-up ran a red light as Paul was passing through the intersection and T-Boned his brand new copper-tone colored Vette, mangling it terribly.
Paul was ok physically, but he was just as wrecked inwardly as his new 84 was now outwardly. Needless to say when Paul finally made it home his long agonizing, envious glances to his old baby sitting in its new home on my driveway were torturing him. Although I had plenty of empathy for him, I could really only think to myself one loud thought - Sorry Paul but she's my baby now!
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Source: Nick Ross, MidAmerica Motorworks