The epitome of cool....

Fall of 1967....I'd just turned sixteen years old and was driving the 1957 chevy I'd spent all summer getting ready. 

The transformation was a sight to behold.....new blue paint, new white interior, new carpet, new chrome reverse wheels, and a V-8 engine with a throaty growl thanks to newly installed dual exhaust with glass packs.

What had started as a $95 "Needs a little TLC" project was complete! I'd spent every penny earned that summer, and had enlisted the help of everyone I knew to get it done, and now.....

Junior year, here I come.....epitome of cool.....at least in my mind's eye.  That's all that matters, right?

The first few weeks of school are filled with all kinds of administrative necessities; changing schedules, home room assignments, class elections, etc. etc.  Of course, we also started football practices right after school, everyday.....busy times.

Typically, we would finish practice around 5:30pm; I'd drive to the A&W for a large root beer (and to show off the car), then drive home where Mom would have dinner on the table by six.

You could always tell when Mom was upset by the way she moved around the kitchen, a little too much clanging of the pots and pans, a little too much force when setting the plates on the table, and not a hint of a smile......hmmm, wonder what's wrong?  I'd done nothing, so I assumed it was something unrelated to me and I could rest easy.  But, as I settled into my place at the table, I was met with "that look"......Uh oh, what had I done?  My mind raced, but came up blank. "What?" I said as she continued to give me the silent treatment.

Finally she said, "How are things at school?" Now I'm only sixteen, but even at that age, I knew this was a loaded question....."Fine" I said, as my mind continued to frantically search for a reason for this interrogation.

"I ran into Johnny's mother at the grocery store today."  Again, I've got no clue. Johnny is my best friend, but as far as I knew we were innocent of any recent wrong-doings, I swear!  Then, Mom said, "The first thing Mary said to me was congratulations on Jack being elected as class president. I was so embarrassed because I didn't even know what she was talking about!"

Ahh, a sin of omission, I can live with that! I'd simply forgotten to mention the results of the election at school.

It wasn't the first time I'd failed to divulge things that had happened at school....like that big fight in the 8th grade, or that time we set off the M-80s right outside the window, or perhaps a thousand other things if I was being completely honest. So, I said I was sorry, she forgave me, and all was back to normal.

A few weeks later, this very same class president, driving his very cool '57 chevy, was idling through the aforementioned A&W. The place was packed.....I was cool....   

I was out of gas!

Everyone who gets a little too big for their britches, such as the sixteen year old "epitome of cool", knows the feeling of wanting to be able to disappear. But, instead you become fodder for the school newspaper, ratchet yourself down a couple of notches, and learn a little humility. 

Could happen.....but really, what do I know?