Part 6

I am now in my first year at York -- taking sociology and psychology courses -- easy choices since I can't do anything else.  Actually, I am specializing in "poker" and making sure that I get home in time to watch Jeopardy.

By April, I am ready for the finals.  In one course we have a take home exam.  Three questions.  That being the case, I am coordinating with my friend.  He is delivering his answer to question 3 to my home.  He walks in and behind him is his girlfriend and her cousin who are on their way to an engagement party.  The cousin comments on my car.  That is another story and takes us back to September of 1968 when I enroll in university.

My parents had always said that if I get into university they would buy me a car (definitely not new).  Since I achieved that goal with the help of my father, he was able to get me a 1965 triumph spitfire for the sum of $600.00.   It was a great little car that could be moved in the driveway with the assistance of four people just picking it up.  It was obviously a standard so I had to learn how to drive stick shift, via a volkswagen beetle much to the dismay of the driving instructor.  I only blew one clutch with the assistance of my sister.

At the end of the summer, I finally persuaded my mother to go for a ride in the car.  I was zipping along the 401 and took the Avenue Road exit at which time I did a 360 degree turn.  When we got home my mother told my father that she was no longer, cooking, cleaning or washing until the car was gone!  

My dad took sympathy on me and sold the car for $800 and purchase a used Mustang (red with black stripes).  I then proceeded to put in an eight track tape deck so that you could hear music about 300 yards away.  The doors would vibrate with the music.

Back to the exam.  The cousin whose name I found out was Judy, said she loved the car.  I told her that if she wanted I would drive her to the engagement party.  She agreed.  I was in blue jeans with no shoes.  While driving to the party I offered to drive her home.  She said she lived on Gary Avenue which I knew was at Bathurst and Lawrence in Toronto.  My mistake, it was actually Gary Avenue in Hamilton.  Crazy me  -- I actually still drove her home.  A couple of weeks later, she asked me out on a date to her cousin's engagement party in Kitchener.   I agreed to go.

First I had to meet her parents.  I drove to Hamilton and her parents were at their next door neighbours' house.  Every group of people have a person who is a "comedian".  The husband next door was the comedian.  He started interviewing me.  What was I doing, what was I going to be and then what did my parents do.  To the last question, I quickly answered that my parents were in the "iron and steel business".  "My mother irons and my father steals."  Word got around Hamilton very quickly, that everyone should be careful about getting into a coversation with me.