Translate

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

LITTLE MUSTANG THAT THOUGHT HE COULD

Once upon a time in the land called America, there was a factory that built cars.  It was a Ford plant and they did not just build any Ford, but they built Mustangs.  Now Mustangs had been around since the mid-1960's and had quite a reputation among the car world.  Other Fords would look at the Mustangs with envy for the Mustang was one of the royalty of Fords along with the Crown Victoria and the F150 truck.

One special day a little silver Mustang rolled off of the assembly line in the Mustang plant.  The test driver turned the key and the little Mustang roared to life.  He was suddenly aware of everything around him.  He saw the most beautiful car ever, and they looked just like him except for the colors.  There were so many different bright colors of Mustangs all around him.  He decided quickly that the silver Mustangs, like himself, were the sleekest looking ones while the pitch black Mustangs were the most intimidating looking.

All of the Mustangs sat in the waiting area of the parking lot to find out where their destinations were to be.  Whispers began running through the car lot and you heard names like "New York" and "Seattle"  and other far away exotic places.  There was one destination that all of the Mustangs were hoping for.  Deep inside their carburetors each Mustang secretly hoped that when they rolled up to the train, they would be told that they were going to Kansas City.  Oh my. what a dream that would be to end up in the center of the country where everything was grand.  The mustangs knew that they would be the grandest cars in the grandest city.  For the majority of them it was but a dream, but still there was that small chance.

The little silver Mustang sat on the lot for a couple of weeks while other Mustangs were being driven off to the train cars.  Every once in a while he would hear conversations among the humans saying where this load was going.

"Yup, these here cars are headed to Tuscaloosa to show off around those Mercedes that are built down there."

Or "These here ones are headed to Denver.  They can handle the thin air with no problem."

He had heard all kinds of destinations that his new friends were heading for but as of yet, Kansas City had not been mentioned.  With every destination announced that wasn't Kansas City, all the Mustangs that were left in the lot let out a sigh.  They still had a chance to be in the center of the universe as they knew it.

Then one day the little silver Mustang felt a human get in him and start his engine up.  They began to drive slowly through the lot and he knew he was heading for a train.  As he passed the man with clipboard he heard those magic words.

"Yup, these here are the lucky ones.  The be heading to Kansas City."  Oh my, how do you describe the excitement the little silver Mustang felt.  He revved his engine a little and headed towards the train cars that were heading for the great land of Missouri.  He was special.  He had been one of the chosen to go to Kansas City. 

The train ride seemed like it took forever even though it was just a day or two.  When the train finally stopped, he was transferred to a truck with other mustangs of varying colors.  He found himself on the top of the truck so he could marvel at the Missouri country side.  Kansas City was just a little bit further.  Finally he arrived at what they called a dealership.  He was taken off of the truck and put in a special place at the dealership.  He was put inside with other special cars and trucks on the showroom floor.  It was honor that he never dreamed of.  It said that he was the best looking Mustang of all the Mustangs.  Everyone who came to the dealership would look at him and make a decision whether to buy him or not.

He became friends with other cars on the showroom floor and learned what their specialties were.  The car that fascinated him most though was the Crown Victoria.  The Crown Vic, as he was called, was also a very special type of car.  The Crown Vic was the choice of police forces all across the nation with one goal and that was to keep an eye on the Mustangs to be sure they didn't go too fast out there with all the ordinary cars.

"Yeah, well you see little Mustang, you are the fastest and sleekest car that Ford makes.  You are so very fast they put special engines in those of us who go to be part of the police squad so we can keep up with you.  Even with our special engines it is a tough thing to do, but that is our job.  Not that you are an enemy, not saying that at all.  We are more like in competition with each other.  You go as fast as you can and we try somehow to catch up with you.  Not an easy thing to do, no sir.  You are the fastest car out there."

Wow, the fastest car out there, and along with that he looked real good and sleek.  He began to feel even more special the more the Crown Vic and the F150 talked to him about the legend of the Mustangs.  He could not wait to get out there and show the world what he could do.

One day a middle aged man came into the dealership and told the salesman he had his mind made up.  He wanted a Mustang.  He told about how he was a member of a Mustang club that allowed only Mustang owners to join.  He wanted a Mustang that would be the finest looking and fastest Mustang in all of Kansas City.  Then he turned and pointed to the little silver Mustang and said firmly "That is the Mustang I want."

