Edward Masen was finally home after a year long tour of duty in Iraq. He was looking through the classifieds for a cheep car to buy so he could get around town without having to bum a ride with his older brother, younger sister (she just got her drivers permit) or even his parents not that any if them would mind.
He was half way through the classifieds when something caught his eye.
OLD CHEVY
Year unknown condition is great.
Car runs. Make an offer.
54 James Road* La Push WA
"Hey son how are you?" Edward's dad asked.
"Great, I think I found a car. It's only thirty minutes from here. You want to take me to check it out?"
"I'll take you to look at it after dinner. Your sister has news." He replied.
"You don't sound so happy." Edward replied.
"I will be okay with what ever she says as long as she is not pregnant." He replied before walking away.
"It will be that dan Jasper's fault." Edward hollered at his fathers back. "He follows her around like a puppy."
Edward heard his dad grumble from where he was sitting. His dad liked Jasper just fine he just didn't like his daughters attachment to the boy.
Dinner was a quite affair after Alice had announced that she was going to NYU in the fall on a partial scholarship. The family celebrated and soon Edward and his father were driving down to La Push to look at the car.
"Edward we are getting close, what was the address again?" His father asked.
"Turn on to James Road and look for number fifty four." Edward replied.
They didn't find the address until they had gotten close to the end of the road. The house was small with an old dodge truck out front but the property looked like it had several out buildings that could hold a car.
Edward and his dad climbed out of the car and walked up to the front door. He raised his hand and knocked. A few seconds later a small woman with gray hair answered the door.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" She asked.
"I'm here about the car."
"I'm sorry but I can't sell that truck."
"No ma'am, I am here about the old Chevy." Edward said. "There was an ad in the paper."
"Oh that car. Come on I'll take you to it."
The older woman did indeed lead the two men out to an old barn that looked like it was going to fall down. The woman pushed the door open by herself and inside was a small car covered in an old green army tarp with several decades worth of dirt and dust on it.
"Ma'am can I take the tarp off?" Edward asked.
"Well you gonna look at it ain't ya?" The woman asked.
"I've been raised to ask before I do." Edward replied.
"We need more of you. Go a head and take it off."
Now that he could Edward slipped the tarp off and saw the prettiest car he had seen in years. The view of the car nearly took his breath away. The car wasn't just any old Chevy, it was a nineteen sixty six Corvette.
"Ma'am do you know what kind of car this is?" Edward asked.
"I don't have a clue. I know my husband was paid to keep a car years ago by a soldier but the man never came back to get it. I always assumed he died in the war. I'm moving to Oklahoma to be with my daughter and I wanted to make sure the car got to someone who cared for it." The woman said.
"How much do you want for it?" Edward asked.
"I don't care as long as it's cash and you get it out of here tonight." She replied.
"I'm going to talk this over with my dad. It won't take long." Edward grabbed his dad's arm and pulled him away from the woman and the car. "Dad a thousand is a fraction of what this car is worth."
"Ma'am how much did a scrap yard say they would give you for the car?" Edward's dad asked.
"Two hundred and fifty dollars without having to transport it." She said.
"Dad I don't want to short change her." Edward said.
"Listen Edward these cars went for a little over four thousand dollars off the line. Give her at least that."
"I have five thousand with me." Edward replied. "Ma'am I am really liking the car. The ad said it ran but I would like to see for myself."
"Keys are in the visor where the young soldier left them." She said.
I looked to where she said and found the keys. I put them in the ignition and turned the key. It didn't start.
"Son it might need gas. I have some in the trunk that I got for the mower."
Edward's dad was gone and back before Edward knew it. Edward put the gas into the tank before giving the can back to his dad. He then tried turning the key again and it started right up. The growl of the engine was something Edward loved.
"How are the tires?" Edward asked.
"They were a little low on air but seemed fine once I put more in."
Edward quickly conferred with his dad one last time about the car. Edward listened to everything his dad said and nodded. Once he was done he turned to the woman.
"I'll take it and I will give you five thousand for it." Edward said.
"That seemed like a lot." The woman said.
"I assure you ma'am that I have it all and the amount is still just a fraction of what the car is worth." Edward replied.
Edward's dad had the for thought to get a piece of paper stating what the woman wanted and what Edward wanted and had them both sign it and copies would be made for both of them at a later date.
Edward felt a little guilty as he counted out the money. Oh but he would not forget the sound of that motor. Once the money was dealt with Edward sat behind the wheel.
"I'm going to walk Mrs. Firewalker** to her home. I'll meet you there. I want to follow you home in case something happens." Edward dad said.
"I got it dad." Edward said running his hand over the leather seats.
Edward drove to the front of the woman's house and waited for his father after turning off the car so he didn't waste gas just sitting there.
"Alright Edward let's go." His dad said walking past Edward's new car to his own car.
Edward started the car and drove off with his father following quickly behind. Edward could tell the car needed some work but was in over all great shape.
"So how does she drive?" His dad asked him later that night when the car was parked in the garage.
"Great, the body needs a little work. The inside is perfect and I think my only problem if you could call it that is the radio."
"Have you checked the glovebox?"
"No I hadn't gotten to that yet."
Edward's dad reached into the car and opened the glovebox. He pulled everything out.
"All the car's original paperwork is here. The car belonged to a Private Andrew Malone. It looks like he wrote a letter."
Edward took a letter from him and read it.
"My name is Private Andrew Malone. If you're reading this,then I didn't make it home but for every dream that shattered,another one comes true this car was once a dream of mine,now it belongs to you. And though you may take her and make her your own you'll always be riding with Private Malone."
"Poor guy probably bought this car with his singing bonus."
"I have to take this car and get her looking brand new."
Edward kept his word and had the car looking like it was just driven off the lot. He even had the motor running better than when he first bought it. He had girls stare at him as he drove the car through town but his favorite thing was hearing the horses from under the hood.
No matter how much work he put in to it the radio the buttons on it never seemed to work quite right but it did pick up oldie station at odd times especially if he was out driving late at night.
Edward had been driving home late one night listening to that old oldies station when something caught his eye. He went to take a second look but there was nothing there. He could have sworn that a man in a army uniform was sitting right there in the seat right next to him.
This happened a couple of more times. The one night that stands out in Edward's mind was the night that stuck out in Edward's mind. It was raining hard so he had the top up. He was taking a turn to meet his new girl friend Isabella and took the turn to fast.
"Edward your okay." Isabella said. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I took the turn and I crashed." Edward said.
"Did you crawl out if the car?" Bella asked.
"No I hurt to much to move."
"Then how did you get out?"
"I don't know."
"Edward this is Ben. He is the one that called nine one one." Dr. Cullen said.
"Did you pull me out?" Edward asked.
"No but I saw a man in uniform pull you out. I'd say he was in the army by the look if it. I didn't catch his name. He was gone before I got close enough."
Edward did not need to be told who it was. He knew without a doubt that it was Private Andrew Malone a young soldier who never made it home from war. Edward thanked god with all that he had that Andrew riding along with him that night.
For all the men and women serving here and at home and never made it home. Happy Belated Memorial Day!
* according to my phone James road is a real road in la push. 54 is just the number I picked.
** the last name of walker Texas rangers parents. at least thats what the head stone said.