This Easter Sunday Leta was joining herdaughter Vivian’s family for a family dinner at her grandson Don’s. While Vivian generally prepared such meals, this time her granddaughter-in-law Patricia had the honor, and she was so excited that she was ready early. Her youngest grandchild Linda, just 21, had picked her up from her senior residence and was walking her through the parking lot on a warm and sunny spring afternoon. Leta had not been paying attention to where they were headed, and she nearly tripped over her surprise at the sight of the Model A Ford right in front of them.
“Oh my word!” she gasped, releasing her steadying grip on her granddaughter’s arm. She took a few steps to inspect the vehicle. It looked almost exactly like the one her husband Ralph purchased shortly after they married. Then, as now, she couldn’t believe it but for very different reasons. When Ralph made his purchase, they were young, renting a small house and caring for a toddler. They couldn’t afford such an extravagance. When he drove it up that afternoon, she could have strangled him. As neither was particularly frivolous, Leta worried that something had happened.
“Not at all,” he answered with a big. “I just decided it was time to give up the horse and buggy once and for all, and move into the modern era.”
Linda was smiling just as broadly. “Do you like it?” she asked. “It’s a—“
“—Model A,” Leta interrupted, “I know.”
“It’s been used, of course,” Linda and Ralph both said in almost exactly the same tone, or at least to Leta, who heard both nearly fifty years apart.
“That’s why I could afford it,” Ralph added.
“It even has some contemporary parts,” Linda continued. “But it still drives slowly. That’s why I was late. I didn’t know it would take so long to get here.”
“It’s beautiful,” Leta said, “and it takes me back.”
“I wondered if it would,” Linda smiled.
“But we better get going,” Leta said after her stomach grumbled. “I’m getting hungry, and I’m sure everything’s ready by now. We mustn’t keep everyone waiting.”
Linda opened the passenger door and helped her grandmother get into the car. While they were both very excited and pleased, they both equally understood that riding in such a vehicle would be difficult for the elderly woman. This ride would be a special occasion.
Once Leta was seated, Linda also boarded and started the engine. It came to life with a little pop, and Leta immediately remembered hearing a similar, but muffled sound in the residence lobby. Then the engine started to chug, and off they went.
It was a glorious afternoon—warm, sunny, fresh—just like a spring Easter holiday should be. Although they were a bit behind schedule, Linda did decide to drive them through the park. It wasn’t out of their way, really, but a more ambling drive to their destination. Leta remembered previous drives in the first Model A, when she and Ralph were happy and laughing. How their baby Vivian (now mother to Linda) would giggle unceasingly as they bumped along unpaved roads and cry, “Do it again, please. Do it again, papa.”
Truthfully, the ride was still bumpy, even with the modern pavement. They could feel every little bump, but Leta felt like a young woman again, in spite of the slight discomfort.
The new Model A that Ralph brought home resulted in their conceiving Vivian’s brother Dale, and for him alone, it was worth it. They were coming home from a New Year’s dinner at Ralph’s parents, and he was in a particularly good mood. It was chilly, the roads were a little slick from the lightly flowing snow, and she cuddled against him for warmth. Every bump threw them into each other, and with their hearts full of cheer, drew them closer together. They even became a bit amorous in the motor car itself. After all, Vivian was sound asleep and wouldn’t notice.
But that was years ago for Leta, several lifetimes. Now, she was an old woman with six great-grandchildren, three of whom would jump up and down with glee when they arrived for this Easter dinner, as they had not yet seen their aunt’s new car. The food, of course, was wonderful. Patricia was an excellent cook. They feasted on Ham, au gratin potatoes and mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans canned from the garden, deviled eggs, Waldorf salad, macaroni salad warm rolls, candied sweet potatoes and pie. Sure enough, there was cherry pie, made from the cherries off Pat’s own tree, kept frozen until needed.
After eating, they took turns riding in the car. The younger grandchildren thrilled riding in the rumble seat. In fact, they were more excited about the car than they were their own double Easter baskets loaded with goodies. (One from the Easter bunny at home and another from the Easter bunny at their doting grandmother’s.) Although she offered to help with the dishes, Patricia would not hear of it, allowing her to sit on the front porch on this perfectly pleasant day and simply enjoy her existence.
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