Car Keys
by R. Craig

 Almost everyone can say that when they were young they wanted to be older and now that they are older they want to be young again. I was no exception and like all teenagers at that time I couldn't wait to turn sixteen so I could apply for my driver's license. A lot of my friends took a driver's education class or simply had their parents take them out driving. At the time I didn't have those options but I had something I think was much better…  field cars! 

 Now for those who don't know what a field car was, it was simply an old junker that someone had taken off the road for whatever reason, maybe too rusted or too many miles and so on. Back in those days you could usually pick one up for around twenty-five dollars or so. They were everywhere because back then the environmental concerns weren't as strict as today. I was fortunate to have access to some abandoned fields to practice my driving skills. It was a great learning experience in many ways. 

 For example I would ask myself what would happen if I held the gas to the floor and turned sharp left or right. So I did it and then I knew. Or what would happen if I went wide open in reverse and then slammed it in drive? I found out the transmission didn't appreciate it very much. That was the start of my mechanical career. 

 Needless to say I went through a lot of field cars. Most important was the fact that I learned how to drive under all types of road and weather conditions without the risk of being near others drivers. When I finally got my license, I spent a lot of time and gas money covering a lot of miles. I loved to drive in the snow and when they said there was a major snow storm coming I looked at it as a fun time to go play. 

 When my son was fifteen or so I recall parking a little compact car I had with a stick shift in the field behind my house. I left the keys in it and I told him to go take a drive. He asked,  "Really?" And I said go drive. 

 He had never driven anything before but within fifteen minutes or so he was doing donuts like a pro. I figured if it worked for me it would work for him. And it did. 

 I still enjoy taking a ride today except the price of gas makes it a shorter drive. When I do get to take a ride around the countryside and see an old car resting in the field, it brings back memories. 

 And I am not the only one who can appreciate this simple form of Americana. There are calendars out that just have pictures of old field cars on them. Is that cool or what? If I had a lot of land sitting idle I would probably still have a field car to go play in. 

 As now that I am older, I too wish I could do it all over again. Our bodies age but the memories are forever young.