Ryanmo97
01-31-2002, 08:55 PM
Herbie goes to Peekskill.
By Ryan T. Morris
This story is based on the TV Show “The Facts of Life” and the Disney movie “The Love Bug”
Once upon a time, there was a little VW Beetle. But, even though he looked just like any other Bug. He was special. He had a mind of his own. Now, he had a few owners, none of them understood him. They just though it was a rotten car, and they returned him. But, one day, he met Jim Douglas. Jim was a down on his luck racer. At first, Jim though the little car was a just another lemon. But, Jim saw the little car’s potential, he was going to try to fix the car and take it racing. Jim’s mechanic friend named the little car, Herbie, after his Uncle Herb. Well, together Jim & Herbie were unbeatable. But, all good things must come to an end. Jim decided to retire from racing so he gave Herbie to his mechanic friend’s grandmother. After she died, Herbie change owners over the years and not one of them understood Herbie like Jim did. So now Herbie is siting in a Junkyard near Peekskill, New York. And this is were our story begins…
Natalie, Tootie, Blair, and Beverly Ann where sitting down at the table when Jo came down the stairs. Natalie was reading the newspaper.
“Morning, Guys,” said Jo.
“Good morning,” said everyone.
Natalie stood up and walked over to Jo, with the newspaper, and said, “Hey, Jo did you see this?”
Natalie shows her an ad that says, “First Annual Fix-Up Race. Win $1,000 and the car that you fix. This Saturday.”
“Yeah, I saw it,” said Jo.
“So are you going to enter?” asked Natalie.
“I was thinking about it.”
“Well, I think you’d have a good chance to win,” said Tootie.
“A chance? I could beat any mechanic. That grand is mine!”
That Saturday, Jo and the rest of the girls went to the Peekskill Speedway, a little half-mile racetrack. Jo was looking over the cars, along with the other mechanics, when she saw someone she never thought she would see, “Boots St. Clair?”
“Why Jo Polniaczek, its good to see you,” said Boots, who was wearing pink mechanics coveralls.
“Boots, what on earth are you doing here?”
“Well, my secret passion has been fixing up old cars. I figured, what the heck, I’d give it a try.”
“Well, I doubt that you have a chance against me. I’m the best female mechanic in Peekskill.”
“We’ll see Josie, we’ll see,” with that Boots walked off.
The girls walked over to Jo, Natalie was carrying Jo’s toolbox and she asked, “Jo, was that Boots St. Clair?”
“Yeah, She’s actually in this thing.”
Blair looked at Jo and said, “You’re kidding?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Well, Jo. I would have to say that you have a very good chance of winning Jo,” said Tootie.
“Thanks, Tootie. Come on.”
They headed over to the registration desk; Jo signed up and drew a number out a fishbowl. It was a 7. A few minutes later everyone was standing in front of the cars listing to the race organizer talk.
“Welcome to the first Fix-Up Race,” said the race organizer, “Let me just remind you of the rules, I will start calling out numbers when I call your number, come up and pick your car. Then, after all of the numbers have been called you will have three hours to fix-up your car. At the end of your time, your cars will be taken to the starting line. At that time you’ll try to start your engine. The first person to get their car to start and make one lap wins $1,000 and the car that you won in. So with that said, lets get started! Can I have number 1?”
There was an eleatic group of cars there, all shapes and sizes. As the numbers were called they walked up to a little white VW Bug with a 53 on the hood and red, white, and blue pinstripes going from front to back, they looked at it and walked to another car.
Beverly Ann said, “I wonder why no one picking that little car.”
“Because it’s a piece of junk,” said Jo.
“Oh.”
Boots drew number 4, she looked at the Bug and chose a brown 1980 Buick Riviera. Beverly Ann looked at the little car and said, “You know this reminds me of picking up sides for baseball, when I was a kid. I was always picked last… I hated that.”
Jo looked at Beverly Ann, then back at the little car, then she looked at her number, and just then the race organizer called Jo’s number. Jo walked up the him, gave him her number, then she walked up to the little car and said, “I’ll take this one.” The other competitors laugh, Jo looked over at Beverly Ann, and Beverly Ann smiled.
A few minutes later, Natalie and Tootie were in the garage area with Jo, looking over the little car. And, Natalie said, “It’s a nice looking car, Jo. But, do you think you can win?”
“Yeah, I think so. You remember how many times I worked on Mrs. G’s Bug this should be a snap,” said Jo, as she walked to the back of the car, “OK, little car let’s see what you’ve got under the hood,” she opened the hood, “Screwdriver.” Natalie reached in Jo’s toolbox and handed a screwdriver to Jo, and she started to work.
While she was working the little car’s horn beeped, Jo stopped for a second then went back to work. Then the horn beeped again, and Natalie said, “I think he said the distributor?”
“Oh, he did?” said Jo as she worked.
“That’s what it sounded like.”
