Me and my Nova

At the age of 15 years old, I had something that not many other 15-year-olds had: a car.

A 1974 Chevorlet Nova - my very first car!

Yep, that’s right.  My wonderful grandmother, Adelaide or as my younger brother and I called her “Nana Bonnie”, upgraded her car and decided to generously give to me her 1974 Chevrolet Nova.  But there was one thing: I was only 15.

I would have to wait a whole year to pass my driver’s test and actually drive the blue Chevy out of the driveway.  But until then, that’s where it stayed.  In my driveway. 

Talk about anticipation. I can recall giving it some random car washes, starting it up from time to time. Actually installing a new car stereo, replacing the AM-only manufacturer standard with a state-of-the-art tape deck complete with equalizer that sort of hung underneath.

I can recount the number of times I “popped the hood” to check out the good ‘ol 250 straight-6 cylinder and even changing its oil a few times to keep it happy. It didn’t move out of the driveway (maybe once), but boy oh boy, was I ready.

This was my very first car, and yet, I could only look out the window and dream of one day driving it to school myself.  Waking up in the morning and heading out to the bus stop, I just thought about counting the days till March when I would turn 16 and the world would be mine.

On and on throughout the winter months, I shoveled snow off the roof of my Chevy Nova.  I would even start it up and back it up the driveway, just to keep the wheels moving a bit … but don’t tell anybody.

But just as soon as winter melted into spring, March was here and I passed my driver’s test. 

Finally.

I can remember setting up the entire game plan.  I would drive around the block to pick up Chag, Leon, Noel and finally Brian, all neighborhood friends, by 7 a.m. in order to find that great parking spot at the high school lot that I knew was mine.

It became a morning ritual, and since basketball season was over and there would be no afterschool practice, I was instructed the same crew to meet me at the car for the ride home.

Oh the joy of walking between the bright-yellow school busses lined up in front of the school as I made my way to the student parking lot.  And there, sitting in the back row, I think actually smiling at me as if glad to see me, was my Chevy Nova.  Ready to go.