Larry's Used Car and an Oncoming Truck

Throwback Thursday: One night when I was a teenager Larry Holcomb came by my family's home to show me a car he had just bought from Bobby McEntyre. It was a black Chevy, 1955 I think. The motor rumbled in deep breaths instead of purring. We drove it out to Varner’s Drive-In for him to show our friends his new purchase. I remember one friend wanted to shine a flashlight around the back seat, looking for Bobby’s “peter tracks”. After spending an hour or so at Varner’s we got back into Larry’s Chevvy for him to take me back home. My family and I lived on Richard Street, which ran into the 4-Lane across from the present parking lot of White Water Park. We were going down the hill, with the Richard Street turn off at the bottom of the hill when the car motor stopped running. The car settled to a stop at the bottom of the hill. We got out and tried to push it off the road, but it would not move. It was on level ground, either frontward or backwards we would be pushing it uphill, which was impossible for two teenagers. Then we heard the engine and groans of a big truck coming downhill, directly towards us. We ran over to the side of the road. Then I brilliantly remembered that if I put the brake pedal on the red taillights would light up and the truck driver would see it and pull into the other lane I ran over and jumped into the Chevvy about to save the day. Larry screamed at me, telling me to come back. The trucks headlights' light completely filled the inside of the car with light. I stepped on the brake pedal. The truck made a loud screeching sound, but whizzed by me. I told myself I was a fool. Larry told me I was a fool too, but thanked me anyway.