My husband made an unexpected hard right into a plaza parking lot last week. I looked around wondering why. Then, I turned to see a 1971 Dodge Challenger sitting on a flatbed. I smiled, pulling out my phone to take a photo. I instinctively thought to send it to my late brother-in-law.
Tears stung my eyes, realizing there was no one else who would appreciate the car. Bil was my eldest step-sister’s husband and went to heaven three years ago after a brutal, courageous cancer battle.
My husband is a suit guy by day, quick to change clothes crossing the home threshold, anxious to use his hands – preferably on Mopar/muscle/classic cars. Bil was a mechanic by trade, rarely donning a suit. My husband isn’t the most social person but Bil could sit at the kitchen table talking for hours. Theirs was an unlikely friendship.
Their alliance started twenty-five years ago with a 1969 442 Cutlass Oldsmobile in rough shape. My husband arrived home one day after work announcing he was buying the Oldsmobile but it needed some work. What he termed “needed work” was a pile of mess in my words. But, for my husband, it was love at first sight.
Once he owned the car, he needed help restoring it, he and Bil embarking on a project that would take three years.
My husband can instantly name the year, make and model of nearly all cars between 1960-1980 within seconds of seeing one. His ability to rattle off car information and his genuine love and appreciation – particularly for muscle cars – is completely lost on me. Thirty-two years of marriage this week and I still struggle to understand the attraction to old vehicles. If you are a fellow car lover, you’re likely rolling your disappointed eyes.
Staring at the Challenger in the parking lot, my husband circled the car, examining all angles. From head to taillights, upholstery and steering wheel, he respected the craftmanship and history. I’m certain my husband was thinking of Bil. I lowered my phone, deciding not to take the photo.
It’s curious how people can be gone for years and you still go through a motion or habit or have a thought as if they are still with you.
If you’re a Mopar/muscle/classic car person, you may enjoy seeing these photographs of a few of my husband’s cars over the years. Since Bil’s passing, my husband sold most of them. He no longer works on cars, just enjoys his 2011 black Dodge Challenger.
Thank you for reading!
All photos property of family5power.com Surroundings blurred for privacy because all the photos I selected to share happened to be taken at other people’s properties, not ours.
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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