“My Dad’s Beauty”

This was my dad’s beauty, “a pickup not just a truck, but a pickup.” He bought it brand new in 1987 and I went with him to get it. We were both very excited. The first of many rules was that the doors were not to be slammed shut. The second was that to keep the paint in good conditions the pickup needed to be parked inside. “En la marquesina!” In Puerto Rico it is common to use a carport not a garage. He would also wipe it down every other day with a damp cloth, generally an old t-shirt of his. The filter and oil change were his monthly duty. Longer than a month was unacceptable for auto maintenance in our home. This is how it was done even though he would only drive it around the block or to church on Sundays. Never more than 2 miles away from the house. That’s the way he wanted it. He would also drive to the park where he would train for a short marathon that would happen once a year. He did this every year until he was 88. My dad passed away on January 1st, 2016. I got the honor of keeping this beauty. He always said, “One day the pickup is going to be yours” and that’s exactly what happened. It’s here in Homestead FL where my family and I have lived since 1989. All original paint, parts, and interior. With only 34K miles and the AC working like new, this “pickup” is in better shape than me.
My dad’s pickup makes people stop and look on the streets, some even leave name and number just in case I decide to sell. But not a chance! They would have to get on the wait list behind my 3 sons, 2 grandkids and wife of 40 years. This ‘Beauty’ isn’t leaving us.