Jo looked at Natalie and went back to work, she checked the distributor, and said, “Well, the distributor is cracked.”
Natalie smiled and walked toward the front of the car, and said to the car, “You’re going to be just fine. All you need is a little TLC.”
A few hours later all of the cars were placed on the starting line, Jo did the best she could, but she didn’t know if it was enough.
“Good luck, Jo,” said Natalie, as she handed Jo her helmet.
“Thanks, Nat,” said Jo as she put her helmet on.
Natalie walked to the stands and joined the other girls. Then, the race organizer said over the pubic address system, “Mechanics, try to start your engines!” All of them turned their keys, some of the car’s hoods popped open, some of them refused to start, and a few got started. Boots’ car started right off and was heading to the first turn, but Jo was still trying to get the little car started.
“Come on! Come on!” said Jo, as she tried to start the car.
The girls just looked at each other, then the race organizer said over the pubic address system, “Let’s get those junkers out of there, so the winners can get threw!” Just then a tow truck backed up to the Bug.
“Come on, if you don’t start, I’m going to look like an idiot in front of my friends, and you’re going to go back to the junkyard!”
Just then, the car roared to life, put itself into first gear, floored its gas pedal, then it popped a wheelie, as it headed down the frontstretch. Everyone was shocked at what they saw, except Boots, she didn’t see what was happening, she was just coming off of turn 2 and started down the backstretch. As the Bug was just heading into turn 1 it dropped back on to four wheels and took off around the corner, and then it blew past Boots, her jaw dropped when the Bug flew past her. Jo and the Bug crossed the finish line a full minute ahead of Boots. Everyone jumped out of the stands and congratulated Jo after she took a victory lap. Boots got out of her car, pulled off her helmet, and glared at Jo.
Later that day, Jo was in the garage doing a little more work on the car when Boots came in, and said, “Hi Jo.”
Jo looked up and said, “Hey Boots, what’s up?”
“Oh, not much. I was wondering if we could talk.”
“About what?”
“About this car. I would like to buy it from you.”
“Oh?”
“How does $5,000 sound?”
“Not bad. But, it’s not for sale”
“Excuse a moi.”
Jo rolled her eyes, “I said it’s not for sale. It’s a good little car. And I think I’m going to keep it. If you excuse me.” Then Jo went into the house.
Boots stepped a little closer to the car and said, “I want this car and I always get what I want.” Just then she felt something warm running on her foot. She looked down and the car was leaking a very steady stream of oil onto her foot. Boots looked up and sighed.
By Ryan T. Morris
This story is based on the TV Show “The Facts of Life” and the Disney movie “The Love Bug”
Once upon a time, there was a little VW Beetle. But, even though he looked just like any other Bug. He was special. He had a mind of his own. Now, he had a few owners, none of them understood him. They just though it was a rotten car, and they returned him. But, one day, he met Jim Douglas. Jim was a down on his luck racer. At first, Jim though the little car was a just another lemon. But, Jim saw the little car’s potential, he was going to try to fix the car and take it racing. Jim’s mechanic friend named the little car, Herbie, after his Uncle Herb. Well, together Jim & Herbie were unbeatable. But, all good things must come to an end. Jim decided to retire from racing so he gave Herbie to his mechanic friend’s grandmother. After she died, Herbie change owners over the years and not one of them understood Herbie like Jim did. So now Herbie is siting in a Junkyard near Peekskill, New York. And this is were our story begins…
Natalie, Tootie, Blair, and Beverly Ann where sitting down at the table when Jo came down the stairs. Natalie was reading the newspaper.
“Morning, Guys,” said Jo.
“Good morning,” said everyone.
Natalie stood up and walked over to Jo, with the newspaper, and said, “Hey, Jo did you see this?”
Natalie shows her an ad that says, “First Annual Fix-Up Race. Win $1,000 and the car that you fix. This Saturday.”
“Yeah, I saw it,” said Jo.
“So are you going to enter?” asked Natalie.
“I was thinking about it.”
“Well, I think you’d have a good chance to win,” said Tootie.
“A chance? I could beat any mechanic. That grand is mine!”
That Saturday, Jo and the rest of the girls went to the Peekskill Speedway, a little half-mile racetrack. Jo was looking over the cars, along with the other mechanics, when she saw someone she never thought she would see, “Boots St. Clair?”
“Why Jo Polniaczek, its good to see you,” said Boots, who was wearing pink mechanics coveralls.
“Boots, what on earth are you doing here?”
“Well, my secret passion has been fixing up old cars. I figured, what the heck, I’d give it a try.”
“Well, I doubt that you have a chance against me. I’m the best female mechanic in Peekskill.”
“We’ll see Josie, we’ll see,” with that Boots walked off.
The girls walked over to Jo, Natalie was carrying Jo’s toolbox and she asked, “Jo, was that Boots St. Clair?”
“Yeah, She’s actually in this thing.”
