CHANGES... good and bad (Part 131a)

CHANGES... good and bad (Part 131a)

Thinking about Jerene all the way home, I couldn’t stop feeling that I hadn’t done enough when Liz, the auditor, had brought the proof sheets with Jerene’s “errors” to my attention just a short time before. I’d come to the conclusion that Jerene had been “borrowing” money from her cash drawer and trying to hide it with her “errors”. I wondered if others, possibly Gina because of how close they’d become, weren’t doing the same. I decided to speak to Liz first thing Monday morning and to ask that she do a surprise cash count on a couple of tellers, Gina included. Thinking this way did not make me feel good but I knew it had to be done if for no other reason than to “send a message”.

Jerene, Gina and the bank were soon forgotten as Elle greeted me with the news that“Big B” had called and wanted me to meet him at the barn at 8pm. It was after 7pm when I got home and still had to change my clothes and eat. I won’t say that I “knew“ what was coming but the mood that ”B“ had been in on the ride home from the track was a good indication. Arriving a little late, I was still there before ”B“ did. The surprise was in seeing the ”unmarrieds“ there. A quick poll showed we all felt that ”B“ was going to tell us that he was quitting. I was torn in that I knew in my heart that he would never make it as a racecar driver but, on the other hand I’d invested a lot of time and effort into putting the car together.

”B“ walked in with a package under his arm. Without saying a word he unwrapped it to expose  ”For Sale“ signs. Actually, there were three. His first words were ”I’m done!” I don’t remember who it was that asked but one of the guys wanted to know how he was going to go about selling the car stating that he couldn’t just put an ad in the paper. That began an animated discussion among the five of us until I, finally, stated that the only realistic way to sell the car was to take it to the track where the most interested parties would be located. After some additional discussion, it was decided that we’d take the car to the track, as usual, but with the sale signs attached to see if anyone was interested.

Elle was surprised, but happy, with the news. I remember her asking rather facetiously what I was going to do with all my “free time”. After the day I’d just experienced I was in no mood for her humor. In fact, she made me mad. I don’t think I spoke another word to her before heading for bed. However, her question had me thinking about what the Summer would be like without the races as I lay there trying to go to sleep.

Since “B” wasn’t actually going to be racing we decided we didn’t have to be at the track as early as we’d been arriving. I got my usual Saturday morning chores done and actually had a nice lunch with Elle and the kids before heading for the barn. I pretty much thought that only “B” would be going but all the unmarrieds were there at the barn. “B” and I hadn’t unloaded the stuff from the race car when we brought the car back after the races so it was still there when we went to hitch the racecar up to mine. We thought about unloading it but decided “why bother” and just loaded the tool box in the trunk of my car and took off.

The first practice session was on the track when we pulled in. “B” told the guy at the gate that he wasn’t racing but he insisted that we had to pay anyway. After unhitching the car we just sort of stood around as if we were waiting for hoards of people to show up to look at the car. One fellow who did was a former competitor of mine who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. He wanted to know why the car was for sale and “B” told him that he was “too busy at work” for racing. I almost choked when I heard that and I saw Martin hiding a smile. Then the guy asked how much “B” wanted for the car. There was dead silence as we all sort of looked around at each other. None of us, least of all “B”, had brought up the subject. Finally I heard “B” say $500.. and I remember the guy shaking his head and saying “Not with a flathead motor!” and then walking away.

Back when I quit racing the old style “flathead” V8 Ford motor was still the dominant choice in the class we were racing in. However, the 6 cylinder Ford and GMC motors had taken over and there were only a handful “flatheads” still competing and were no longer competitive. I’d chosen the “flathead“ as a way for ”B“ to break into racing without spending a lot of money. When I sold my car it had a "flathead” motor but since it was only marginally competitive I’d only gotten $350 for it. So, for “B” to ask that much for a car that had legitimately only beaten one car, he was way out of line. To somewhat ease the shock of the guy’s complaint I asked “B” how much money he’d spent on the car. I looked at him and all I saw was his head shaking from side to side. He didn’t know.

They were calling for the second warm-up session when another old racing friend walked up. He saw the signs and asked why “B” wasn’t getting ready to go out on the track. Before “B” could answer the guy continued by saying that if we really wanted to sell it “B” should get it out there so more eyes could see that it was for sale. He finished his comments by saying that when he sold his car it was to a guy who’d seen it from the grandstands and come into the pits after the races and paid cash. That got our attention, at least me and the “unmarrieds”. We had to really urge “B” to strap on his helmet and get in the car but he did. Watching him circle the track was, as usual, painful. As he pulled into the pit space after the practice was over Tom came running up to “B” all excited. “They’ve got you scheduled to start second!”

Immediately, Tom, Martin and Pete started in on “B” to go out and give it one more try. I was standing there remembering the big crash in“B”s  qualifying heat the week before that took out almost half the cars. If “B” went out, starting up front, all I could think of was him getting to the first turn and slowing like he always did... and taking out the whole field of cars. I didn’t know what to say or do. But “B” had made his mind up that his racing days were over before I ever opened my mouth. Then, the three “unmarrieds’ turned their attention to me. Martin was just about pleading with me to drive the car saying it was a perfect chance to see what the car would do. I’d reiterated, any number of times, that I’d promised not to drive anymore and even with me reminding them of that they kept on. Their badgering started to get to me as down deep inside I wanted to know if the car I’d put so much effort into was any good or not.

It took them about five minutes to get me to the point of looking at ”B“ with a questioning look. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say ”OK“. I remember taking a few deep breaths and telling them all that if anyone ”squealed“ on me I’d get revenge, somehow, some way. Looking at Martin I told him that I’d need his shirt as part of a disguise. The cars for the qualifying heat were staring to pull out on to the track and I still had to change the seat belts to fit me as ”B“ was twice my size. Last call came over the pit loudspeakers to get out on the track as I put the car in gear.

To be continued...