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Author Topic: Pinto/Mothers Day story  (Read 1117 times)

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Offline 78panelwag

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Pinto/Mothers Day story
« on: May 14, 2018, 12:46:28 PM »
...as read in jalopnik:
https://jalopnik.com/show-us-the-coolest-car-your-mother-owned-1825992947

I posted this story last year on mother’s day, but whatevs.

My mom’s coolest car?

A late 70s Ford Pinto wagon, white, with tan BLOODSTAINED interior.

Seriously. A bloodstained car.

(Not actual pic of biohazard car. Close enuf)

Anyway- here’s the long, but awesome Mom-story.

__________

The best car experience I had with my mom was a lesson in courage and decisiveness.

I was about 4 years old and my sister was about 6. The family had just bought a new Ford Pinto station wagon. White with tan interior. This was in the late 70s or early 80s. Probably 1979.

My sister and I loved to ride in the wagon area facing backwards. No seatbelts required!!!

We had just left our house and about 5 houses down from where we lived was some kind of commotion.

What I remember seeing was a young boy, probably about 7 or 8 years old, being attacked by a large German Shepherd. It was pulling on his shirt over and over, shaking and biting.

Apparently this kid was the paperboy and was delivering papers to this house by opening their garage door and throwing the paper inside. Well this time, the pissed off dog came running out and rushed him.

I’m not sure how long this was going on but some neighbors were outside watching this happen. But nobody took any action. They were just standing there in shock.

It was brutal.

I was only four, but I have vivid memories of it. Imagine a police dog taking down a perp, but this was an innocent little kid. He was laying on their driveway, arms up in defence, getting bit over and over.

So my Mom was driving by, notices this happening, stops the car in the street and starts yelling at this kid. “Get in the car!” But this kid is totally in shock and not heeding her voice.

I remember my Mom yelling at the neighbors to help, but they all stood there and did nothing. The men included.

Now mind you, Mom’s about 5' 2" and maybe 110 pounds. Full of life, a fun-loving woman, probably 28 years old.

In a flash, Mom goes into Hulk-mode.

She reaches into the wagon area and grabs me and my sister, pulls us across the row of back seats, and plops us both into the front passenger seat. With the voice of the Grim Reaper, she yells “You two stay right here!”

Mom hops out of the car, opens the back waggon gate, jumps back in, pops the Pinto in reverse, screeches backwards into the driveway within 3 feet of this kid and Cujo.

The kid still doesn’t get up.

Mom is screaming bloody murder. “GET IN THE CAR! KICK HIM! FIGHT HIM!”

By the grace of God, Paperboy gets up and starts crawling in the back of the station wagon.

I remember having my chin on the headrest watching this bloody kid try to crawl into our car. Cujo was still pulling flesh off his body as he was halfway in. I’ll never forget that image.

Mom is still yelling “KICK HIM!”. Paperboy gives one kick to Cujo’s nose, more like a weakened push, but it’s enough, Cujo gives up. Paperboy flops in, Mom guns the Pinto, and chirps into the street, the wagon door still open and bouncing.

So, Mom is stinking flying down the streets trying to talk to Paperboy. “You ok?” “What’s your name?”. Paperboy is alive, but not answering. He’s in total shock.

And he’s gushing blood everywhere.

My sister whispers “Mommy he’s bleeding all over the carpet.” Mom responds with ice in her voice, “Stop talking.”

I remember how quiet and somber the rest of the car ride was. The engine was racing, but it was stone quiet compared to all the screaming minutes before.

Mom races Paperboy to the emergency room, which was about 5 miles from our house. Strangely I have no memory of what happened at the hospital even though the rest of the event is burned in my memory.

He must have been near death, and certainly would have died had Cujo hit his neck. I don’t know how many stitches it took to mend him or how long he was in the hospital.

All I know is that Paperboy lived.

And I know is that my Mom was the hero that used a Pinto wagon to rescue him. She kept her own kids safe, herself safe, and found a safe way to intervene in a life-and-death situation. She didn’t stand weakly by and do nothing. It was certainly risky, but it was a “not on my watch” courageous decision.

Paperboy’s Mom sent my Mom flowers every year for the next decade.

I never knew his name or his family’s name.

My Mom is now 64 and midway through the long walk home with Alzheimer’s. She has no memory of most of her life.

But I remember her courage.

I’m sure that where ever Paperboy is, he remembers her courage.
I’m sure Paperboy’s mom remembers too.

Thanks, Mom for your courage and decisiveness. Happy Mother’s Day.

Offline Wittsend

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Re: Pinto/Mothers Day story
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2018, 03:24:47 PM »
Such a touching story and a wonderful way to remember your mom. Post it again next year, please.

When I was eleven I had a paper route. I saw one of the subscribers walking his dog and stopped to hand him the paper. When I did the dog (a seemingly smaller version of a great dane) started to climb through my bike frame. The guy took the paper and whacked the dog who promptly started viciously biting at me.  Thankfully no where near what the kid in your story had encountered, but it still pierced the skin on my buttocks. I was equally scared to tell my mom for fear of getting rabies shots.

People need to realize that their "protector" dog can often be like a loaded gun and they must be responsible to take all and any precautions.

Offline sedandelivery

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Re: Pinto/Mothers Day story
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2018, 04:41:22 PM »
What a great mothers day story.

Offline 78panelwag

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Re: Pinto/Mothers Day story
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2018, 06:43:20 AM »
Just to be clear, this isn't my story or my mom! There is a link in the original post to the Jalopnik thread I copied this from.

I agree, a great story, though!

Offline Wittsend

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Re: Pinto/Mothers Day story
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2018, 11:53:28 AM »
Sorry for the misunderstandi ng. I just started to read the lower part assuming the upper was to a link you had posted elsewhere. Now I understand that you were referencing the story and it was not your own. Still a great story and very applicable for Mother's Day.