The 69 Adventure
Chapter 17 – The End of the Partnership
June came and we had every expectation of racing the car before the end of the month. Sam moved out under less than desirable circumstances the first week and Shell moved in. I seemed to be feeling worse and being less help.
Shell and I drove over to Trenton to get the historic plates and I put the car on my insurance policy. Ed Maher was up this way and visited - he heard the engine run, but we still weren't ready to drive it anywhere.
|
My job was to get the wiring done. It seemed an easy enough task, but was beyond me. Kat came to the rescue and on June 8th, the 69 was driven around the block. | |
|
My first trip in it was to Shop-Rite to pick up dog food after work one night. It seemed rather ironic that we had put all this work into a grocery-getter! The front suspension and steering was a disaster. Jase & I took the car up to Midas and they couldn't even align it. We needed to replace more parts. The car was no longer fun. Jase wasn't having fun and neither was I. Each day we waited for another part was one more day of aggravation.
I visited the doctor again and was put on medication for kidney problems. My mood was dismal. I still had the headache symptoms (except for the pain), the boob was a recurring problem, but the worst were the mood swings. I was suddenly prone to tears and I had never had that happen to me before. I chalked it all up to not feeling good, the stress with Sam, the unraced car, but it was taking its toll on me. I didn't realize how bad it was until October. We took a break for the Ohio Gathering.
After Ohio, Jase decided he was going to race the car the way it was. I couldn't let him do that and for the first time, I pulled rank. I know how much this pissed him off, but his safety (or my perception of it) was more important to me. I was seriously starting to dislike the 69, and more than sorry I had involved others in it. Jase had been holding out to race it before he went home and now even I was getting in the way. I promised Jase the following: The car will not be driven excessively or raced until it is safe. When the car is safe to race, he will be given the opportunity to do so.
July started with another surgery on the boob. This time I was smart enough to warn Jase I was going, but I still refused to be hospitalized. Jase offered to drive me and I refused that too. I was being stubborn and independent. Afterwards, I drove myself home - but not before the combination of surgery and summer heat made me pull over. I had to call Jase. He and Shell offered to come get me, but settled for talking me through the ride. That seemed to be the end of my independence for a few days and I let them fuss and make dinner and bring home flowers - although it only made me cry when they were so understanding. The boob cancelled our July 4th plans as well.
We got parts for the front end on July 8th. Installing them was not easy and we were hoping to get it done quick, get the car aligned, and race it before the weekend. Jase was already making plans to go home and I had my heart set on him racing it before he did. It didn't happen. Jase & Bruiser left on July 14th.
Someone always asks me what happened. It wasn't fun anymore - we'd agreed to stop when it wasn't fun. Actually, it was past time to stop. I hated the car - it cost me a friendship. But I had a few promises to keep - good thing or I would have junked the car by the end of July.
My friends seemed to understand, maybe more than I did. PK was here when I got back from Va. The next day, he dragged me out to the car and I kept on. Mac decided to come up the first week in August. And as always, Kat was there to pick me up when I stumbled. The Project Partnership had dissolved, but the Project lived on. And someone kept telling me I'll like the car again when I race it.