MY NEW FAMILY TRUCKSTER

I will never forget my first car! I still have nightmares of having to drive the 1979 Ford LTD (Lethargic Tin Dinosaur) Station Wagon to High School. My best friend Brian Rewalt had a blue station wagon. We would do synchronized station wagon driving in the parking lot (not for pink slips or anything, but still pretty cool). That quality automobile would later find a tragic ending to its life. The battery was stolen out of the "Grocery Getter" while I was at a basketball game. When we got back the next day to put a new battery in it, all of the windows had been bashed out. I guess it was worth more dead than it was to replace the windshield and windows, so it was sold for $100. I still tear up thinking about it. It's not that I really loved the car, but rather the tears run because it was my freedom-mobile. The only thing worse than having a crappy car in high school is to not have a car at all. After my freedom wagon was no more, my mom and dad would drop me off on their way to work. There was nothing better than being a senior and having my mom not just drop me off, but honk the horn while saying "I love you Mikeee...remember who and what you are." The horror!! Freshman would stare at me and under their breath they would say things like, "Pathetic loser" and "Isn't that guy a senior? What an idiot!" While the "Great White Shark" was near and dear to my heart, and was my first car, I wasn't the owner...that would come 6 years later.

The first car that I was able to call my own was a 1988 Toyota Celica. I bought that car when I first got back off of my mission. I loved that car and the freedom it gave me. More importantly, I thought it was actually a cool car. It was head and shoulders above the Family Truckster that I drove in high school. However, it did have its flaws. I picked up Jen on our first date in that glorious car. As we hit the freeway, RUSH played on the radio (which she never has learned to like) as we accelerated on our way to the epic first date...watching my little brother in his high school play. As we passed over a bridge, I saw something out of the rear-view mirror...my hubcap rolling free and falling off a bridge. I didn't dare stop...I had an impression to make, and I was getting the vibe that the RUSH wasn't doing the trick. My "I am the king of the world because I have a very cool, 3 hubcapped car" attitude changed the first time I met my would-be Father-In-Law. Jen's maiden name is Ford, and so that is what kind of car they drive in her home. My first date with Jen took place when her parents were out of town, so I didn't meet them until date 3 or 4. I was at her house watching a movie downstairs when her dad came home and stated, "who parked the rice-burner in my driveway?!" I absolutely love my father-in-law, but that day he may have intimidated me slightly. However, I am a quick learner. The Toyota had a short life-span in my life, and was later replaced with a Ford...the only car I've owned since then.

Why have I mentioned any of this? How does it relate to Morocco? Well...it really doesn't. Truth be told, I've just enjoyed writing down some memories about my cars. Which actually does relate to my time here in Morocco. I have my first set of Moroccan wheels! I am living in a city called Marrakech. I have to drive about an hour to get to the base in Ben Guerir. As such, as part of the gig here I was told that I would have a rental car. They asked my mom if she would come and drive me everyday, but she refused. So...I was anxious to see what kind of Ford I would have available to drive. I am sad to say that what they gave me is not quite the chick magnet that I was hoping for. I'm certain you are all curious to know what sweet ride I was given, so I will end the suspense. I am driving a 2011 Peugeot 206+. When they delivered it I was

certain it was a joke. I half expected a dozen clowns to pile out of the car, but this was no joke. The car is so small that I could not take a passenger with me when I drove to Marrakech...every seat was filled with my luggage. This French-made beauty boasts 6 inches of leg space in the backseat...that's right, 6 inches. Luckily it's small design is overcome by its powerful 1.1 liter engine which boasts 60 horsepower!! Now trust me, I've been driving here for a week. There are literally donkeys pulling carts on the road. I am only 59 dead horses away from where they are in terms of power! I will say that it should get great gas mileage, and that is important here with gas at over $6.00/gallon! Anyway...I thought I'd share with you how lucky I am. I am an optimist, at least my father-in-law isn't here. I can almost hear him now..."Who has the crepe-burner parked in my driveway?!"