This will not be a scary story. Promise.
It was 1971 or 1972, I was in the U.S. Army in Germany and in the market for a new car. My current car a 1963 VW Bug, which I bought for $600 was better known as “Invincible” yet was breaking down too often. I had already fixed the broken clutch cable and that was the extent of my mechanical skills. Also, the engine was very noisy but very soothing for my infant son who was colicky. Invincible always lulled him to sleep when nothing else worked. Nevertheless, I needed a new car.
I shopped around, of course. In our small town was a BMW dealer and I was looking at the 1600 or 2002 coupes. My eye was really on the 2002, but it was too expensive. If I recall it was $3600 US. Too much for a soldier. So then, I drove 10.5 miles south to Nuremburg to the VW dealer to order a brand new (’71 or ’72) Volkwagen Fastback. I loved the style and the color had to be the dark metallic blue.
Weeks later it was Friday the 13th, I don’t recall the month, VW from Nuremburg called to say pick up your car. Invincible was on her last legs and we hobbled in to pick up my brand-new blue VW fastback. We sat down to do all the paperwork and they wanted money, only $2400 US. Cool. I didn’t have it. I forgot all about it. What do I do?
In the Nuremburg PX was a credit union, so I went there immediately and filled out a loan application. Within a matter of hours, I was approved and I had the certified check for the car and all the fees. Back to VW. Great. Now you need plates. Oh! How do I do that? Go to the Military Police (MP) office down the block from the PX. I’m really stressing Invincible at this point. She is not well and may give out at any time.
I made it to the MP office and filled out all the forms for a car registration. It’s now about 2:45 pm (1445 military time) and there is a big sign on the wall that the office doors close at 3pm (1500). I got on the long line which did not seem to move for the first 5 minutes. Slowly, ever so slowly, I inched my way up to the counter. At 1500 hours the doors closed . . . behind me. I was inside and about 4 people away from success. I finally got up to the counter, filed my application, paid the fees and got my license plates.
COME ON INVINCIBLE! One more short trip to the VW dealer. I made it.
In the course of four hours, I drove 10.5 miles to pick up a car I had NO money for, applied for a loan, got the money, paid for the car, applied for a vehicle registration, stood in a long line, got the license plates and put them on my brand-new metallic blue, Volkswagen Fastback.
Friday the 13th has been a very lucky day for me ever since.
