No kidding, y’all, my father had my sister and I trained to say that. All parents get their kids to learn to say funny things, and mine were no exception. So when we were very young, out spending time with my father, he’d prompt us: “On the seventh day, He rested. And then on the eighth day?” And we would smile and answer, “He created Porsches.”
I come by my fangirlery naturally. My mom gets interested in a topic and will absolutely devour all information about it, or into an author and promptly read everything they ever wrote. What my dad’s interests lack in breadth, they more than make up for in depth. He loves cars, everything associated with cars, and especially Porsches. I can remember watching Scarecrow and Mrs. King as a little kid and admiring the Corvette that dude drove. He didn’t threaten to put me up for adoption, but I think it was a near thing.
He’s owned several over the course of my life– three 911s and (I think) a 928. That’s the first one I remember and I don’t remember it well. He sold the third one right when I turned 16, so I never had a chance to drive any of them. Until this weekend.
He’s currently got a 1984 911 Carrera with a Targa top. On Saturday night, after my nephew’s second birthday party, he took the top off and allowed me to go motoring with him. We tooled around the neighborhood a bit so I could get used to the clutch and the shifting. The clutch was incredibly stiff; seriously, my left thigh was almost sore when we were done. And the connection point was way out. But now I know that that beautiful roar isn’t someone showing off– it’s giving things enough gas to get out of first gear! The clutch is also very close to the brake. I was afraid I was really going to clutch and break at the same time. (I told my dad this and he said, “Try it with a size 15 shoe!”) The stick itself was very small compared to others I’ve driven. I had a real fear that I’d miss third, but I got it.
We got on the interstate then. I want to go back in time and put a rubber band in my pocket, because it would have been the best drive of my life, had I not had a chunk of hair whipping me in the face. But we drove for a good little ways and I got it up to about 95. I really regret that I didn’t push it a bit more. I’d've liked to have said I’d achieved 100 in that car. At any rate, it drove incredibly smoothly at speed and the handling was so responsive. It was amazing.
I wouldn’t say that I’m a fan like my Dad is, but that was maybe the all time great drive of my life. They are beautiful, beautiful cars. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. Or just, you know, taking one out for a spin.
