Mustang Sam

For about six months we have been talking about getting a second car for NC. We bought our truck in 2015 and we have put a whole lot of miles as we run errands or go off to explore the sights. It has been over a year since it has gone to Texas and back, so that helps. Also with the Colonial Pipeline breaks last year we also realized if it were an extended period of time it would be better to have two vehicles to rely on instead of just one. So, as we are prone to do, we talked about it a lot but never was active in a car pursuit. We finally got to the internet search and around Easter we went to a couple of dealerships to see what was out there. All along we have been leaning toward a convertible or something in the fun to drive genre. Just like Goldilock and the Three Bears, one car was too small and others were too shrouded in mystery...couldn't get numbers, not even a ballpark figure from the sales staff. Then we stopped our pursuit once it came time for my ablation and then recovery time. One dealer kept calling acting like we had been talking all along...and this call wasn't even coming from the original sales person. Finally after several calls, yes I did this, I threw the I have been in the hospital card down and mentioned a three month recovery. Now that was not an untruth, the three month thing but it isn't as intensive as I made it sound in the tone of my voice. The calls stopped. But the Mustang....it was just right. I hadn't forgotten my Three Bears analogy.

We have loved Mustangs for a long time. While Roy was finishing up after law school, clerking and studying for the Bar Exam, he used Am Ex points to rent Mustang Convertibles several times for us. Our time together so limited as well as money...so this was something fun to do and we had tons of points to use. Then, when it came time to buy a new car, we decided on the Mustang Convertible since we had so much fun when we rented them. Funny, while we were car shopping we went to one dealer who tried the pressure tactic and then saying this car might not be on the lot if you tally. Uh, it had been there about six months...we were in our late 40's and that tactic had only worked when we were much younger. Roy told him we would take our chances. We did not buy from him.

Mustang Sally was such a fun car and it was sad when we traded her in for Sequisha, the Sequoia. At Christmas we would put the top down, wrap everyone up in blankets, stop at Starbucks for hot chocky and then drove around looking at Christmas lights. The closest thing to an sleigh ride in Houston. When the nieces were in town around the holidays we did that and several years the King girls and I would do that as well...thus aptly named The Royal Ride.

We were coming home from our trip to Otto, Highlands, Cashiers and Brevard when we decided to drop by the dealership for a look see. Front and center in the showroom was a Mustang GT, a black one. We used to be blue vehicle people but black has become my favorite color for vehicles. Now we didn't need a GT but it was good to get a sense of the seats, cause we be long legged, and the ease of in and out. How I got in and out of Mustang Sally is now a mystery to me. Much better now with new knees. We talked and Sean, our salesman, pulled up a car that looked to be what we were looking for. I have gotten used to blind spot indicators and the like. We knew we needed to discuss away from the dealership and thus, the next day when we were in the High Country of NC, we texted Sean and told him we were interested and how did the next steps need to be taken? So with the spotty WiFi up there we got info to him and said we would be in Saturday afternoon.

For years I haven't been involved in the whole car shopping process. Roy would test drive a car, bring it home for me to look at and then he would proceed from there. Back in the day I was all about the music system in the car and maybe a sunroof...now, I want safety features. We ordered SequishShawn, so this was a first for me on Saturday. I thought it was just to do paperwork etc... Roy felt sure we would be bringing the car home with us. In the past few days before Saturday, I was trying to think of a name for the car. Truthfully, I was leaning toward Mustang Salad but in the end chose Mustang Sam. Salad sounded like Sally to me and thought it would honor the memory of a good car. But Sam is a more practical name.

Yep, Roy was correct, Mustang Sam came home with us, in the pouring rain...  Later in the evening we did get to grab a short top down drive about the countryside. There at the dealership they gave us a crash course in new technology...I have a bit of studying to do. Ford stuff is opposite of Toyota stuff, so there is that learning curve.

So, now with a fun car, it rains and delayed gratification must take hold. It will be fun to hit the roads with the top down and music playing. Roy is looking forward to being able to grab quick pics from the confines of the car, but he will still get out and wander off. All good photographers do that in search of the picture. He is contemplating a three wheeler motorcycle for future adventures of picture taking. Uh...okay...but maybe let's see of Sam here can do the same thing. I am so grateful for such a generous husband who probably thought we should go practical but decided a little playfulness isn't all that bad.