"My First Car...And a Lesson Learned"

 Some of the most important lessons we learn are quietly and thoughtfully offered with no fanfare. The key is, do they stay with us for the rest of our lives? This one has.

This is a short essay (about 280 words) of a minor incident that had a long-lasting impact on my life. The photo is one I downloaded from the internet of a ’47 Ford coupe, similar to the one my sister and I had. Sadly, I was unable to find a photo of our actual car.

 

 

Sydney M. Williams

 

More Essays from Essex

“My First Car...And a Lesson Learned”

October 17, 2026

 

“You’ll always remember your first car and the 

 memories that come with it — that sense of adventure!” 

                                                                                                                                             Paddy McGuinness (1973-)

                                                                                                                                             English comedian and actor

 

In late spring 1957 the local Ford dealership in Peterborough, NH, then owned by Milt Fontaine, had for sale a blue 1947 Ford four-door sedan. The price was $95.00 – above my budget. But splitting the cost with my older sister made the purchase possible.

 

While the back seat looked like Jack the Ripper had spent an afternoon locked inside, the engine ran smoothly, and it even had a radio – a necessity for teenagers in the mid-1950s. My sister named it the “Blue Bus,” as it became a means for conveying friends.

 

We lived four miles from the village, so the car provided independence – at least when it was my turn at the wheel. As I was in boarding school and my sister was in college in Boston, the “Blue Bus” was primarily a summer and holiday vehicle for the two years we had it. I used to enjoy driving the back roads, sometimes with friends but often alone – trying to add to what few skills I possessed.

 

One day at our local gas station, a man walked over, leaned into the driver’s side window. He spoke gently but gravely:

 

“I wouldn’t drive this car so fast on back roads.” He turned and walked back to his car.

 

Startled, I said nothing. I never learned his name. However, I have never forgotten what he said – wise words to a young, over-confident, but inexperienced young driver.