Blue Mustang

Once upon a time, there was a town named Somewhere, USA. Somewhere was a small, rural, farming community. Hank White was a high school senior and attended Somewhere High School. Hank lived in a modest house with his dad, Karl. Hank had lost his mom, Mary, about a year ago after a long fight with cancer. Hank did not have any brothers or sisters. So, it was just Hank and his dad. Karl was a construction worker. Work was spotty at times, but the family always watched their pennies and was able to pay their bills. However, there was never enough money for a vacation trip to Sunny Islands or anything like that. An overnight trip to the county fair in Theresville was about as elaborate as it got.

Hank's birthday was coming up and, like most teenagers, he was looking forward to getting his driver's license and then a car of his own someday. He was currently taking driver's education class at school. Completion of this class would be helpful in lowering the cost of car insurance, and he was getting some quality driving time with Mr. Gearshift, his driving instructor.

Hank was walking home from school one day and, lo and behold, there it was. A blue Mustang sitting on Honest Joe's used car lot. He stopped dead in his tracks and just stared at the Mustang for a few moments before walking over to get a closer look. It looked to be in excellent shape and, besides that, it was a convertible with a stick shift in the floor. It was the car that Hank had often dreamed about owning. Yes, a blue Mustang!

Before going any further, I want to comment on Honest Joe. Most of you probably got a little smile or even chuckled a bit about hearing the name Honest Joe for a used car salesman. Well, Honest Joe was a good mechanic and body man. He fixed up those trade-in cars and trucks, and got them into top-notch condition, before reselling them for a modest profit. People came from as far as Everywheresville to purchase a vehicle from him. In fact, everybody just called him by the name of Honest. So, we will do the same.

Hank was excited about the Mustang. And when his dad came home from work, he told him about the Mustang. "Dad, my birthday is coming up in a few days and I would like to have that blue Mustang for my birthday." Karl told his son that buying a car was outside of their budget range for the year. But Hank kept after his dad about the car. "Can't we just go look at it and see what Honest is asking for it?" Finally, Karl agreed that he and his son would go look at it that Saturday.

Saturday arrived, and Hank and his dad talked to Honest about the car. A lawyer from Farsville was the previous owner. He used it as a trade-in for a new Mustang. Honest said the Farsville attorney bought a new Mustang about every two years. Therefore, the blue trade-in Mustang Hank was interested in was in excellent condition and had very low mileage. Honest said he was going to fix a small scratch on the driver's door, and that was all that needed to be done. However, even with Honest's modest mark-up, it would be a very costly purchase for Hank and his dad. Honest said he had paid $10,000 for the car. After fixing the scratch, the selling price would be $10,500.

One of Hank's friends later reported that he had seen Karl up at the used car lot, and that Karl and Honest were talking while looking at a blue Mustang. Then the two of them shook hands and they departed. Hank was so excited when he heard the news about his dad and Honest. Hank was sure his dad had bought the Mustang for him. Yes, his dad was going to surprise him with the Mustang that Saturday on his birthday.

Saturday finally came, and at the breakfast table there was a small birthday package from his dad. Hank tore off the wrapping paper and found a Bible. Hank was so upset and disappointed that he took the Bible and threw it on the floor and stormed out of the room. Needless to say, the relationship between Hank and his dad did not improve in the following weeks.

A military recruiter had visited Somewhere High School several times, and Hank's plan was to contact the recruiter and make plans to enter into military service. He was going to quit school and get out of Somewhere ASAP. The recruiter explained to Hank that the military desired men with schooling and that he should finish high school. He had only a few more weeks to go. After convincing Hank to finish high school, the recruiter told him he would come back after graduation to explain some of the military options that would be available to him.

Hank finished high school and the recruiter set up additional military schooling after his basic training at Camp Nearthere. After basic, Hank attended school to become a helicopter mechanic.

The military was a big change in lifestyle for Hank. His helicopter training was a real challenge and he worked hard to learn all he could. He was taking pride in the work, becoming part of a team and growing up in the process.

