Радио-диджей из Техаса купил первый в городе Mercury Cougar, но получил «лимон»

Sometimes when I talk to my grandkids and great-grandkids about my early life, they look at me look I’m from another planet. I don’t know about that, but it was certainly another time. I vividly remember as a young person mowing lawns on Saturday morning. Today, this would sound like child abuse, but I mowed lawns in our neighborhood and I got 25 cents for every lawn I mowed. Now, this was a push mower and I’m not talking about a power push mower. Twenty-five cents. But then I could take that money and head to the Lyric Theatre and could stay all day watching movies for 9 cents. I could get me a large popcorn – a nickel; large candy bar – a nickel; large drink – a nickel, and then I still had a penny to go home on. And, back then, you could actually stop at a store and get something for a penny. Some call those “the good old days.” I’m not sure about that, but I do know that I’m not pushing my lawn mower any longer. The first hourly wage I ever got when I got out of high school was 75 cents an hour dragging chain for a survey crew. But let’s move forward to when I became a disc jockey and made the big, big bucks. A dollar an hour when I was part time, but full time, big time, I made a $40 a week, but at least I was in show biz! I didn’t have a vehicle when I started in radio but I was bound and determined to buy me one by saving all my money. I left my home in the morning and I walked to work and at night I walked back to my house. I saved money. Fact is, two years later I was able to buy my first car off the showroom floor at Holley Chevrolet. It was a small model Chevy, but it was really on the showroom floor and I bought it for something like $1,600 or $1,700. But, at least I had a car, until I wrecked it shortly after I got it. My salary moved up a wee bit later and I get a call from Weatherby Motor Company. Jay Slaymaker called to tell me he had something he wanted me to see. Jay is Bill’s older brother – a much better looking guy – and Jay wanted me to come, so I went after work that day. He took me upstairs and showed me this vehicle which was supposed to be the “hot star” for 1967. It was called a Mercury Cougar. It did not exit until ’67 and he assured me it was going to be the only one in Brownwood for a long time. Now this was the week of the new car showing in Brownwood and the new car showing back in ’66 was a big deal – a real big deal! So, I went to look at the vehicle and it was wrapped in cardboard, filthy. I told Jay I wasn’t interested and he said, “Let me clean it up.” Later that afternoon, I went back up and it was a beautiful car! I loved it! But, man alive, it was $2,750. Are you crazy? But, I fell for his sales pitch. I bought the first Mercury Cougar in Brownwood, Texas! I wanted to be seen in a new fancy car that people would look at and look at again. I was anxious to take it home. I signed the papers. Then I got a phone call from Mr. Weatherby himself (the big boss). He says, “Hey, shouldn’t have had you sign the papers because that’s the STAR of our new car showing. Fact is, it’s on a pedestal in the middle show room. We’ve got to have that car.” I said, “That’s your problem. I own it.” Well, eventually we negotiated and I ended up getting $250 back for allowing the car to be shown in the showroom. Of course, I demanded they put my name on it so people would know who bought it (I told you I had an ego). Anyway, I got the first Mercury Cougar ever in Brownwood, Texas for $2,500. And you know what else I got? A lemon. Turned out to the worst running car I ever owned. Until next time, so long everybody. The column previously appeared on BrownwoodNews.com on May 16, 2022 *** ‘Out of the Box’ with Dallas Huston is published each Monday morning at BrownwoodNews.com. Dallas was the radio voice of the Brownwood Lions and Howard Payne Yellow Jackets for more than 55 years. He hosts a Men’s Bible Study in Brownwood on Monday evenings. Your comments are welcome at [email protected].