Confessions of a One-Track Mind

Oh, plot bunny, why must you torment me so?!

I think it's fairly common knowledge that I'm really not in SPN fandom any more. Haven't been in quite a while, "Heroes Rest" not withstanding. Which makes the current mash-up in my brain all the more exasperating.

At the moment, my TV is hooked up to a digital converter box. I get exactly two channels: CBS and RTV (Retro). Retro shows Route 66 reruns---for anyone who's not familiar with it, R66 is a series that debuted in 1960, and features two guys roaming the US in their muscle car. In this case, the car is a Corvette and the guys aren't brothers, but there is a fair amount of helping and/or saving people that goes on. In a lot of ways, it's SPN without the monsters.

Last night, I looked R66 up on Wikipedia, and discovered that in the final episode (NO, I'm NOT going to do a spoiler-cut for a 50-year old episode. Get over it.) Stiles gets married. To Barbara Eden. In Tampa.

The inner SPN fangirl, who still pops up once in a while, reminded me that Sam once alluded to some events Dean became embroiled in in Tampa (pre-series), and ba-boom, a plot bunny was hatched.

Like, what if Todd is still in the Tampa area? I'm thinking haunted fairgrounds, and the boys go undercover at a car show that's being held there. (I've actually been to the Tampa Fairgrounds, altho since I'm not actually planning to write the darn thing---!) But it makes perfect sense---Dean and the Impala wind up next to Todd, who still has the 'Vette. And they bond*, since they each inherited their cars from their dads (although John was still alive at that point in canon...still, it was his car first). And if Todd's wife pops by to bring him lunch or something, I can just imagine Dean commenting, maybe later to Sam, that she reminds him of the chick from "I Dream of Jeannie".

I don't remember the exact quote about Tampa, just that it seemed like Dean probably shouldn't go back there. So clearly, chaos ensues at some point during the hunt. Of course, if I really wanted to mash things up, I'd throw in a possessed Plymouth Fury...wait, I am NOT writing this!

Although maybe I should. God, it scares me to think of how old Martin Milner is getting to be....

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*Another thing, Dean has the whole clean-cut crew cut thing going on, and I see Todd appreciating that, as compared to the "hairy hippie" look.

And y'know, considering how often Dean must have to get his hair trimmed to maintain that look, it's a wonder the FBI never posted his "Wanted" poster in any barber shops.

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I know I haven't done Vehicles du Jour in a while, but I'm going to catch up a little here by rhapsodizing about three pretties I've seen recently, one of them yesterday.

The first vehicle was a Chevy SSR. That's one of those retro-looking truckish luxury rides---it has a bed like a truck, but the cab has a convertible roof. I've drooled every time I've seen one drive past, but I saw a stationary one in the Wal*Mart parking lot a few weeks back. It was red and shiny, and I spent about ten minutes just circling it and drooling. I was lucky in that the owner came out and was friendly---he let me peek inside while he was loading his purchases in the back---leather interior, OMG! The only thing better than "that new car smell" is "that new car with a leather interior smell"!

Then, a couple of weeks ago...wait, let me backtrack. On the route I most usually take to work, I pass the courthouse, and most weekdays, there's been an old red convertible there. And I DO mean old---circa 1963. Zipping past doing 30-ish, I haven't stopped for a closer look, but I *thought* it was a Pontiac Bonneville. However, the owner came over to my part of the world, probably for the Chinese buffet, and parked right next to my rustbucket Honda, so I had a good chance to circle and drool. It isn't a Bonneville, it's a Buick LeSabre. Sweet! Now I know.

Which brings me to yesterday, and the sighting, on US1, heading North as I was going South, of a cherry red '67 Impala with a HUGE chrome blower sticking out of the hood like the figurehead on a ship. (Gee, Dean, that's one way to hide in plain sight, although she's probably pissed about that hole in her hood.)

Yes, I am still car-mad, even though I'm being a little more low-key about it!

I finally got to watch this week's ep of SPN. ( Spoilers for 'Houses of the Holy' )
Damn, that was fun. It made me realize that, although they drive around in the Impala, there have been very few actual car chases. My only complaint was, I think the one they were using this week needs a tune-up. Or a better muffler.
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It was damp and chilly this morning, so I got to wear my chenille poncho (shades of pink, orange and yellow) over my orange shirt with black pants and shoes. I added my new pop cap belt, my pink chenille scarf and fuzzy white hat with the pink, yellow and green flower, and toted my I've Been Everywhere munchbox in lieu of a purse. I was quite colorful!

To my delight, the weather cleared up by the time dinner hour was over, so I changed (having thoughtfully provided myself with some less chi-chi-frou-frou clothes) and went to go look at cars. Specifically, the Impala, and about a minute and a half was sufficient to convince myself that it was beyond me. As I suspected, the engine compartment was empty. I could tell, not because there was anyone there to show it to me, but because the hood was propped up beside it. ( Scratch the Impala. )

About a mile and a half away, there's this very informal used car lot...and as I was driving by this afternoon on the way to work, I saw it: a classic Impala, "For Sale" sign on the front windshield.

Now, lest you envision the Metallicar, I will be scrupulously honest and say, NO. For starters, the original paint job was either white, pale yellow or beige---it was difficult to say from the glimpse I got while driving past doing 30---and it wasn't merely faded paint, it looked gnarly.

( My brain immediately boggled. Visions of acquiring it danced through my head. )

I know perfectly well that if it needs, say, a rebuilt engine, I haven't the tools, the physical strength, the experience, not to mention the money to take on such a challenge. And that it probably needs extensive body work before that hypothetical primer coat. Seductive as the thought of my very own Impala is, it's also completely insane. Even if it did, by divine intervention, move under its own power, the gas milage would suck ass. I've owned and operated a V-8, and I know this for a fact. I'd be doing good to get half the milage of my Honda (twice as many cylinders; the math is a no-brainer).

Proving to myself that I haven't completely taken leave of my senses, I stopped on US 1 to take a look at a CRV that's parked just off-road. It's been there for about a week now, and was recently joined by a 1/2 ton Chevy truck. The Honda was $2200 and the truck was $2000. I can't afford either one at the moment, and to be honest, I don't really *want* either one. For one thing, I'd prefer a standard shift to an automatic. For another, God help me, I want an interesting car/vehicle. Those two are parked a good stone's throw from an old International pickup truck (circa 1948). I've been eyeing that one, too---now, that's interesting!