Nineteen sixty one
was a tough year
at least for me
I had just turned 14
and what gripped my mind
at my February birthday party
was the two year wait I faced
until I could drive
my fantasy car
was a ‘57 Chevy V8 Bel Airu
convertible of course
day dreams
of top-down cruisin’
my girl by my side
and the radio thumpin’
as it turned out
summer of ‘63
was to prove
a great summer of tunes
Martha and her Vandellas
wailin’ out Heat Wave
the Chiffons sweetly singin’
He’s So Fine
and Franki Vali
and the Four Seasons
all walkin’ like a man
the Beach Boys
singin’ about an ocean
I had yet to see
much less
knowin’ how to surf
but loved their harmonies
then there was Smokey
with some monkey
that belonged to Mickey
who knew
who the hell
Mickey was
OH — and those 4 Beatle guys
from Liverpool
strange name
and strange hair
but great tunes
~ tuuunezz ~
ya know
I love tunes
so many great tunes
so many great groups
especially in 1963
I’m 16-years-old
hot tunes
right there
playin’ on the AM radio
in the coooll dashboard
of my dream car
my 1957 RED chevy BelAir
con…ver…tible
oh — by the way
this girl by my side
this — is my beautiful Donna
at 14
she is already sexy — NO
and yes
I’ve kissed her
and occasionally
got to 2nd base
even 3rd base
but only once
last week
after my 14th birthday party
WOW!
and our fantasy now
at least for me
is ignoring a movie
while foggin’up the windows
at our local passion pit
the Mt. Healthy Drive In
of course to drive in
I needed a car
to drive a car
I needed a license
to get a license
I needed to be 16
so you can see
why being only 14
in 1961
was stressful as hell
at least for me
I knew I’d get my license
given I already drove
although — without a license
drove very carefully
with my head on a swivel
scopin’ for cops
of course
the passion pit
required a car
but I had a plan
my uncle Bernie
leased parking lots
down at Crosley field
where the Cincinnati Reds
played professional baseball
he had promised me
at my 14th birthday party
if I could get a permit
to park cars at Crosely
he would hire me to park cars
during the games each summer
starting the coming summer
he said he’d pay me one dollar
for each car I parked
well
I didn’t actually park the cars
just directed the drivers to spaces
makin’ sure they didn’t crash
or hang over their marked spot
I had done a thorough inquiry
about how many spaces in the lot
and how many home games
so I’d done the math
if I played my cards right
and could get that permit
I would have enough
on my 16th birthday
to buy my fantasy car
used car of course
but that was fine
at least for me
I had to wait 6 weeks
nerve racking weeks
to see if I could that permit
in time for April’s Opening Day Game
which in those days
was a BIG DEAL
they were the BIG RED MACHINE
it was the very first game
played each year
in all of pro baseball
it was because
the Cincinnati Reds
were the 1st ever
professional baseball team
finally
the end of March 1961
I got what I feel was
the best gift I ever got
my permit to park cars
at the Reds’ Crosley Field
this would be the key
to my big red machine
my uncle kept his word
and I worked very hard
those next two summers
February 18th of 1963
my 16th birthday
I had enough money
to make my car dream
come true
it was the greatest
or certainly one of
the greatest days ever
at least for me
I had already found the car
so two weeks later
with Donna by my side
we bought my dream car
the very first thing we did
was put the top down
and go for a cruise
a very cold cruise
because it was
February in Ohio
but we loved it
Louie Louie
by the Kingsmen
was rockin’
outta the AM radio
instinctually
I was heading
for the drive-in
when suddenly
I realized
the drive in
was not open
in February
in Ohio
so we just cruised
the rest of that day
of course
only after
I put the top back up
as I was instructed
I cruised day after day
for many days
and many nights
far into the future
my cars changed
as did the names
of the girl
sitting beside me
but not that day
that day
it was
me and Donna
cruisin’
and groovin’
at 30 cents a gallon
cruisin’ was easy then
and that day
I realized
we had to wait
for that first trip
to the passion pit
but believe me
the wait
proved – to – be – worth it
at least for me
*
rob kistner © 2023
Poetry at: dVerse
OLN Poetry at: dVerse