Blair looked at Jo and said, “You’re kidding?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Well, Jo. I would have to say that you have a very good chance of winning Jo,” said Tootie.
“Thanks, Tootie. Come on.”
They headed over to the registration desk; Jo signed up and drew a number out a fishbowl. It was a 7. A few minutes later everyone was standing in front of the cars listing to the race organizer talk.
“Welcome to the first Fix-Up Race,” said the race organizer, “Let me just remind you of the rules, I will start calling out numbers when I call your number, come up and pick your car. Then, after all of the numbers have been called you will have three hours to fix-up your car. At the end of your time, your cars will be taken to the starting line. At that time you’ll try to start your engine. The first person to get their car to start and make one lap wins $1,000 and the car that you won in. So with that said, lets get started! Can I have number 1?”
There was an eleatic group of cars there, all shapes and sizes. As the numbers were called they walked up to a little white VW Bug with a 53 on the hood and red, white, and blue pinstripes going from front to back, they looked at it and walked to another car.
Beverly Ann said, “I wonder why no one picking that little car.”
“Because it’s a piece of junk,” said Jo.
“Oh.”
Boots drew number 4, she looked at the Bug and chose a brown 1980 Buick Riviera. Beverly Ann looked at the little car and said, “You know this reminds me of picking up sides for baseball, when I was a kid. I was always picked last… I hated that.”
Jo looked at Beverly Ann, then back at the little car, then she looked at her number, and just then the race organizer called Jo’s number. Jo walked up the him, gave him her number, then she walked up to the little car and said, “I’ll take this one.” The other competitors laugh, Jo looked over at Beverly Ann, and Beverly Ann smiled.
A few minutes later, Natalie and Tootie were in the garage area with Jo, looking over the little car. And, Natalie said, “It’s a nice looking car, Jo. But, do you think you can win?”
“Yeah, I think so. You remember how many times I worked on Mrs. G’s Bug this should be a snap,” said Jo, as she walked to the back of the car, “OK, little car let’s see what you’ve got under the hood,” she opened the hood, “Screwdriver.” Natalie reached in Jo’s toolbox and handed a screwdriver to Jo, and she started to work.
While she was working the little car’s horn beeped, Jo stopped for a second then went back to work. Then the horn beeped again, and Natalie said, “I think he said the distributor?”
“Oh, he did?” said Jo as she worked.
“That’s what it sounded like.”
Jo looked at Natalie and went back to work, she checked the distributor, and said, “Well, the distributor is cracked.”
Natalie smiled and walked toward the front of the car, and said to the car, “You’re going to be just fine. All you need is a little TLC.”
A few hours later all of the cars were placed on the starting line, Jo did the best she could, but she didn’t know if it was enough.
“Good luck, Jo,” said Natalie, as she handed Jo her helmet.
“Thanks, Nat,” said Jo as she put her helmet on.
Natalie walked to the stands and joined the other girls. Then, the race organizer said over the pubic address system, “Mechanics, try to start your engines!” All of them turned their keys, some of the car’s hoods popped open, some of them refused to start, and a few got started. Boots’ car started right off and was heading to the first turn, but Jo was still trying to get the little car started.
“Come on! Come on!” said Jo, as she tried to start the car.
The girls just looked at each other, then the race organizer said over the pubic address system, “Let’s get those junkers out of there, so the winners can get threw!” Just then a tow truck backed up to the Bug.
“Come on, if you don’t start, I’m going to look like an idiot in front of my friends, and you’re going to go back to the junkyard!”
Just then, the car roared to life, put itself into first gear, floored its gas pedal, then it popped a wheelie, as it headed down the frontstretch. Everyone was shocked at what they saw, except Boots, she didn’t see what was happening, she was just coming off of turn 2 and started down the backstretch. As the Bug was just heading into turn 1 it dropped back on to four wheels and took off around the corner, and then it blew past Boots, her jaw dropped when the Bug flew past her. Jo and the Bug crossed the finish line a full minute ahead of Boots. Everyone jumped out of the stands and congratulated Jo after she took a victory lap. Boots got out of her car, pulled off her helmet, and glared at Jo.
Later that day, Jo was in the garage doing a little more work on the car when Boots came in, and said, “Hi Jo.”
Jo looked up and said, “Hey Boots, what’s up?”
“Oh, not much. I was wondering if we could talk.”
“About what?”
“About this car. I would like to buy it from you.”
“Oh?”
“How does $5,000 sound?”
“Not bad. But, it’s not for sale”
“Excuse a moi.”
Jo rolled her eyes, “I said it’s not for sale. It’s a good little car. And I think I’m going to keep it. If you excuse me.” Then Jo went into the house.
Boots stepped a little closer to the car and said, “I want this car and I always get what I want.” Just then she felt something warm running on her foot. She looked down and the car was leaking a very steady stream of oil onto her foot. Boots looked up and sighed.