My first car was a pale yellow 1984 Ford Fairmont. Affectionately known as “The Banana Mobile.” I bought it in 1989 about a month after I moved from NY to Palm Beach, Florida.
My father came with me to the dealership, Roger Dean Chevrolet, and we went on the hunt. Our salesman, a HOT HOT guy named David DiMessino (yes, he was so hot, that I remember his name 20+ years later) showed us a few cars and we finally came upon my Fairmont. This car was DA BOMB. It was the high end of the Fairmont line with all the bells and whistles. Power windows and locks, cruise control, and the icing on the cake…A kickin’ AM/FM stereo with 8-track player. Oh yeah.
Being 17 with no car-buying experience, I get a look inside this car and I am literally bouncing up and down with excitement saying something along the lines of “I want this one! I want this one!” David the salesman was smiling from ear to ear and my father looked like he wanted to kill me.
Off we go into the office with David to get the deal done. It was here that I learned about haggling. Prices were offered, words were spoken, and ultimately my father got up and said “Let’s go, Liss, we’re leaving.” I continued to sit there, looking back and forth between my father and my David and trying to figure out what the hell just happened. I was mortified. I was a very bright 17 year old yet it never occurred to me to just say to my father, “Hey, I’ve worked since I was 11 years old for this money and we’re staying!” Instead, in his best lower octave serious voice dad gives me one more “Let’s. Go.” Slowly I stand up, tears in my eyes, and we walk out of the dealership. I have a pocket full of money, no car, no David DiMessino, nothing.
We get into dad’s car and go home. On the way, my father assures me that David will call and agree to the price we wanted. In fact, he promised, he probably already called and there will be a message waiting for us by the time we get home…
Tomorrow: The adventures of Ilisa and her Banana Mobile…
