Last night, with Paul and Amber (our Aussie friends who lived for a little over a year in Warsaw) and Monica (another ex-pat over here from Indiana) we went to see
American Teen - the documentary film that followed the lives of 4 high school seniors in Warsaw, Indiana. I went into the film thinking, "We paid $15 a ticket to watch teenagers at home? Why?" Turned out to be a pretty good film. Very entertaining, but probably not in the way the filmmakers meant.
The audience was composed of 10 people, 8 of which were in our group (Paul's parents and brother joined us as well). That meant we were able to comment a little and not feel too bad. I know! Me - the person who hates people talking in a movie. But this, being a documentary of our literal hometown (well, close enough) was just different somehow. and the other 2 people we not really close to us.
Aside from wanting to smack the tar out of the kids on screen, I had to remember that they were 18 and stupid. I was actually more disappointed and embarrassed by the parents - the things they said and the pressure they put on their kids. Makes me appreciate my dysfunctional family and the fact I never really felt that pressure. They left it up to me to decide and take care of in my own way. I think I turned out pretty good, thank you. Todd, have to give him props, turned out pretty good, too. Except for the Ohio State thing...
And to get your kid a Mercedes SUV when they are still in high school?!?! I grew up with these whack-os in Illinois and I still don't understand it! In Illinois, when Todd was still in high school, some nimrods bought a house next to the school just so their "precious" could have a place to park! What are you teaching these kids other than, "You are entitled to this and are better than everyone else"???? How are they going to learn about money, and saving, and budgeting and all the other crap life throws at you if you give them everything??? I wanted a car when I turned 16, but did not get one until I was student teaching as a senior in college (22). Probably wouldn't have then except it was needed for work. If I complained about it (and correct me if I'm wrong parental units, but I don't remember complaining that much), I was told to "save your pennies". So I hitched with friends, chipping in gas money when I had it. I borrowed the minivan (horrors!!!) and was never allowed to touch the precious Jeep, except when the alternator on the van died and I needed to pick up dad, mom and Todd at the airport. Until the night before I needed to get there they did not even tell me where the keys were! Glad there wasn't a fire! :-)
High schoolers, if they need a car (and a lot do, to get to work) they need transportation, not a showpiece. Go out and find them a $5000 car that is safe, reliable, and very easy on gas as that costs money, too. That's all they need - transportation. When I got my first car (paid for by my parents, again - thank you!) it was NOT a Mercedes - trust me. It was a teal green Saturn SC2 and I loved it. I remember going car shopping with my dad like it was yesterday. He was back in Illinois from California for maybe a week, it was a Saturday and he was leaving on Monday. Car places being closed on Sundays, I never thought I would drive home in a car. I thought it would have to wait and I would have to figure something out. We looked all over, starting at used Jeep Cherokees (already more than I really deserved). I think dad wanted me to get a Jeep since he loved his so much. Mostly, obviously and rightly, he wanted me in something that was 1) safe and 2) reliable. After searching for a few hours we got to one place that had two good choices we test drove, the SC2 and a white Chevy Geo Prism (might not have been Chevy back then). We drove them both and they both were nice little cars. My head told me the Geo was more practical - 4 doors, good gas mileage, etc. - but my heart pulled me to the SC2 - 2-door coupe, more fun to drive, also decent gas milegage but not as good, etc. I remember dad telling me (and I think I can actually quote him here), "Don't get the Saturn because it has a better radio!" - which it did. Dad, that was never a factor. I worked next door to Best Buy, remember? :-) So I drove home in my little car that, to this day, I still think my dad spent too much money on (not that I would tell him that, then!). But it was a great first car. I drove it for years without a major problem. The alternator died, but right when you should expect those things to go out. In fact, I spent more getting new hubcaps when I lost one after a flat tire (and had to get 4 new ones since they did not make my design anymore) than I did to fix the alternator. Oil filters were more expensive than other cars for some reason, but I did most of my own maintenance (another thing 16 year olds need to do - oil changes and flat tire changes).
My only regret, and this came much later, was trading it in. Clarice and I were married at the time, had no car payments since they were both paid off, but we wanted a truck to get firewood (when we were heating with the wood burner) and have for other odd jobs. The Saturn was just over 100,000 miles and had its quirks (the automatic seat belts didn't move on the driver's side - always locked and safe!) and was a little finicky starting in cold weather (which I blame on Crazy Aunt Julie letting it sit for 5 weeks one Christmas break in college and never starting it once) - but all in all it was just fine. Could have waited at least another year with it as my daily driver. Still, the first time I test drove my truck I was in love. It took 2 miles and 1 right turn to know I wanted that truck! In my defense, Clarice really liked it, too! So we traded the SC2 in and got our first car payment. Years later, after having the Jeep for a little while (our third, well fourth car), I started to regret (finally got there) that we didn't just keep the Saturn as a back-up vehicle. The trade in was a joke, but I didn't know it back then. The Jeep, that old thing my dad wouldn't let me know where the keys were when it was new, was one of the biggest blessings we have ever received. I cannot remember how many people borrowed that thing, or borrowed the truck with me driving the Jeep. I put 20,000 miles on it that I did not put on my wonderful, beautiful, silver and red truck. Clarice drove the truck when it snowed and I took the Jeep so we would both have 4-wheel drive. God used that thing in a number of ways I never imagined. Dad, thanks for that. I wasn't the only one who really appreciated it, and I almost cried the night it had the electrical fire and was finally dead. Strange since I always told people, "It's great! If I wrap it around a tree I'll be fine and just walk away from it." I told the guy from the scrap yard who picked it up, "If you need a straight-six motor that is in great shape, you pull this one! The only thing that ever went wrong, EVER, was the electrical system and that stupid, stupid alarm system." Even the tires were in great shape and I pointed that out to him, too.
Three huge paragraphs on my history with cars! Sorry. Don't know where that came from!
Anyway, the best part about the movie was seeing all the places from home. Every time Gordy's Sub Pub was shown we laughed because it burned to the ground this summer. They had good food! Every intersection on screen we knew right where they were, even the country roads. In fact the oddest thing was when we first saw someone driving, it just didn't feel right until I noticed it was because the driver was on the left-hand side of the car! Then I noticed the cars were in the right-hand lane! Guess I've been over here a while, huh?
As we left we joked about home. Paul and Amber had fond memories (of Warsaw??? Lol.), and we wondered what it will be like to go back. Clarice and Monica were a little homesick and I couldn't figure out why. Maybe it is because I had so many "homes" growing up that I'm more used to moving. I do miss people and places and my cats and my truck and the boats and the College Class and all kinds of stuff (even work!), but after almost 7 months this place feels like home. We have a great church we are heavily involved in (how do people survive without a church family???), we've seen so much of the country already (and more planned), we have lots of good friends - all the things I might be homesick for except my cats and truck. We'll get home some day, and I'll be happy to be back, but I already know I will be "homesick" for Narrabeen and Australia - our home away from home.
