IN MY OFFICE AT WAGNER CADILLAC IN RICHMOND INDIANA WHERE I WAS THE USED CAR MANAGER, I HAD A SEPARATE ROOM THAT I CONVERTED TO A CUSTOMER LOUNGE FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
IT REALLY WORKED GREAT. THE PRIMARY FEATURE WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL HIGH QUALITY BODY LENGTH COUCH. CLIFF WAGNER WOULD WONDER OVER ALMOST NIGHTLY WHEN THE NEW CAR FACILITY ONE BLOCK AWAY WAS CLOSED FOR THE EVENING. SOMETIMES HE WOULD TAKE A WELL DESERVED AS HE CALLED IT “POWER NAP” ON THE COUCH.
CLIFF SAID, I LIKE THAT COUCH. I WANT IT IN MY OFFICE SO I CAN LOCK MY DOOR AND TAKE A POWER NAP DURING THE DAY. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR IT? I SAID, COME ON CLIFF. I CAN’T CHARGE YOU FOR THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ARE FRIENDS AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME – IT’S YOURS. HE SAID, WE HAVE JUST TRADED FOR A TIRED WHITE 1962 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE FOUR DOOR HARD TOP. IT’S NOT MUCH, BUT I PUT $200 IN IT. I WOULD HAVE EASILY PAID FAR MORE THAN $200 FOR A COUCH OF THE QUALITY YOU HAVE. HOW ABOUT AN EVEN SWAP? I SAID, DONE.
I GAVE IT THE BELOFF TOUCH. MY DAD WAS IN TOWN FROM TOLEDO FOR NANCY’S FIRST COMMUNION. HE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE 1962 AND SAID, I NEED THAT CAR TO GO TO WORK IN AND GO TO THE CHIPPEWA COUNTRY CLUB (WHERE HE WAS A LIFE MEMBER). HE REMOVED HIS WALLET FROM HIS POCKET THAT ALWAYS HAD A BIG RUBBER BAND AROUND IT AND WAS ALWAYS FULL OF CASH. I SAID, DAD, YOUR MONEY IS NO GOOD HERE. THAT’S OHIO MONEY – DOESN’T WORK IN INDIANA. I HANDED HIM THE KEYS TO THE 1962 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE AS A GIFT. I SAID, WHEN I AM IN TOWN YOU AND I CAN CRUISE THROUGH THE ROSSFORD COLONY. DAD LIT A FRESH DUTCH MASTER CIGAR AND HEADED FOR HOME WITH MOM FOLLOWING HIM IN HIS RED AND WHITE COUPE DEVILLE.
1962 WAS THE FIRST YEAR FOR CORNERING HEADLIGHTS.
