CLEAN OUT THE CAR

Old Trunks was reading about keeping ones car cleaned out this morning. The motto was if you can carry it in, you can carry it out.

My grand parents had a 1949 Plymouth, which they bought new. To save on the flooring, they put pieces of linoleum on the floor. There were no floor mats in those days, only a piece of rubber flooring which went door to door. I never saw anything left in that car OR in the old car they had with one wiper on the drivers side. EVER.

Mother was a stickler about keeping vehicles clean on the inside and out. Really!!! I should have capped that! Half stick gum wrappers and lipstick stained tissues went back into her handbag.

The only time I remember a real mess in the car was after the dog vomited up chocolate eclairs and lobster after he ate that sort dinner out on the coast of Maine. There was never a bag nor a bucket in the car, when we ate at the Dine-O-Mite, all the wrappers went back on the tray, or we took Daddy's station wagon, which, of course, was always a mess. And that should be capitalized also.

Children don't seem to understand carry in/carry out. They only understand transportation. Eat in the car, leave the stuff.

As a person who drives, I found the answer. Something big enough in the back seat area on the floor behind the passenger seat. Amazing how little aim one needs. Stopping for gas? Dump the container. The only problem is when I ride shot gun and have to throw junk over the seat!

Nothing raises a stench like six months worth of burger wrappers in a closed up car in the summer. Well, perhaps there are others. :). Except, of course, Daddy's car.

One spring, when the Chevy was at the shop and it didn't look like I was going to get it back for some function, I asked Daddy if I could use his pick up. He, being an agreeable fellow by nature said it was okay.

After I got all the papers and plans and horse poop and cattle pie pieces and who else knows what out of it, I opened the two doors and took the hose to it. Then I scrubbed. I scrubbed on that car all day. It looked so very nice.

I dressed for the function and was about to leave when the phone rang. The Chevy, which had been at a place with a grimy mechanic on a dusty road was ready. Because I had my car back, I would not be taking the truck.

Clean the car.

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