With schooling completed, orders came down and Hank was deployed to Outpost Overthere. Life was not a picnic at Outpost Overthere, but he learned a lot from other mechanics, and they kept the fleet of helicopters assigned to them in tip-top shape for the pilots who flew them. However, Hank's military hitch was coming to an end. He would have to make some major decisions in the next few months. Should he continue in the military or return to the workplace as a civilian? With his military training, he would have no problem getting a good job in civilian life. But the military had many attractive options as well.

Hank was getting dressed to go to the mess hall for breakfast when an orderly came in and informed him that he was to report to Col. Stonewall, his commanding officer, at 09:00. Hank wondered why Col. Stonewall wanted to see him. Probably something about his leaving Outpost Overthere since he had less than one month left on his military hitch.

Hank reported to Col. Stonewall promptly at 09:00. "Specialist White, I have the unpleasant duty to inform you that your father passed away yesterday at Somewhere Hospital," Col. Stonewall told Hank. "The brief information that I have is that your dad was in an automobile accident and died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Specialist White, I have made arrangements with the Red Cross. You will be flying out tomorrow morning to return home so you can assist with making arrangements for your father's funeral. I also took the liberty to inform Chaplain Cross, our military chaplain here at Outpost Overthere, of your loss. Chaplain Cross will assist you with getting your personal belongings packed for shipment; they will not go with you tomorrow. Specialist White, I want to say a few words to you before I dismiss you. You seemed to be a somewhat bitter man and struggling with life issues upon reporting in at Outpost Overthere. It appears to me that you have lost some of that bitterness and you have become a better man for doing so. I hope the military was helpful and played a role in this arena. I also want to inform you that my report for your military records will be a positive one. This should be helpful for obtaining future promotions should you decide to continue with your military career or an excellent reference letter for a civilian job. Specialist White, it has been an honor to have you and young men like yourself to serve under my command. I wish you nothing but the best and thanks for your service. We will continue to stand tall and protect our freedoms that we hold so dearly. Specialist White, I see that Chaplain Cross is waiting for you in the foyer. You are now dismissed."

Chaplain Cross drove Hank to the airport the next morning for his flight home. Chaplain Cross informed Hank that he had been in contact with Pastor Bartholomew back in Somewhere, and he would be meeting him at the airport. Pastor Bartholomew would be in a rental car which Hank could use while he was in Somewhere. Further information about the accident revealed that Hank's dad's vehicle was totaled in the accident. He was hit head-on by an intoxicated driver who did not survive the accident. Pastor Bartholomew also reserved a room at Somewhere Hilton for Hank to stay at while he was in town.

Funeral arrangements were made. Hank's dad was more than a good person; he lived a Christian lifestyle. The church was full of people who wanted to pay their last respects to Hank's dad. Hank sat in Somewhere's church listening to Pastor Bartholomew saying kind words about his dad. Hank heard some of the funeral service, but his mind wandered off. He had not been inside of a church since the birthday Bible incident with his dad several years prior. He remembered the Easter and Christmas programs when he was a kid, the time and effort his mom and the other ladies put forth to get the kids to memorize their parts. He pictured the Sunday school room in the basement where Mrs. Ruth drilled into them the books of the Bible. Before he realized it, the funeral service was over, and his dad was put to rest next to his mom's grave in the cemetery behind the church.

The funeral was on a Monday. The next day he headed out to visit his old home and start the thought process of what to do with the house and its contents. Hank was sure he could get in the back door as they always kept an extra key in the flower pot. Prior to going to the house, he stopped by Jake's diner for breakfast. It was the only diner in town, but the food there was good. A young waitress approached the booth he was sitting in. It was Mary. She had the same name as his mom. Mary was Hank's girlfriend for a period of time in high school. She dumped Hank shortly after the Bible incident with his dad because Hank began running around with a crowd she did not like or approve of. She refused to go out with him anymore.

