Sleepwalk

Stopped at the drugstore today on my way home from lunch. Got back in the car and when the Satellite radio came on Santo and Johnny’s big hit “Sleepwalk” was playing. Now you might think Sleepwalk would take me to section 1962 in the Interior Stadium. Not so. In 1992 basically on a *dare Marilyn and I bought a silver Mitsubishi 3000GTSL. Our Italian students called it the Squalo. It was the coolest car (next to my FIAT 2000) I ever owned. So Marilyn and I went to Santa Cruz, in that silver rocketship, wearing cool clothes and cool sunglasses, fast. Saturday we went to the wharf for lunch, when we finished we drove out and cruised Beach Street. On cue the oldies station played Sleepwalk. So there I was Santa Cruz, with my beautiful wife, after a great lunch, in a hot car, with wonderful music and the warm California sun shining on us and an army of young kids in front of the boardwalk checking out my ride, remembering the times we had in Santa Cruz in the 50‘s and 60‘s. On a grey overcast winter day in Stockton I went back almost 20 years to when I went back another 30. It’s a two stage magic moment.

　

*We were car shopping, had a list of nice sensible four door sedans to check out. I can’t remember one we looked at. We were at the Mercedes dealer. Right next door was the Mitsubishi dealer, I wandered over to check out a red (Monza red) 3000GT. Bada*s car, 300 horsepower, turbocharged, 5 speed gearbox, 4 wheel drive. Parked right behind it was a silver 3000GTSL automatic. We both liked it. On our way to the next dealer on the list Marilyn said “You wouldn’t REALLY buy that car would you?” I said “Sure I would, but you wouldn’t. …. Would you?” Words were exchanged, we went back to the dealer and drove it home that afternoon. Only time we ever did anything impulsive like that with a car and to this day the only thing I’m sorry about is that I didn’t keep it.