Maybe my kids will understand this- It's the winter of 1985, although you can't tell by the weather; afterall, it's San Diego, CA and the weather looks the same every day. Except when there's a Santa Ana, then you know it's not winter. Our hero, me, has just turned sixteen, and it is SWEET. I'm fresh from scoring a 72 on my driving test, and now I head home for the BIG GIFT. What do you get a sixteen year-old man-child that just passed his driving test back in 1985? Yup, a 1979 Mach 1 Mustang, yellow with a big black racing stripe and 350horsepower... yeah, that's what you get him.
But I got a 1980 Ford Pinto - white, with powder-blue vinyl interior. I supplied the fuzzy dice, proudly hanging from the rear view. I know you've heard General Motor's famous tag line- "This ain't your Grandfather's Oldsmobile." Well, this sure was my Grandfather's Pinto - literally.
Fast forward four-years to 1989, yours truly is keeping his head barely above water at college in San Luis Obispo. I sell that lucious babe-magnet of a car (afterall, I am dating my future wife - Barbara O'Keefe) for $500, hard CASH.
Fast forward (again)- It's winter in Austin, TX and the year is 2009. Our hero (me) is in the AT&T store looking at iPhones with said wife. I'm about to fork over almost $600 for a pair of iPhones, two cases, insurance (for when one goes through the wash) and some bluetooth earbuds. My oldest daughter, Jessica is looking at me like I'm a nuthouse fairy for hesitating to make the purchase. She doesn't understand that this is more money than my first car was worth... two iPhones I can hold in the palm of my hands. One of which Stephanie is bound to step on with the other being destined for the spin cycle in our Maytag. Are you ready for some more irony?
What's auto insurance (in 1985) for a sixteen year-old in a white 1980 Ford Pinto? Well, it's about $100 a month or $1,200 a year, and you can bet I won't be getting speeding tickets in that car. I acutely remember paying $10 a week to fill that bad boy's gas tank. Total cost of ownership on the Pinto for 1-year (insurance, gas, an oil change or two... ) ~$1,750. What's it cost to run an iPhone for 1-year through AT&T nowadays... it's easily more than my first car!
No... my kids won't understand, maybe in 2033?
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You are having a Steve Martin in Father of the Bride moment. May we all continue to have our biggest concerns be trying to explain to our children how it was in the good ole days. in 1989 I had a nice life, but couldn't imagine that it could truly get this good. Aren't kids great?
ReplyDeleteKids are awesome... even if they are out of touch with the "good ole days."
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Nuthouse Fairy,
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! Although I hate to tell you.... verizon was offering buy one, get one free blackberries. Hmm... maybe I should be keeping that to myself now... after the fact that you spent a boatload on your new fancy phones (which I might add, are not on our network of free calling!)
We love you anyway.
How's the weather in Austin? Is it sweltering yet? (Just checking up!)
*~ Jes ~*