PWE

Hi! I'm a 1998 Ford Ranger!

I learned to drive on a small Toyota truck. It was light blue, and was the most stripped down model you could buy with a four speed manual transmission and no overdrive. It only had one rearview mirror on the driver's side. With this truck I learned the art of the clutch, and am surprised that my mom (who did most of my driver's education while holding on tightly to the passenger door and leaning into the center of the car) lived through this experience. I remember one time my dad and I drove to downtown Portland and parked the truck on the street. I don't remember why we were there, but I do remember on the way back to find the truck we couldn't remember what street we had parked it on. That's when my dad jokingly said, "Pee-wee where are you? We lost you!" And I laughed, and then realized why my dad said that once we found the truck: the license plate started with PWE. Thereafter, the little blue truck was Peewee. I will admit here, that I love driving a truck. Maybe it's just the nostalgia I have for having learned to drive on one. I also have nostalgia for Volkswagen Vanagons for a similar reason. I also learned to be a better driver with a Vanagon because there's nothing like driving a barn door with a gear shift that is two and a half feet long to give you a lesson on space. I digress. So yes, I love driving a truck.

Making the second dump-run

As Kevin and I tear out our bathroom (and scheme about the kitchen remodel) we have come to realize that a truck would be a really nice thing to have. Especially considering that we had a pile of rubble sitting under our carport for over two weeks. And we had to buy plywood and sheetrock. So... we got a truck. Bought a truck. And now I have to admit that this is the first American made car I have ever owned. It's an old truck, and it was a fairly cheap truck. But it has so far done the job and it feels really great to be driving a truck around. (And if you're wondering, yes, we still have the Honda. We are a two car family, which I have mixed feelings about but whatever, I live in the Midwest now and I guess that's just how we do it here).