With his sights set on a bright red sports coupe, Jack pulls into Happy Jack's Used Car Lot hoping to get a good trade-in for his old clunker, Junior, and encounters a very persistent salesman who convinces him to buy a van. Unsure of his decision at first, Jack quickly finds that the van is much more than transportation. For him and his friends, the less than impressive looking vehicle becomes their wheels of fortune!
Buying a van was the last thing on Jack's mind when he pulled into Happy Jack's Used Car Lot one hot August Saturday afternoon. He had planned and saved all summer to get a little sport coupe that would get him back and forth to campus. Junior, as he called his old clunker, just wouldn't handle another year of the wear and tear of the daily trek. It barely got him around town as he delivered pizza for Angelo's Pizza every night. Time had taken its toll on the old vehicle and it was time to move on.
At least twice a week Jack had driven past the lot and yesterday he spied a shiny red Chevy for $3000.00. He had risen early, showered, shaved, and pulled out a pair of good dress slacks and one of his few ironed shirts. "Dress to impress" was one of his mottos and if he were to get a good deal, he knew he had to impress the salesman.
He turned into Happy Jack's lot and parked Junior on the side of the building. He climbed out of the car, adjusted his shirtsleeves, and headed directly over to the red Chevy. He was examining the body when a very proper-looking salesman arrived.
"Hi, I'm Sam," he said, shaking Jack's hand as he handed him a business card with the name Sam Devlin on it. "Can I help you?" he asked, looking Jack directly in the eyes.
"Sure can. I'm Jack. What's your bottom price on this one?" He absently gazed back at the hazel eyes of the salesman.
"Three grand."
"No, no – your bottom price, not your asking price," Jack replied.
"Three grand."
Jack watched him slowly turn and start to walk away. "I really had my heart set on this Chevy. It looks like it would be great for getting me back and forth to classes at State," Jack said.
"State? You're going to State? I went to State six years ago."
Jack liked the enthusiasm he suddenly heard in Sam's voice. His hopes rose. Maybe there was still hope of a deal on the Chevy.
"Listen," Sam continued with a little more animation in his voice and eyes, "You really don't want a sports coupe for that commute. Trust me. You're taking the interstate back and forth and the cops love to nail guys in sports cars. Think of something a little less flashy. I have the perfect vehicle for you. It's a cream colored van. The body's great, the engine runs perfectly, and there's a lot of room in the back, if you catch my meaning."
"A van? I don't think so."
"Just take a look at it."
"I guess it won't hurt to look," Jack said. He followed Sam into the garage and he couldn't help noticing how broad the man's shoulders were and the fact that his muscles bulged under his white shirt. He thought to himself, "Wonder what he'd be like in bed." He shook his head quickly to banish the sex fantasy and get his mind back on the reality at hand.
"Hey, Joe!" Sam hollered. "The van finished yet?"
Dressed in a mechanic's blue coveralls, a man on a dolly rolled himself out from under the Bronco he was repairing and Jack's mouth dropped wide open. This guy was an Adonis, even covered in garage grease. In another quick private fantasy, Jack could see himself dropping to the greasy floor with this god of a man.
"Yeah, I just finished it. It's as good as new."
The mechanic rolled himself back under the Bronco, leaving only his legs and pelvis visible. Jack swallowed hard and hoped Sam had noticed nothing.
Jack walked over to the van and was surprised by it. He was impressed by the captain's chairs and all the options included. "Go ahead, climb in, get the feel of it!" Jack climbed in and perched himself behind the wheel. It was the first time he had ever been in a van and the feeling was strange, but he liked the sensation of being so high up. Sam walked up to the open window. "We could take it for a test drive." Sam slapped plates on the van and climbed inside.
Jack was silently amazed at the ease with which the van handled. He turned onto the interstate, added a little more gas, and marveled at the smoothness of the ride.
Sam was quick to speak up. "A nice thing about a van is all the extra leg room. A passenger can really stretch out," and he stretched his legs out longer and wider apart. "Feels good to stretch out. Never feel cramped." His hand reached over to Jack. "You feeling a bit cramped?"
"Go for it," Jack smiled warmly. "Hell of a way to make a sale, but I like the approach."
"There's a rest area a half mile up the road. Why not pull over? Then I could really show you the advantages of a van, like all the space in the back, since there's no third seat."
Jack flipped on the turn signal, shifted to the right-hand lane, and pulled onto the exit ramp.
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