Cars

I was eight years old.

I brought home a small brown paper bag full of wheels, nails, and a block of wood.

I came in the house and announced to my mom that I had been given a pinewood derby kit at the cub scout pack meeting.

She was shocked when she looked inside the bag and realized that there was "some assembly required."

I waited for my dad to come home so that he could help me with the project. He cut the block of wood in the shape of a car. We spray painted it a shade of orange that to this day defies description. (Even Martha Stewart couldn't identify the color if she saw it)

Dad sanded the nails and applied a mystery spray to them. He assured me that it would "reduce friction." All I was interested in was a fast car.

I applied the number 97 decal to the back of the car and we went down to Vicks, the corner grocery store.

I am tempted to get sidetracked and describe the glass bottles of soda in the water cooler. I am tempted to let my mind wander and think about the candy bars lining the counter where you paid for your items. But I am not....let your imagination run wild.

Entering Vicks we carefully put #97 on the scales to make sure we were at the right weight.

Yep! Everything was set.

The night of the Pinewood Derby race came. I made it through the first several heat races. As time moved along, I realized that #97 might be a winning car.

At the end of the night #97 was the fastest car in the whole cub scout troop. I won the whole thing! Then they impounded my car. I was sad. I thought perhaps the mystery spray might not have been legal. I was a little dumbfounded by all of the proceedings.

Two weeks passed and finally I got word from the chief cub scout officer. They had sent my car to Guy Porto Sports Center in Alexandria, Louisana and had it mounted on a piece of granite. Today that 1st place #97 car sits in my office as a reminder of that night 42 years ago.

Tonite I bring #97 out of retirement and race it against kids that are the age I was when I took 1st place years ago.

I will let you know the results tomorrow.