CHAPTER 31 32
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At school, Justin explained he and the family would be moving into Aunt Samantha’ s mansion this summer. Ryan inquired if she was some rich old spinster with a house too big to take care of properly.“ No. She looks like the women you see when they show the back yard parties at The Playboy Mansion. Please don’ t stare,” Justin stated. Ryan rolled his eyes as they walked toward Eddie’ s pick-up truck. The gates parted as Eddie punched in the security code. Justin had to elbow Ryan as they parked the truck next to the blue golf cart where Aunt Samantha waited.“ Drive Eddie,” she said as she scooted across the small, white bench seat. Ryan and Justin took the rear facing seat. Eddie offered introductions.“ Samantha, this is Ryan,” he said.“ Nice to meet you and please call me Sam. Aunt Samantha takes too long and Aunt Sam sounds transexual,” Sam laughed and winked at Justin.
The cart rolled silently along the path and stopped in front of the small garage. The automatic doors opened and Ryan stared at the four brightly colored race cars.“ I thought we were going to be driving go-carts or something. Which one do I get to drive?” Ryan asked as Eddie showed the boys how to start the cars and pointed to the pull starter in case the car stalled. The instructions were clear. If the engine was cold, good luck starting the car without the electric starter.“ Green or yellow?” Eddie asked. Ryan headed for the bright green open wheeled car and looked into the low cockpit.“ I really get to drive this?” he asked, noticing the thick cross harness. Sam walked up behind him carrying a helmet.“ Safety first. The gas is under your right foot and the brake is on the left. Once we hit the track you can pretty much forget about the brake,” she said over the engine noise. Ryan looked from Justin to Eddie for confirmation.“ They are her toys. She should know and she won yesterday but I didn’ t get to drive,” Eddie laughed. Justin nodded his affirmation.“ Show Ryan your car while the engines warm up,” Sam said leading the boys to the large barn next door.
The door opened and Justin walked toward his car. Ryan was checking out all the other cars.“ Doesn’ t look like much,” Ryan said.“ It’ s a 1969 COPO Yenko Camaro. The drive train is built to racing standards. It’ s very rare and if the engine numbers match the value goes up astronomically,” Justin stated.“ I am impressed. And yes, it has the original engine. John bought the Camaro brand new. You are the second owner. The thirty thousand miles on the car are actual mileage,” Sam said stepping behind the young men.“ Dad smoked the tires yesterday,” Justin said. Sam hit a button on her I-phone and handed it to Ryan. Sam caught the action. The green Camaro sitting on the track. White smoke began to form around the spinning rear tires and soon engulfed the car. Justin could see the small screen and thought“ My car!” The Camaro slowly emerge from the cloud.“ Now that’ s a burn out!” Ryan exclaimed.“ Your car?” he asked.“ When I turn eighteen, on the condition I don’ t have an accident between now and then,” he said. Sam confirmed the statement.
Justin pointed out Dad’ s Cobra, Mom’ s Jag and Nicole’ s Delorean.“ These are all your cars?” Ryan asked Sam without much thought.“ Yes. And I think I’ m going to keep the Lamborghini for when Justin graduates college... If he wants to trade the Camaro, as long as he has taken excellent care to maintain it’ s integrity,” Sam said leading them back to the race cars. The engines idled smoothly.
Eddie helped Ryan get strapped in and gave instructions.“ Drive carefully, but we will be racing. Two laps to warm up the tires, then you get the pole position with Justin next to you on the outside,” Eddie explained to the wide-eyed young man who could only nod because his heart was pounding and he was trembling, holding the steering wheel of a real race car. The red car was in the lead position in the garage. Sam was ready to race and stepped on the gas causing the cold tires to lose traction. She fishtailed out of the garage in a cloud of smoke but kept the car under control.“ She is probably going to kick all of our butts,” Eddie said with a smile.