Mary took Hank's breakfast order and told him she had attended his dad's funeral and was sorry about his loss. Hank wondered if she was married or had a boyfriend. When she brought his breakfast, he asked her how she was doing. "Well, I think maybe what you are really asking me and want to know is: I am not married," Mary told him. "I do not have a steady boyfriend and there is a movie showing Saturday night that I would like to see." She turned and walked away to wait on other customers. When Mary came to check if Hank needed anything else, he asked her if he could take her to the movie Saturday night. She said yes and that he could pick her up about 6:30 p.m. She still lived at home with her mom and dad. Wow! Hank did not see that coming. Hank left the diner with a full tummy and a big smile on his face.

Hank drove over to his old home and walked to the back of the house to get the key from the flower pot. Merry (yes, Merry, not Mary) and Joseph, the neighbors to the south, were in their backyard. They came over to say hi to Hank. About the same time, Sunday and School came running over to the gate. Sunday was the family dog, and School was the cat's name. Merry and Joseph informed him that they had been making sure that Sunday and School had food and water, and they would continue taking care of the pets if Hank wanted them to do so. Hank talked a few more moments with his neighbors and thanked them for taking care of the pets. The key was in the flower pot, and Hank opened the back door to the kitchen and stepped inside. He closed the door behind him, and the silence of an empty house became very real to him.

Hank looked around the kitchen. Not much had changed since he had left home. His mom's Sunny Islands jar was still sitting on the counter. Mary, Hank's mom, was a stay-at-home mom, but she did side jobs to earn extra money which went into the Sunny Islands jar. Mary took in sewing jobs, but her biggest venture was raising chickens and a small egg route in the neighborhood. Yes, anything extra that she could muster by working out of the house was fair game. At the end of every month, Mary went down to the bank and deposited her earnings into what she called her Sunny Islands account. This money was not to be touched or used in any manner! The money would be used after Karl retired. She and Karl would then take a cruise ship to Sunny Islands, a second honeymoon of sorts, as their first honeymoon was a very modest one. Sometimes Karl put loose pocket change in the jar and then look at his wife and wink. Mary would blush a little bit. Yes, they were very much in love.

Hank slowly took a tour of the house. The last room he came to was his mom and dad's bedroom. On the end table next to his dad's side of the bed, he saw his birthday Bible he had thrown in the floor several years prior. Reluctantly, he picked it up. Inside the front cover was an envelope which had "Happy Birthday Hank" written on it. He opened it up and found a check made out to Honest Joe's Auto Sales in the amount of $10,500. In the memo line it stated "Blue Mustang for Hank." Hank was stunned. And he realized that he could have had his dream car all along, but he had rejected his dad's gift. Hank's dad wanted his son to have a car, but he also knew that he would need God's word as well. Hank thought about how hurtful his actions must have been for his dad.

There was one other item in the envelope, a love letter of sorts from his mom to his dad. It started off, "Dear Karl, You have been a wonderful husband to me. I was looking forward to us taking our cruise to the Sunny Islands, but it looks like this will no longer be possible. As you know, the cancer is winning its battle with me. Therefore, I will not be able to go with you. Our beloved son, Hank, is growing up. He will want and need a car in a few years. Please use the funds from the Sunny Islands jar fund to buy him one when he is old enough. I know that he likes Mustangs. In his room he has a picture of a blue one taped to the closet door. Let him know that I loved him very much." It was signed, "Your loving wife, Mary."

Hank sat on the end of the bed, holding the Bible, the check and the letter next to his heart. After some time, he left the house and returned to his hotel room. He had to get up early in the morning for an appointment in Copterville.

On Wednesday morning, Hank met with Mr. Whirlebird, the CEO of Copterville Helicopters, Inc. Copterville is about 100 miles north of Somewhere. The meeting with Mr. Whirlebird went well. Hank was offered a position. The starting salary was very attractive and the package included vacation time with health benefits. His military training and recommendation letter from Col. Stonewall proved to be very beneficial. Driving home, Hank was thinking about the job offer. Copterville was a large, booming, metropolitan town which Hank had never experienced before. Well, the copter factory was on the outskirts of town. Maybe he could find living quarters not too far from the factory in a more rural area.

