The Superior Express -

Since last week’s column was all gloom and doom, I’ll try to keep it upbeat this week. My oldest Robert, the oldest of the second set of kids that is, finally got his sign-on bonus for joining the army. Like any teenager with a dollar in his pocket, he just had to spend it right now. So at 4 a.m. I get a phone call; Mom, can you please find me a car, nothing fancy, just four wheels and a driver’s seat.

If you have ever had the pleasure of talking to me in the early morning hours, you would know this was a bad idea. A few hours later I get a text:

Robert: Have you found anything yet?

Me: Huh?

Robert: A car, mom. Have you found me a car yet?

Me: I told you I’m not looking until you have some $$$$$$!

Robert: Mom! Seriously!

Me: What?

Robert: I called you this morning and told you I got my bonus. I asked you to see if you could find me a car and you said you were on it!

Me: What time?

Robert: 18:00

Okay, so now I’m counting on my fingers and toes trying to figure out what 18:00 is in my time. Also, he is in Korea, so he is 14 hours ahead of us. I gave up counting and looked at the call log on my phone.

Me: you called me at 4 a.m., are you nuts, you knew I wouldn’t remember that!

Robert: That’s why I’m texting you now, Mom.

All he has ever talked about is getting a truck so he can go fishing and hunting. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he wanted me to find him a car. After further investigation, I found that his budget wasn’t what he had hoped. He had such a long list of “wants,” and a short supply of cash because no matter what I say, he is completely unable to save money. He had his bonus spent before he got one dime of it. His budget for a vehicle was $3,000, and I was right; he really did want a truck.

Before he could spend it all, I pulled the money out of his account. Then I went on a wild goose chase. I needed to find a pickup he could drive across the country if needed, that would not break down on him. He is not mechanically inclined in the least bit.

After about a week of searching the internet and driving to see a few bad apples and a weird conversation with a crazy woman, I found it. The needle in the haystack. It’s a 2001 GMC Sierra, with less than 140,000 miles on it. Some kid in Grand Island had it and had taken such good care of it. The interior is clean. The driver’s seat has a little tear, no evidence of anything leaking, shifts like a dream and rides like a caddy! I have to say I’m a bit jealous! Although I should have taken more of his money because by the time I found it, I had to wait two weeks for him to get paid again so I could get plates for it. Until next time, X’s & O’s.