Oh how he swelled with pride when the man, who he would learn later was called Mark, drove him out of the dealership and onto the street.  The little Mustang was ready to go and show Mark what he could do.  There were rules that had to be followed though and every once in a while the little silver Mustang would see a Crown Vic decorated with lights on top of it indicating it was part of the famed Kansas City Police.  Mark never drove very fast when there were Crown Vics around.

Finally one day Mark decided to take the little Mustang out in the strange country of Kansas as a test to see how fast his new car could go.  The road was straight and flat and easy for the little Mustang to drive on.  When they got a little ways away from the town Mark told the little Mustang "Okay buddy, let's see what you got" and stomped on the little Mustangs pedal.  The little Mustang felt his whole insides come to life as he went fast and faster.  Soon the landscape was just a blur as he continued to inch his way to as fast as he could go.  He suddenly was not afraid of the Crown Vics anymore.  He was convinced there was not a chance in the world a Crown Vic would ever catch him.

He finally reached his top speed and it was fast.  The little Mustang had a true feeling of exhilaration for the first time.  He was riding smooth and fast.  He wondered if anyone could even see him he was going so fast.  Mark kept the little mustang going and they began passing lesser cars with a whoosh and he realized he was only able to get a quick glimpse of the color of the car they passed.  He had no idea what kind of car they were passing because it was just a blur.

Then something strange happened.  As he was roaring down the highway at top speed, he heard the familiar whoosh of a car being passed, only it wasn't him who was doing the passing.  He saw a black blur go by him run off into the distance.  Was that another Mustang?  Was it a Mustang even faster than he was?  He could not tell.  Maybe it was one of those fast Crown Vics he had heard about.  No, that couldn't be it because their job was to slow the Mustangs down, not keep running away from the Mustang.

A little ways up the road, Mark pulled the little silver mustang into a resting area.  The little Mustang found himself sitting next to a different looking car.  It was black and about the same size as the little Mustang.  The black car looked over at the little mustang.

"Was that you that I blew by a few miles ago?" asked the black car.  The little Mustang thought for a moment.

"Maybe" the little mustang stuttered.  "You don't look like any car I have seen at the Ford places" the little Mustang said.

"Well, that is because I am not a Ford" the black car said proudly.

"Then what are you?  They told me I was the fastest and sleekest car ever built, but I have to admit, you look very sharp yourself and obviously you are a lot faster than I am.  Tell me, Are you one of those Toyotas?" the little Mustang asked.

The black car gave out a little chuckle and looked at the little mustang with a smile.

"Let me guess, this is your first time out on the fast road, right?  All the Fords told you how great you were and no one was better, am I right?" the black car was still smiling.

"Well, yes I guess so.  They said the only car that could come close to my speed was the Crown Vic." the little Mustang said trying to get his pride up.

"Oh, those Crown Vics.  They will say almost anything.  You have probably heard of Toyota and Honda as well.  But I bet you never heard the name CHEVY have you."  the black car now had almost a look of pity for the little silver Mustang.

"Nope, can't say I have." the little Mustang said in wonder. "Are you one of those?  a Chevy?"

The black car got a serious look on his grill and finally said" Little Mustang, I am what they call Camaro, and yes I am a Chevy..  They didn't tell you about us because, well Fords don't like us very much.  We tend to show up at times when a Ford is suppose to be the star.  Don't feel bad though,.  It's not your fault you are a Ford.  We all can't be Chevy's you know.  Besides, they did tell you the truth about one thing."

"What was that?"

"Well, you ARE the fastest car that Ford makes and by far the nicest looking car that comes out of that place."

The little Mustang thought a bit then asked the Camaro, "So you are the fastest and sleekest car that Chevy makes?" he asked in wonderment.

The Camaro chuckled.  "No, sadly I can not lay claim to that.  I have a little brother who is even faster than me and he looks a lot sharper then I do.  They call him Corvette.  Fastest street car I have ever seen and what I would give to have looks like him."

The little Mustang shuddered at the thought of a car faster than the Camaro and even better looking.

The Camaro saw the little Mustang shudder and said softly under his breath, "yes, I know little Mustang, I know."