Life Sketches by Terry Berkson

Crusing at 80 MPH with Aunt Ruta

I once took a trip from Brooklyn to Richfield Springs with my Aunt Ruta riding shotgun in my ’63 red roadster.

“Nice little car,” she said when I picked her up at Grand Central Station to drive her home. “But this seat is like sitting in a hole!”

“That’s the idea,” I said.

My previous ride had been a ’55 Ford, which had been giving me a lot of trouble. In fact, for several months I had been under it more than in it. While looking for a reliable and affordable replacement, like a Volkswagen, I tripped over the Corvette and fell in love. In need of some mechanical attention, it was selling for only $1,250.00 which, back in 1968, was a good buy. My dad lent me the money and dismissed the debt when I had paid half back. Over the years the car has proved to be quite reliable.