History
So, unlike everyones antique, vintage rides - mine is a bit more 'modern'.
As a 23 year old, I haven't been around too long to experience the privilege of the older cars so I'm lucky enough to call this beetle, my first.
It all started when I was 15. Yet to get my learners and still striving to fill in every km possible in my log book in the hope of escaping the passenger seat.
Through a bad divorce and a mid-life crisis, my dad walked into Volkswagen one day and walked out with 2 brand new cars for his 2 children - yet to get licenses. The story went something like this....
Dad rings while I'm on a holiday in Noosa and says - "Hey Darl, I bought you a present today - you're going to love it!". As an obvious response, the first question I asked was "What is it". And he responded with "A car!". As you can imagine I was a bit dumbfounded and unimpressed as it sounded like a joke and I couldn't even drive. So confused I said "I don't even have a license", and he didn't react one bit, he simply said "I know! It was so cute I couldn't leave it in the shop!". The conversation ended there.
For the rest of the holiday I couldn't wait to get home to see if this phone conversation was real or if this was some kind of Dad joke I'd never heard before.
Low and behold I got home to a brand new beetle sitting in the driveway and to Dad with the biggest smile ever on his face.
His conditions were this - "You get your L's, you can drive it, I'll pay for the fine. If you get caught under the influence or speeding - that's on you." Still to this day I'm confused if this was bad parenting or the coolest parent ever. Yet to be decided.
Every kids dream - rebel! So I sat my L's the day I turned 16, got it in the first go and began my professional driving career.
4 months later I was driving home from a friends house and yep, you guessed it. "Whoop, Whoop". My heart began racing as I squinted at the blue and red lights flashing through my rearview mirror. I pulled over and the police officer approached my window. He asked why the car was registered under a mans name and I advised him that was my Dad and this was my car. He then proceeded to ask for my license and with elephants stomping through my stomach, I passed him my learner license.
His response......"What would your Dad think of you driving this car in the middle of the night with no-one beside you?" And as I looked shyly away I said "He'd be really disappointed in me and I'd probably get in a lot of trouble." During this entire time, my Dad was actually on my mobile listening in to the entire conversation as I'd called him while the cop was searching my profile in his car.
The cop then walked back to his car, wrote a $500 fine for having no L plates displayed and no one next to me and then said "I don't want to leave such a nice car in the middle of this area on a Saturday night, drive yourself home safely".
I've shaken my head in wonder ever since.
3 years later I relocated interstate and a puple haired, cat loving hairdresser bought my beloved beetle. It's now moved on to someone crazier than I am!
RIP my little bug......
