"It's a 1953 Citroën," my uncle Lou barked into the phone, "I bought it in an auction. They let me bid over the phone."
"How nice for you," I said, having no clue why he was calling me. My late father's brother usually only called on Christmas.
"The thing is," here it comes, I thought, "the car is up in Jersey and I'm in Florida."
"So?"
"So why don't you go out to Jersey, pick up the car, & drive down. We never get to see each other."
"Why can't you fly up and get the car?"
"I would," he said, "but I bought the car for Grace," Grace was uncle Louis masseuse (and by masseuse I mean mistress) "and your aunt doesn't know, so I can't get away. I'll pay your airfare back."
Were my father still alive, he'd do his brother this favor. So I decided to overlook the fact that uncle Lou was an adulterer (morally reprehensible) and remember he was my only family left. "Sure, where do I pick up the car?"
"The car" was a pink '53 Citroën & it was being housed just outside Atlantic City. My friends thought I was insane.
"I've never seen you drive," Sebastian said, sipping bourbon.
"I have a license."
"You, driving through the south," Melrose said, "you haven't been outside of Manhattan in ten years."
"Don't be so dramatic," I said, "I'm driving to Florida, not going to the moon."
"But you're YOU," Lauren said.
I lit a Dunhill International & sipped my martini (gin, not vodka) while they all looked at me. "What," I said finally.
"We're going to get a frantic call," Sebastian said, "when she gets to Virginia or so, she'll be screeching that the road is dirty and dusty, gas station bathrooms are filthy, and rednecks are scary. I bet $100 on it."
"I'll take that action," Lauren said, "put me down for $200 that she doesn't make it all the way to Florida."
"Melrose," I said, "you'll bet on me, won't you?"
"I got $500 says she never gets out the parking lot," Melrose said, "I mean, when was the last time you actually DROVE A CAR?"
Stinkers, the whole lot of them. But no matter. I took the Path train from Penn Station to Atlantic City (and that was no easy feat, what with all my luggage) and from there I got a cab out to where the car was.
Outfitted for the drive in a peasant blouse and vintage red denim overalls, I was pleased to see that the car was in near-mint condition. I loaded my bags in the trunk, put sunglasses on, and had no problem getting out of the parking lot and on the road. Take that, Melrose, I thought triumphantly.
In Delaware I stopped for gas and to pee. The gas station bathroom wasn't so bad. Not filthy, but the lighting was awful when I went to fix my makeup. Moving on!
So much traffic around the D.C. area. Was starting to get dark by the time I got into Virginia. I pulled off the interstate at Fredericksburg and started looking for a place to get dinner. So many BBQ places, didn't they do fine dining in Fredericksburg? Dying of starvation, I pulled into the parking lot of the Paradise Diner. Few people stared, but I didn't know if they were looking at me or the car. Inside, I ordered calamari and lamb chops.
"Y'all not from around here," the waitress said, putting my food in front of me.
"No I'm not," I said, "and I didn't see martini on the drinks menu, but do you have a bottle of gin by any chance?"
"We got beer," she said, "So where Y'all from?"
"New York City."
"Well la-di-frickin-da," she said, walking away,"I'll see if we have any gin.". She went into the kitchen, came back five minutes later, and announced, "Earl got bottle of wild turkey, he says if you want you can have a pull."
"Tell Earl I said I'm good."
She went back in the kitchen & I heard her say, "Hey Earl, the uppity bitch from New York City think she too good to drink from your bottle.". What did I ever do to her. I finished eating without any further interactions with her, or Earl. I paid the check, left a 30% tip, and was thrilled to leave that place.
By then it was pitch dark. I knew I needed the interstate but it was the damnedest thing...I couldn't find it. Either I was going in circles or the on-ramp didn't exist. What the fuck?
I pulled over on a desolate stretch of road, lit a cigarette, looked at the map, scratched my head, turned the map right side up. Christ Almighty. I was befuddled as to how to get back on the interstate, seriously considering calling Sebastian, but he'd just say "I told you so". I attempted to dial uncle Lou but I was out of range. Damn it.
I was still sitting there when the cop car pulled up behind me, its lights on. An officer got out & presently came and knocked at my window. I rolled it down.
"Evening, Ma'am," he said, "what seems to be the trouble?"
"I'm lost," I admitted, "driving to Florida and I pulled off the interstate to get dinner & now I can't seem to get back on.". He shined a flashlight in my eyes.
"Been drinking tonight?"
"No, sir."
"Show me your license and registration.". I handed over my paperwork. "License says you live in New York City, Miss diStefano."
"That's correct, sir."
"diStefano, that's an Italian name, isn't it?"
"Well yes, but I'm an American citizen, sir."
"Care to explain why the car's not registered to you, Miss diStefano?"
"My uncle Lou, he lives in Florida, bought this car at an auction up in New Jersey. He participated in the auction by phone. So the car's registered to him, sir, and all I'm doing is driving it down to Florida for him."
"No, Ma'am. What you're doing is you're going to come with me to the station and I'm going to verify your story. If what you say checks out, you can go to Florida or wherever else. But if not..."
"Am I under arrest? Do I need a lawyer?"