His First Car

Small-Town Guy, Big City Thoughts

I got to help a son through a major life stage the other day. His first car. Gaelan Smith chose an ’02 Red Pontiac Grand Prix GTX. Got it with only 170,000 miles on it. I haven’t car shopped in a long time and forgot how much work it is. However, I also forgot how rewarding it is for a kid to have his first car.

Gaelan’s first car is a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GTX. It’s got a few things to work on as far as the outside appearance but she’s solid where it counts!

I offer this as an example. Gaelan and I work out regularly at Planet Fitness up in Brooklyn Park. Got out of the car and he hit the lock button. In the short walk from the car to the front door, I watched in the windows along the front of the gym and saw him turn around and look back at the car three times. No reason to. Just wanted to turn and look back at his car. Adorable! Took me back to getting my 1969 sky blue Chevy Nova when I was his age. Good memories. Good times!

You really do forget just how much fun it’s NOT to get insurance on cars for kids. Especially teenage boys in red cars.

In other random thoughts, go see the new Aquaman movie. Dang. With all the (well-deserved) guff that DC has taken for its previous movies, they hit a serious home run with this one. I’d say it’s okay to say that, even if you don’t like superhero movies, you will love this one! Comedy. Lots of action. Eye candy for the boys and girls. Heck, even my mother-in-law, Debby Bourgond, wants to go see it. 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Aquaman. Go see it. (Photo from Variety.com)

Speaking of fun things to do, made my first trip to Dave and Buster’s yesterday. When the kids were younger, I thought Chuckie Cheese was game-playing nirvana. Well, D and B up the ante when it comes to video games and food. First of all, the chicken fingers were fantastic. And it only got better from there.

Anyone close to me knows how much I love the superhero games Injustice and Injustice 2. They’re console games for the Xbox One. I had no idea they made Injustice into an arcade game! Braedan Smith was standing next to me when I made my discovery. Turned to him and said, “I think I just cheated on my wife.” I was pretty excited. Highly recommend a family trip to Dave and Buster’s if you have one nearby.

I really tried hard to think of a way to bring this game home with me from Dave and Busters. Didn’t figure it out in time.

Final thought: Just started reading a Stephen King book called Sleeping Beauties. All of the women in the world fall asleep, webbing appears around their heads, and they’re trapped in a coma. Just think about that, fellas. All the women in the world in a coma. Makes me shudder just thinking about it. If you have to ask why, you might wanna try fifth-grade health class all over again.

Later…