My first car was Pop’s old baby blue 1967 Mercury Capri. It was the three-speed-on-the-column tank with which I attempted to destroy the hedges across from the Star Volunteer Fire Department when I was first learning to drive. The car, with its two vinyl-covered bench seats, was plenty roomy to transport my sisters and brother and me to and from school each day. I was a junior in high school when I drove the baby blue Capri, though. I found that a roomy interior, wings, and a baby blue color did nothing to register the Capri on the cool car chart at McLaurin High School.

Since I was to be connected to the Mercury for the duration of that school year and perhaps beyond, I began to contemplate ways to lessen the blow to my standing. Though driving anything was a step above riding the bus to and f...

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