Gomez or “Go”, as we named him, was my first car. He was a shiny black 1931 A-Model Ford with tiny red pinstripe wrapped around him like a piece of Christmas ribbon.
Go wasn’t as fancy on the inside as he was on the outside and his springs were shot: go over the slightest bump and the passengers in the back would have to horsey post to avoid rattling their teeth, usually with raucus giggling from the lunch bunch on our lunch break.
Changing gears with Gomez was definitely an acquired skill involving vigorous double clutching and considerable grinding.
I think Daddy like Gomez because he couldn’t go over 35 mph and only cost 300.00. But Go also sputtered, especially after it rained and his distributer cap got wet.
Or if I forgot to lift his hood and turn off the gas, all of the gas would leak out. There were many occasions when I needed a rescue from a cute boy in the Reynolds High School lower parking lot.
Actually Go’s brakes were’t that great either.
Two weeks after I got my license, two blocks from my house, I sailed through a yellow light and smashed into a lady sneaking a left turn in front of me. She must have been thinking our sailing was us stopping. She was in medium sedan, poor thing. When I got out of Go to survey the scene she was holding her sedan’s back bumper in her hands!
Go only had a tiny dent and small scratch on his beautiful black coat.
Go was so cool–a lot cooler than me! The first thing I said to the lady was “I was trying to make it through the light because my old car’s brakes are not very good.”
When my Dad got there he chided me for being so forthright and suggested a little more discretion about Go’s shortcomings in the future. He gave the lady a pretty reasonable check and they agreed not to call the Police.
Full disclosure, I believe I did slow up for the yellow light but then made a split second decision to charge through because I tapped the breaks and discovered that Go’s brakes were shitty–scuse my french.
These days, I feel like Gomez trying to change gears–grinding and sputtering and double clutching and stopping and starting trying to change from summer fun and family mode–a mix of great fun with all 3 sons and their families with a strange mix of sadness losing 2 dog companions–just a month apart.
Max was first 7 weeks ago now. And when I was at beach with 2 of my sons and their families–the ones that are still “north of the border”, Phil’s Mazie girl’s lymphoma overcame her. It was so sad for him . . . and me–marking the the end of era losing the buddies that we loved together for 15 years–since almost our first date.
I feel sure that we will see them again–our buddies Max and Mazie and Mo and Webster and all the other ones when we join them Great and Glorious Place–I know there will be a paroxysm of licking and slurping and running and bouncing and throwing and barking and hugging and sloppy wet kisses on the lips and maybe the occasional friendly nip from Max—and wondering if Max is also the alpha dog with Rommel—Phil’s Doberman that passed into that Glorious Place some time ago.
Anyway—all that . . .
changing gears in the middle of August . . .
waiting for Phil to come and watch the eclipse with me at 1:11 with our special regulation glasses made by official eclipse regulation company that I bought at the fishing, bait and tackle, hardware, life jacket, gas, and flotation device corner store for only 2.00 apiece on the corner of Highway 17 and Pawleys Island road ¼ block from the Hammock shop and the Chive Blossom restaurant. I hear that folks are price gouging these glasses—actually in Clemmons they were 12.00 apiece yesterday!
Changing gears . . . double clutching. . . and singing softly to myself for comfort “All is Well, All is Well, All is Well with my soul.”
Thanks for listening. I love you guys.
PS. After a bit more lurching and grinding I will talk about some cool art plans and stuff coming up in the Fall.
And a puppy, if Bunny the Mama Havanese is indeed “with puppy”—will find out Thursday or Friday after her sonogram. 😉 I know Max, bless his heart, is going to want to bite the puppy.
PSS I wrote this initially in mid-August and finished buffing today. Since then had positive results from Bunny’s sonogram!
These are my two words for this year!! I am going to savor and relish all the good in my life!! There is so much!! 
When I don’t feel like painting
I’m on vacation with my guy and good buddy Phil. We are having a very relaxing little late summer vacation at Topsail Beach, NC.
“Pronounciate” Oosh with a long o sound please.
I love these little landscapes grouped together!
I Paint Beauty For Us 