The AMC Car show was today. And I have much to talk about. But really.. Where do I begin? I guess I could begin with the cars...
Or the swap meet for parts that are no longer in service...
Or maybe even the history of the AMC company that no longer exists...
But really.... There is so much more to talk about. About the Moment in American culture, when we celebrated the "little guy" who was scrappy and fought against giants to find their place in history. That was the American Motors Corporation back in the '80's. They created the Jeeps and the Gremlins that people respected, and made fun of.
And purchased... by the boat loads!
And handed them down to their Grandsons when they, themselves, could no longer drive.
And bought as new cars off the lots for their families...
Honestly, AMC holds a far deeper meaning for my family that even they would think. If you were to ask my Mom, she would say that we were a Chevy family.
If you were to ask my Dad, his favorite car was the Oldsmobile Delta 88! Diesel!
But what I remember is the Concord DL that we purchased off the new car lot... with only 9 miles on the odometer. It didn't last long, as my Dad totaled it in a blizzard driving home from Midland Michigan.
And then there was my first Car.. The AMC Gremlin that my Grandmother handed down to me when she could no longer drive. It only lasted about 2 years for me after she gave it to me.... But it made an impression for me. There were many experiences that I had in that first vehicle... Along with the new found freedom that a car brings that will stay with me forever.
And then I discovered the Jeep Comanche. The car I had the longest and triggered a chain of events that would change my life forever. Including going into the Army, Traveling to Alaska. And enjoying a Meteor Shower with Cheryl in the parking lot of Rockford High School in the Open Back.
There were other memories attached to the Jeep that I shudder to mention on the blog. Getting stuck in the mud of Comstock Park... Breaking a fan belt on a date. Climbing a mountain and not being able to engage the 4 wheel drive.... Etc. Oh! The time Cheryl and I "parked" in a secluded field ... Only to have it rain and get stuck.... We had to walk 2 miles in the dark and call her Parents! To give us a ride home. Ugh! The foolishness of youth!
And all of those precious moments came flooding back the moment I walked up and touched the Beige Jeep Comanche Sport Truck. A Talisman of History! It made me smile with all of those memories... both good and bad. Especially the bad ones! Who would have though that I would ever look back on those bad moments and remember them with a smile.
Because we ultimately survived... And gained a bit of wisdom along the way.
I found my first "Dream Car" The AMC Eagle. 
The first 4X4 drive car. I once had the opportunity to purchase one, but it had "problems" according to the mechanic... so I passed. And went with a more prudent purchase to get me through college.
And so it went as the three hours I spent there progressed. I stepped back further. And Further! And realized that a small auto company that was AMC touched so many lives. And as I watched and listened to people telling their stories, I realized that this small patch that was sewn into the quilt of American Culture was made with love.
Oh Sure. There were profits and greed and money to be made and earned.... But the people who purchased these cars, initially for transportation, ultimately gained a love for them that you can not put a price tag on. 
Several times while talking to the owners of these historic cars, I heard the word "family" being used in reference to the vehicle. A cold, inanimate chunk of steel and plastic and rubber.
Family!
How can a car become a part of the family? It breaks down, Costs money to maintain and occasionally fix. And will often leave you stranded when you need it most!
Kind of like Family.
And yet, it routinely puts up with your abuse. Your neglect. Your reckless behavior. and continues to get you from point a to point b without incident or complaint.
Kind of like Family.
And occasionally, As it was with my Dad... The car will sacrifice itself to protect its occupant.
Kind of like Family.
I never saw the Concord DL after Dad totaled it on that blinding, Blizzard day. But Mom said it was a Miracle he survived without so much as a scratch. The car was pressed up like an accordion! Sandwiched between two trucks like one of those soda can crushers. That car saved my Dad from a possibly life changing injury. Or even death!
I wonder how many other stories are similar... Perhaps not as life and death as that one.... But still as meaningful as those "First Kiss" moments of growing up. Or those "First Time Car buyers" that remember the moment of being handed the keys to their first car.
The park was filled with lots of people who had plenty to stories to tell. And I learned a lot of things that I had not known before. A History... Of the AMC brand.... And all of the people that were touched with their creations. Oh how just remembering a time when being "Made in America" actually meant something. Something precious. Something magical....
And so it goes that something as simplistic as a car show can have so much more meaning that anyone could ever know... Or write about. So without further words... perhaps it is best to simply post the pictures. Pictures of the cars and the colors, and the People that attended today's event. I know that looking in the past is not always the most healthy thing to do since it can trigger depression... But now and then we need to look back at history to see a time when things were "OK" and when people took pride in their craftsmanship. A time .. When People made Ever second count....
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