The Zoo Wagon, Part 1
It was the most liberating experience I have ever had. Freedom at last! On my 16th birthday my mom took me to get my driver’s operator’s license, which mint I was official. I was aloud to sit behind the wheel and go where ever I could afford the gas money.
It was mid May on a hot day in Florida and I drove nervously to high school after getting that official laminated paper in my pocket, in my 1968 Chevy Biscayne wagon with an I6 a. It was a car I already had for a few months which was actually my grandmother’s old car. I know what your thinking, grandma’s car, but you have to understand this was my ticket to the beach, to the mall, to wherever I wanted to go, when ever I wanted to go. Besides, this was 1981, and it was actually a pretty cool ride for a punk in Florida in the height of the new wave generation. It was that faded gold color, you know what I mean someone in your family or neighborhood had one just like it back in the 70’s. The interior was an impeccable tan vinyl which was just great for producing just the right amount of sweat to soak the back of your shirt before you made it to school. But it was transportation! But it still needed something?
Yes! Some form of identity so it was soon adorned with a “Zoo Crew” front plate which I hand painted in traditional punk style of red and black paint on an old white plate that had some dealer name on the back side that you could not see. It had uneven obviously hand painted lines going in all directions, with “Zoo Crew” as bold as I could get it.
The Zoo Crew was a motley crew of friends that some how came up with this self proclaimed moniker. But we were young and we were the crew!
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April 2nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Cool story!