Thursday, March 5, 2009

Ghost of the "Jazzmobile"


When I started driving this is the beast that I got to start in. It was affectionately referred to as the "Jazzmobile" on account of the Utah Jazz bumper sticker that later replaced the one that you see here (if you can read this.....thank a music teacher), which I think my Mom is still mad about. Anyway I think the Jazzmobile had a mind of its own as evidenced by the things that it routinely ran into when I started driving (i.e. garbage cans, lawns, open muddy fields, sprinklers, jumps, other cars, etc.). It certainly wouldn't have been my bad driving. Or maybe it was the fact that I've seen yachts in the ocean smaller than the Jazzmobile.
Well the other night my brother-in-law Tyler called me and asked if I could come pick him up at the train station. It was around 11 at night when I pulled up to the station, found a parking spot and proceeded to back into it. I was suddenly overcome by the ghost of the Jazzmobile and backed right into another vehicle that was in the way. I know that the vehicle wasn't there when I started backing up so the only explanation was those eery blue and green lights I saw dancing in the starlit sky had something to do with the re-emergence of the Jazzmobile. So just a warning to you other drivers out there: When the moon is just right, and there's a certain calmness in the air, pull your garbage cans in a little closer to the curb, and stay off the roads for the Jazzmobile knows no bounds.

9 comments:

njfroerer said...

Finally, a peek at the Jazzmobile. What a car! I can only imagine you and your blood brother Mason cruising the streets of Pleasant View. I bet one of the many reasons Tracy married you was because of the wheels you drove:)

Cindy said...

Ahh, what memories! I love this post, but I must disagree with you. My first time behind the wheel was in the jazzmobile. Never mind that I was underage and had no license, I still managed not to hit anything.
I think you need to call it what it is- BAD DRIVING. In fact my "new" van has a dent in the front courtesy of you, I believe. So lay off the jazzmobile and start paying attention to your rear view mirror!!

K.Booth said...

What a sweet ride!!! I bet garbage cans everywhere used to quake when this hot ride turned the corner. 8 tracks or radio? Hey great post I loved reading it!!

A&AWilcox said...

I never knew my cousins we're such creative story tellers. I must top this however if you and Cindy might remember My dad had us drive a mini bus to school on ocassion so the Jazzmobile looks pretty sweet in comparisson

Ferguson Family said...

Oh Cindy, that is not a dent it's a love mark. Bad driving is a stretch, I just like giving people something to remember me by. That or the Jazz singer 8-track skipped and distracted me.

Anonymous said...

Why do I feel like I am being picked on again????? Tom, I think you need some lessons in backing up. It might help if you looked where you were going! My van was the only car on your huge driveway, and you backed up and HIT IT! Then instead of coming in the house and telling me that you just hit my car, you called me from your cell phone. What's wrong with this picture? Love you anyway!

Trent Mason said...

Tom, didn't it also have a bumper sticker you added that said, "If I were an F16, I'd be home by now!"?

It was good to remember the Jazzmobile again. I remember when Steven almost died in the back of it because he locked himself in the back under the seat on a hot Summer day. We looked forever for him... Maybe the Jazzmobile was haunted!

The Huntsville Dunns said...

Tom, I'm gonna have to agree with your mother on this one......you need to do a post about how wonderful she is and not memory loss, cars etc etc! Btw, you called her from your cell phone to tell her you hit her car? Oh shame on you! :)

Brandon said...

Wow. This takes me back. You could have pointed out that garbage cans everywhere only need fear when they hear a young man yell GARBAGE CAN BASEBALL!!!
I still remember desperately trying to remove the trash from your windshield, as you continued on about 45 mph...