We all have memories of the days when we were coming of age and blossoming into young adults. It’s a time of firsts. First girlfriend, first job, first apartment, and first car. It is also a time for first experiences, and with each new person you meet, it’s often a first itself since we are all unique.

This is Candy, she was my first girlfriend who loved cars, and she knew more about them than I did. It was the 1960s, the pill had been recently introduced, and women for the first time were becoming much more forward.

Candy was a waitress at Bob’s that I met my third day on the job. I had got off work, and couldn’t get my Woody started. It didn’t have enough compression. I was nosing around under the hood when I heard the pipes of a hot rod. I heard a voice say, “are you having problems.” Don’t I always”, I replied to turn around and see a most beautiful young woman driving a red 1939 Ford Roadster.

She laughed at my reply, shut her engine off, and came over to investigate my problem. I was speechless, she was wearing a bathing suit for god sakes, suddenly my problem didn’t seem important. She asked “what’s the problem, you don’t have compression”. “Yes”, I replied. She popped off the radiator cap and said, “I see oil it the water”, then she pulled out the dipstick and said, “I see water in the oil.” Then she said,” Do you like to get wet.” “What”. I replied. Candy said, would you like to come over and go for a swim with me, and then I will drive you home, and will help you fix the head gasket.” “Okay” I replied. I thought I must be dreaming.

We had a great time and seemed to hit it right off. I conducted myself like a gentleman and with respect. I didn’t hit on her as I thought I wouldn’t have a chance with someone so smart, kind, and pretty. She took the lead, and we became very close. Lost track of in the service, and then got word in 1972 she died in a car crash when she was hit by a drunk driver. What a heart break, Candy was a very fine, and loving young woman. I painted this in 1986 in her memory. Rest in peace Candy Girl. This experience came back to me when my friend Gary Lick took a photograph of a red 1940 Ford
convertible, as I had memory loss from the service, and a bad traffic accident shortly after.

My story about the painting has been hidden for years under the title of: “Hot Food, Hot Cars, and Hot Girls”.