THE ELECTRIC WINDOW RACE
Repost from February 2011
Most people I know care what other people think about them to one degree or another and I fall into that category like everyone else in the world. When I was younger I cared a great deal about what people thought of me, I think it’s pretty common for kids.
Many people paint themselves like a canvas to portray the character they want the world to see. I’ve known people who have worn glasses because they wanted to look smart, I can tell you it never worked for me!
I remember being around 7 or 8 years old sitting in our car in the church parking lot after the service waiting on our mom and dad. Minutes seem like hours when you’re not playing as a kid. We were parked next to the Buchanan’s car at church, they had the nicest car at church, a Lincoln Continental which was right up there with Cadillacs as the nicest cars around in those days. (this was when the only notable import was the Volkswagen Beetle)
We had a Mercury too, but ours was an old four door Comet and it was the only car we had. My brothers new a lot about cars and enjoyed nice ones like that Lincoln. So with a tad of covetousness and a car load of boredom my brother Bobby challenged the adopted Buchanan kids to an electric window race.
One of the Buchanan boys quickly accepted my brothers challenge to the electric window race with enthusiasm, they too must have been bored out of their gourds.
Sure enough, even though we didn’t have as near nice a car as the Buchanan’s or live in one of the biggest houses that overlooked the whole town, we had faster electric windows, or so the Buchanan’s thought.
Although I was much younger than all the participants involved in the electric window race, I was astonished at how gullible or sheltered the three of them were. Our car wasn’t made with electric windows, it wasn’t even an option, neither were seat belts in the “affordable” cars like ours in those days. The only kind of cars with that kind of luxury was the Caddies and Continentals.
Bobby hunched forward a tad, leaned his left forearm on the armrest and on “GO” he would reach over his lap with his right arm and turn the window crank moving only his wrist. A pretty impressive feat since I could barely roll the window up or down with both my hands.
No matter, we were the electric window race champions of the church parking lot! We had proved we had something they didn’t, we had much more than they had, it would just take a little more time to gain that wisdom. Nice car? Hummph!
The problem with caring about what other people might think about us in this life is that we ignore the fact that everyone has issues or problems and their own set of insecurities to deal with. Adults and children alike.
My sister and the youngest adopted Buchanan girl were the same age, imagine how jealous I was when my sister got invited to go swimming at the Buchanan’s house? I only knew of two families that had their very own built-in concrete swimming pool in town. One was a doctor who lived in the prestigious Bel-Air Estates and the Buchanan’s who’s house overlooked all of ours.
It looked like the Buchanan’s had it all, but in time we would begin to see the cracks in the Buchanan family canvas. Though they were prominent members of our church and Mrs. Buchanan was a regular singing solos, my siblings and me decided the Buchanan’s must be giving a lot of money to the church, otherwise no way they’d have let her sing as bad as she was.
We all got thumped by our dad’s big ole’ finger one time or another trying not to snicker in church and especially when Mrs. Buchanan sang. Sadly, we didn’t have to hear her sing for too much longer after that electric window race.
The oldest son Donald shot and killed Mrs. Buchanan… Last we heard he had died in prison.
That was one of many lessons I’ve got a front row seat for in life. Our old car and house weren’t fancy, my two brothers and me shared a 9×9 room, all six of us shared the shower.
My dad was a blue-collar man and my mom’s job was to stay at home and take care of us. We had discipline and we had love, even then I knew I wouldn’t trade what I had for anything, not even a fancy house or car.
I didn’t realize at the time we were rich beyond my wildest dreams…
bill (cycleguy)
Friday, November 2, 2012 @ 3:40 am
Certainly true that not all things are as they seem. Thanks for the story Floyd.
Floyd
Friday, November 2, 2012 @ 7:04 am
Thanks for stopping by, Bill. It seems that the one thing you can count on is that… Things are never as they seem…
Danelle
Friday, November 2, 2012 @ 6:34 pm
Goodness Floyd. The end of this post almost made me cry. Beautiful that you know the true meaning of “rich”. Blessed to be here today.
Floyd
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 9:34 am
Thanks, Danelle. I think kids who are shown love, which includes discipline, instinctively know what the best things in life are. It takes time in the real world to lose that internal wisdom from God. Only in and through Him can we find it. Your boys are blessed like that. And I’m blessed for you being here.
Hazel Moon
Friday, November 2, 2012 @ 7:18 pm
Rich beyond our dreams, we were too. Our car was an old chevy and we all fit nicely in it. Our house was livable and we lived it up in it.
Thanks for the reminder that we often wonder what it is like in the fast lane with the Caddie etc, but it is not worth the trip over to their side of the fence.