Wednesday had been a long day with all of the windshield time driving up to and back from Copterville, and he hoped Thursday would be a little easier. Some of the ladies from church came over, at Hank's request, to go through his parents' clothing. The church ran a clothes closet for those who, for one reason or another, did not have the wherewithal to purchase clothing. To Hank's surprise, Mary was one of the ladies. Mary said it was her day off from the diner, and she volunteered her time to closet activities as needed. Hank assisted the ladies, cleaned out the refrigerator, went to the grocery store and purchased some food. He planned on staying at the house until he decided what to do long-term.

Mrs. Chalkboard, the school counselor, had contacted Hank to tell him that the military recruiter, Sgt. Reup, would be at the school on Friday morning. Sgt. Reup wanted Hank to stop by and see him since the military had a new program for helicopter mechanics which Hank might be very interested in. In meeting with Sgt. Reup, Hank learned that the military would be phasing in a newer, more sophisticated helicopter over the next four years to replace the existing ones. In short, the military needed good mechanics to take additional training to service these newer copters.

Please note: Hank was currently on military leave and had not officially completed his military obligation. He had accrued sufficient leave time to cover the two weeks remaining. Sgt. Reup explained that the military was now offering an increase in rank for those who would reup for a four-year hitch and successfully complete the training for the newer helicopters. In addition, there would be an upfront cash bonus of $2,000. Truly, the military was doing all it could to retain good mechanics. Hank realized that if he accepted such an offer, it would probably be in his best interest to make the military a career. He would be able to retire at a relatively young age.

On his way home, Hank decided to stop in to talk to Honest, the used car salesman. He needed to return the rental car. Maybe Honest would have something on the lot that would work for him. Honest was glad to see him. Hank saw that Honest had aged a lot and did not have very good use of his arms and legs. Honest told Hank that his son was doing most of the work. He said his son was doing an excellent job, and he was also honest. People in the community had given him the name, "Honest," and then they gave his son the name, "Also," short for "Also Honest."

"We built a nice body and repair shop out back," Honest told Hank. "Also has just completed working on a vehicle that I think you will like. Let me call the shop phone and he can come up and meet you. Do you still like Mustangs?"

"Yes, I do, but I didn't see any on your lot," Hank said.

"Also has just finished one," Honest replied. "The motor was in good shape, but the prior owner did not take very good care of it. Also has done an outstanding job on the convertible. A lot of body work and a coat of blue paint, and she's like new. The new convertible top came in yesterday, and Also will have it put on today." Honest winked at Hank and said the selling price was $10,500. Also came up to get Hank and they went into the shop area. Hank could not believe it: a rebuilt and restored blue Mustang convertible with a stick shift in the floor. Honest, who had hobbled up to the shop, told Hank that it was the same car his dad was going to buy for him several years ago. Honest told him he could pick it up the next day if he wanted it. "Yes, sir. I would like very much to have it," Hank said, tears running down his cheeks.

Hank met Also Saturday morning at the used car lot. They filled out all of the necessary paperwork, and Also helped Hank return the rental car. As Hank drove home in his Mustang, he began thinking about picking Mary up that night for their date. She would be surprised because she knew Hank had a thing about Mustangs.

Hank was at Mary's house at 6:30 p.m. sharp to pick her up for their date. She was surprised about the Mustang and seemed happy for him. They enjoyed the ride to the movies. It was a good movie, but it had somewhat of a sad ending. On the way home, they stopped at the diner and each of them had a root beer float. "Hank, it's getting late. We better think about getting me home. My parents still worry about me when I am out, and I don't want to worry them," she told him. "And, besides, I have to get up for church tomorrow morning." Hank drove Mary home and walked her to the door. Mary told Hank that she enjoyed the evening and gave him a peck on his right cheek before going inside.

When Sunday morning arrives, what will Hank do? He knows that Mary will be in church. Will he pick up the birthday Bible he rejected years earlier and attend church?

What do you think?

LARRY L. BOLLINGER is a former Patton resident now living in Ballwin.