The Grenada and the Gran Torino (i.e. Ford Elite)

When the eldest Teamster Daughters hit age 16 they were sent out in the working world to earn their wage and learn the value of a hard earned dollar. Demands were being made for use of the family car. Teamster Wife couldn' be in three or four places at once picking the girls up.

They pled their case to Teamster Daddy and one day out of the blue a procession of cars pulled into Jade Drive. Led by the Lincoln Towncar, two of Teamster Daddy's cronies were dutifully following driving both a Ford Grenada and a Ford (Gran Torino) Elite. Both cars were beige.

The Teamster Family was summoned outside and lined up on the patio. The T-Daughter's were given their set of car keys, payment book and a lecture about car ownership, insurance, upkeep, the value of a dollar and how hard work never hurt anybody. After all, hard work was important to Teamster Daddy you know.

Both T-Daughters took their cars for a spin around the block. By this time the neighbors were starting to stop their mowing and stare. One threw his hand up and asked T- Daddy what dealership did he get the cars from? But T-Daddy was evasive. Many items in our home that materialized out of his trunk had seemed to fall off the back of a truck - but these cars how could he pull that off?

How Teamster Daddy determined who got which car is beyond comprehension, did he assign the cars to fit the Teamster Daughters' personalities? TD#1 was driving 4 door sedan, but by God TD#2 was driving a bonafide muscle car with a V8 engine, power brakes, steering, door locks and windows .

The boys in her high school class flipped when she pulled into the parking lot driving a car similar to what Starsky and Hutch were driving on the tube. The Grenda got a little less notice. The boys who were afraid to approach Teamster Daughters before were now tripping that their T-Daddy brought home two cars that seemed to appear out of thin air and simply toss the keys across the driveway. How they wished they had a T-Daddy like that. They didn't realize TD#1 and #2 did not have any say in what car they would choose to drive at 16 and17. But boy did they have "hot" wheels.

TD#3 had 7 years till she turned 16 and couldn't wait to find out what her T-ride would be. As it turned out when that time came - Teamster Daddy was long gone and struggling Teamster Wife bought her a Cheverolet Chevette which was dubbed "Puff the Tragic Wagon" by the family because it broke down all the time. The Chevette was quickly kicked to the junkyard curb and Teamster Daughter's ride was redeemed by TD#3's choice of a bright orange VW bug. However, it did not have the bravado of the Ford Elite, but was a fitting ride for the new face of Gen-X Teamster Daughters.