Floyd
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 9:36 am
Well said, Hazel. The other side of the fence may have material things, but if there’s not the love of God and loved ones, what’s the point? Empty. Thanks!
Betty Draper
Friday, November 2, 2012 @ 10:19 pm
Sad ending…a lesson we all need to learn no matter what kind of car we drive. I remember there was a girl in school I would have give anything to be. She had it all, looks, clothes, she was a cheer leader, lots of friends, the cutest boy, the envy of all us girls. Plus she was nice. But I learned somewhere along the way she had a bad homelife too, a little like mine, except they were rich and could cover it up more. Everyone knew about my Dad. To this day I always wonder what is going on in those rich houses. Heartaches come to all…it rains on the just and the unjust. Good post brother.
Floyd
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 9:39 am
Thanks, Betty. Heartaches do come to all of us. Those of us who know our Father have His sprit inside of us to help us realize that He will see us through the storms of life. The love of money ruins lives without exception. God has brought you along way and given you wisdom from a perspective that He’s used to lift up others. It’s difficult to see His plan when we’re young… Aging has it’s benefits…
Voni
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 8:14 am
It’s hard to have a front row for that kind of lesson! Glad you had a strong family to make the learning easier.
Floyd
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 9:53 am
I guess it was hard to have a front row seat like that. Living where we did in So-Cal in the late sixties was a front row seat I wouldn’t wish on anyone. God has a way of using things like that in our lives. Hard times, we all get em’, we just have to seek God to figure out what it is He has for us to learn and grow with. Thanks, Voni. Glad you made a strong family to weather the storms of life as well. It is encouraging. Thanks.
Audra Krell
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 11:11 pm
You are correct as usual Floyd, we can always count on there being a deeper story. This fallen world is definitely not what it seems.
Floyd
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 10:27 am
Thanks, Audra. It almost seems like the one thing you can count on in this life is that things are never as they seem. It is only the true lives that possess peace and joy I’d say.
Diane
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 5:03 am
Gosh…I gasped…how sad. But, what a lesson learned!
How I love your stories. Love your writing, Floyd. I’ve missed stopping by, my friend. This is a “lesson” I will chew on for a while. Thank you!
Floyd
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 10:29 am
Thanks, Diane. I know everyone of us get busy with life, but when you stop by the day seems to glow a bit brighter. Funny how the spirit of God in others has a way of doing that…
Nancy
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 8:05 pm
Say…..I lived in S. Cal for a time! Huntington Beach to be exact…then moved to Commerce.
A solid foundation is, above all, the best kind of riches. We don’t know what we have until we’ve grown a bit – maybe a lot!
I can remember being self-conscious because of the diastema ( space)between my upper front teeth as a kid. Also I thought I had huge teeth and a BIG nose. All I wanted to have were a pleasant face and some decent clothes. Those were tough years. I learned that the family I thought had everything lost everything. Their house went up in flames. The dad passed away and then the mother, from cancer. The girls who had it all lived with their grandmother. Then she also passed away before they were grown.
Thanks for sharing! Appreciate it so!
Floyd
Sunday, November 4, 2012 @ 8:26 pm
I’m with you, Nancy. I had a big space between my two big front teeth. Yeah, things are never as they seem are they? God knew exactly what we needed. Thanks for sharing your personal life… We’re not so different all of us… That’s good for me, sister!
Mike
Monday, November 5, 2012 @ 1:40 pm
That was rather clever of your brother with the electric window race. Floyd, you are right about us caring what other people think, it’s hard not to. Who doesn’t want people to look at them favorably? What’s unfortunate is when we alter who we are in order to try and impress others, or to be accepted. I remember doing lots of stupid things when I was younger in order to fit in; things like smoking and drinking. Although I still care to a degree what other people think of me, I no longer alter my behavior for their acceptance. If someone thinks I’m nieve because I believe in God so be it, and don’t follow the crowd.
Floyd
Monday, November 5, 2012 @ 6:21 pm
Thank, Mike. I’m with you 100%! I spent my share of time doing the same things. Our lives are designed to please our Father. If someone doesn’t like that, then I say tough tamales…
Jason Stasyszen
Thursday, November 8, 2012 @ 5:06 pm
So sad and all too common. Those who “have it all” are many times the most tortured. I’m reminded of Proverbs 10:22, “It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.” He gives us the true riches. A great reminder, Floyd. Thank you.
Floyd
Thursday, November 8, 2012 @ 9:22 pm
Thank you, Jason. Life isn’t always a bed of roses. The sad truth is that it’s a fallen world… Anything without the consent and will of God brings misery.