I'm one of those people who hear can a word and a song comes to mind. I was over at Robin's blog, Your Daily Dose, where she had posted a musical video titled, "Automatic." Hmm? Automatic. No song came to mind; instead I thought back to the days of my Dad's old truck. It was a straight drive - three speed shift on the column... nothing about that old truck was automatic. However the song was now going to be attached to that word forever.
I wasn't a rebel teen but I was always in a hurry. You couldn't speed shift in the that old Chevy. The shift rod would hang up and you'd be on the side of the road for a minute or two. If my Dad told me told once, he told a thousand times, "Dixie, no speed shifting." But once in a while he'd see me sitting on the side of the road, waiting to jump out and jiggle the shift rod. You had to put it in neutral, shut off the truck, pull the parking brake, pop the hood, jiggle the rod, and then climb in and crank that bad boy up. Dad would flash a big old smile, toot the horn, wave, and head on down the road... the whole time he'd be shaking his head. He knew I wasn't a rebel teen but I always in hurry.
In dedication to my Dad : October 28, 1930 - October 14, 2010. He'd be 84 this week!
Here you go...
Miranda Lambert, Automatic
Thanks Robin!
Your Daily Dose
Well, what do you know... there it is. No speed shifting! But what if you're in a hurry, right?
ReplyDeleteHow come we're always in a hurry? Why do we want so much when, in the end, it doesn't really matter?
Aw, Blue, you're so right. And what I wouldn't give to have that old truck today - surely it would remind me to go a steady pace. But where would I find parts when it broke down?
DeleteI love how a song evokes a memory. I am so glad that you and this song found one another! I am SURE your dad is smiling down on you right now... because he loves this memory, too!
ReplyDeleteRobin - me too. When I watched the video a second time, I couldn't take my eyes off that truck. Glad it was posted there - you have a very happy blog!
DeleteI learned how to drive on a standard transmission as well and I drove stick for many years after that. But about 20 years ago, I bought an automatic transmission vehicle and discovered the joys of driving while eating an ice cream cone. Impossible to do in a standard!
ReplyDeleteI think that most cars in Europe and my country have shift rods.
ReplyDeleteNo Dezmond, most cars in Europe have conventional gear sticks!
DeleteThe shift rod is under the hood - the gear stick (Bazza) is inside the truck.
DeleteHi Dixie. I thought it was going to be 'Automatic' by the Pointer Sisters - slightly disappointed but Michelle Lambert is very pretty!
ReplyDeleteGood song Baaz, but it doesn't make me think of trucks. Hahaha.
DeleteCrazy, this blog seems to have lost the little profile pics. Oh Blogger!!???
ReplyDelete