When I was a sophomore in high school I bought my first car with my pig farm money. At the time she ran like a champ! AC and intact upholstery worked like a charm along with a quiet muffler. She got me to and from school. Then later, when I started at DQ, she got me there too. The heat was instant and she blended in with the snow. I could never do donuts with the front wheel drive but that was probably a good thing. During swim season she always started up on the first, sometimes second, try and the defroster was the bomb. I put all kinds of stickers on her as decoration of my personality. "Girls Hunt Too", "I'm With The Band", "Bone Collector", the fuzzy dice, deer bobble head, the bike rack, and finally the cow patterned seat covers let everyone know she was all mine. I could trust her to get me anywhere in DeMotte which was all I needed. Of course she got some bumps and bruises along the way. When I backed her into a snow drift and broke the muffler, Maribeth hit a stump and made the underneath and fog light all crazy, I spray painted her when I scratched the front after I hit a hitch in the school parking lot, I stapled the upholstery when the door fabric started falling off, I paid to have the heater coil fixed when it started smoking, I ended up with a new bow when Tom backed into her in our drive way and put a huge hole in the bumper, some stupid kid threw a rock that barely missed the windshield but hit the top instead creating a decent dent, and another stupid kid hit the front quarter panel with his bike causing a decent sized dent as well. As you can see I've gone through a lot with my little 1997 Grand AM but I love her and we will always have those memories. She's been faithfull and fun and I will miss her. I never could have guessed how much would have to change as I am older and getting ready for college. Its good changes mostly, but no one said they were easy. So, to my Gloria the Grand AM good luck out there and make some more memories for someone else, but I'll never forget you!
