The Worst Car Ever

Her name was Gurdy. You could say that we had a love hate relationship. She was a burgundy 1994 eighty-eight Oldsmobile, and I was a sophomore in high school. Not only did I perceive her to be a grandma car, but I despised many of her less than desirable features. However, she did get me from point A to point B without me having to beg my parents for a ride.

Our first hateful encounter occurred one night after a boys basketball game. I was driving at night, without privileges, I wasn't old enough to drive at night yet. Everything was going well until Gurdy stalled at the stop light, which was green. Low and behold, the second car behind me was a police car. Needless to say, I did not get a warning, and he called my father on the spot, which was punishment enough. I ended up with a citation and grounded for two weeks, with no driving privileges for a month. Thanks Gurdy.

From then on it was all downhill. It was almost like it was her goal to stall, break down, or perform badly at the most inconvenient times. Gurdy had an issue with warming up in the mornings, if I didn't have my little sister sit in the car and rev the engine for about 5 minutes prior to my needing to leave, Gurdy's top speed for about 10 miles was 25 mph, and when your running late your sister doesn't have time to sit in the car before you leave. Thus leading to my second ticket. Did you know it is possible to get a ticket for going to slow on the interstate? Thanks Gurdy.

Later Gurdy developed an issue that resulted in her shaking like crazy from the speed of 55 mph until about 70 mph. This paired with the spitting and sputtering of some fuel problem that made it so that if you didn't hold your foot right on the sweet spot of the gas pedal, then she would die, was enough embarrassment for me to never drive my friends anywhere. However if you had the patience you could start her up and without touching the gas pedal she would idol right on up to about 50 or 55 mph, this took about 15 minutes but usually saved you time because otherwise it was 25 mph for about 5 min and the entire time you were fighting the gas pedals sweet spot, causing you to have to stop and restart Gurdy about 3 times which started the process over.

Gurdy was also a magnet for being backed into, as I mentioned she was burgundy, but she accumulated a gold door. When my brother started driving she also sported the perfect imprint of a telephone pole above her back passenger wheel. And on more than one occasion she left me stranded for hours.Oh yes, Gurdy had style and class. She has since been retired to lawn ornament and awaits the driving years of my youngest sister. At least I had a car to drive in high school, Thanks Gurdy.