It’s National Name your Car Day.  After seeing the picture supplied, I asked my husband if guys name their vehicles like females do.  He said, “Yes, usually a girl’s name.”  Funny, I call my vehicle a girls name, even if it’s a small pick-up (in my past) or an SUV.  The name?  Becky.  I had wanted to name my daughter that after her late grandmother.

Way back when, the early ’60’s, my mother had a hand choke, stick shift Ford Falcon.  She never did get the hang of how far out to pull the hand choke or when to push it in.  She often flooded the engine and we would go back in the house and wait till she could try again, about twenty minutes.  Once she got it going, shifting was another headache.  That clutch was her nemesis for as long as we had the car.  She never became proficient in letting the clutch out and giving it enough gas at the right time.   She called the car Buckin’ Jenny.  The seats of that car were the normal upholstery fabric.  I don’t know whether it was Mom’s, Dad’s, or the salesman’s suggestion to have heavy clear plastic covers added.  I hated those covers.  In hot weather my skin stuck to them and in cold weather they never warmed up no matter how long you sat in the same spot.  I don’t miss that car, but I sure remember it.  Mom’s next car was a Candy Apple Red Ford LTD.  We called that one Candy.  It was big, plush, and an automatic.

When my older sisters started driving Dad came home with a huge, yellow and black Lincoln with tail fins.  I think it was a 1959 model.  His thought process was if they got in an accident, they wouldn’t get hurt.  Mom called the car, “Goldy”, but my sisters friends called it “Bumblebee”.  It was recognized throughout the area so my sisters didn’t get away with sneaking anywhere.

My husband and I gave up the Harley when his back and knees gave out.  We now have a six speed, Mini Cooper Convertible.  When we picked it out, there was a blue, white and red one lined up in a row.  We pointed at the red one at the same time saying we wanted something fun.  I’ve never had a car that handles corners like this one does, and it really scoots along with little effort.  I enjoy driving a stick; I’m proud that I can.  We call it, “The Toy”.  Maybe in honor of National Name Your Car Day, I’ll go give it a bath.