Since we are in Roxy’s homeland, aka Ford Country, it only made sense to visit our pal Scott Monty and the rest of the crew at the Ford World Headquarters. While I plan on writing about the entire visit, I feel the need to first share with you the most disturbing moment of our trip to date. Keep in mind that this moment beats out Chris and my almost breakup, Dutch the Horny Dog, and the nose-breathing coffee house stalker.
Scene: Scott Monty’s Office, Ford World Headquarters, late morning. Scott is furiously hacking away at his Blackberry as Chris scans a nearby magazine.
Jaime: So, Scott… what happens to media fleet cars like Roxy after they’ve, you know, jumped the shark?
Scott: (completely serious) Well, typically after they’ve served their time, they are taken away and destroyed. (note: he actually used the word “destroyed.”)
Jaime: You don’t give them a makeover and resell them? Or at least turn them into rental cars?
Scott: Na, when they’re done, they’re done. It’s not like there’s a pound for media fleet cars. We usually dismantle them and reuse the parts.
Later, at the Ford Rouge Plant, I saw a map that laid out the locations of the various operations. My eyes zeroed in on one building that is simply called, “Tool & Die.” While someone might try to tell you that the Tool and Die building is where machinery can be fixed or altered, I’m here to say that they are flat out lying. Tool and Die is the place where media fleet cars go to be slaughtered and turned into automotive hot dogs.
It’s no secret that we love Roxy in a deeply personal way that is almost a little embarrassing. Okay, a lot embarrassing. So the idea of her not going to Media Fleet Heaven hurts my heart. I am working on a plot to save her from this fate, but I don’t know how to do it without doing something illegal or involving circus midgets. So I’ll have to keep thinking.
Dear Chris and Jaime,
When I heard that you were getting one of the American Idol’s Ford Fusions, I couldn’t believe it. I watched American Idol last year and this year. I saw this year’s episode when David Cook (last year’s winner) gave Kris Allen and Adam Lambert keys to their Ford Fusion. I don’t know if you watched any American Idol, but once the 13 contestants were announced, Ford had commercials that involved the weekly contestants. These commercials were very creative, catchy, and fun!
I then began thinking about my family’s connections to the Ford Motor Company. So listed below is some of my memories. Hope you enjoy reading my musings:
After WWII, my Dad left Nebraska for Detroit, MI to begin a job at Lincoln Mercury. His wife followed via a train. At Lincoln Mercury, my Dad met Hal Rice. That friendship continued throughout the years. I remember going to Hal and Jeannie’s house as a child in Berkley and playing with their kids. Later, Hal married my Mom after the deaths of both their spouses. Your Grandpa Hal retired from the Tractor Division of Ford Motor Company at the age of 55-56.
Growing up in the 1950’s, going to the Ford Rotunda in Dearborn at Christmas time was special. What a magical place!!! Christmas decorations all over the place and window displays of Christmas and Winter animations, and stairways leading up to Santa Claus. Santa Claus overlooked all the festivities. Unfortunately, the Ford Rotunda does not exist today. It burned down and was not rebuilt.
In the late 1950’s or early 1960’s, I remember going to the Ford Motor Company’s Rouge steel mill. Back then there as none of this overt concern for safety. When you took a tour of a steel mill, you experienced what it took to build a car/truck. I remember walking on the catwalk that was very very warm and looking down at red hot molten steel being poured into molds. That was fascinating! Besides being warm, the Rouge plant was dirty, grimy, and dusty. At lot of hard work went into building cars and trucks.
Of course, there’s Greenfield Village and Museum. I have lots of memories of Greenfield Village and the Museum. I went there with my family, as a Girl Scout (we spent the night), with your Dad, and with you and your sister. In fact, your Dad and I recently visited the Museum in early Spring and had a great time.
The first car I ever own, was a Ford Cortina. It was built in England and imported by Ford. The boyfriend of one of my college roommates (my Senior year) had a maroon Cortina and he really liked it. I think it was the Fall of 1969 that I bought my light blue, standard shift, 4 cylinder, 4 door Cortina. I loved that car!! After graduation, I drove it back and forth from Illinois to Ann Arbor (to see a certain young man by the name of Don). I had that car for only a couple of years, because Ford was no longer going to service it. Back then, taking a car in frequently for tune ups was the norm. So I reluctantly traded my Cortina in.
The next Ford Motor product we owned was the Ford Explorer. We paid extra for the front seats and those were the most comfortable seats that we have ever had. We still miss those seats. We had that Explorer for several years and had a lot of good trips with it.
Enjoy your visit to the Ford Motor Company!
Love Mom (Mary)
When I was a kid growing up on the west side of Michigan, Detroit was considered evil. It was big, it was crowded, the people were mean, and the sports teams sucked. Far worse, Detroit was a genuinely dangerous place, with carjackings, rampant arson, crack, Lions and Tigers, and indiscriminate murders. Since then, things have gotten a little better, but Detroit is generally not considered a tourist destination. Unless you’re Jaime, who has been looking forward to returning to Detroit for this entire trip.
I was actually looking forward to our visit for three reasons:
- I think Detroit is a very interesting place, with incredible mansions and skyscrapers, as well as urban ruins. Think of it like the US version of Rome.
- Detroit is Roxy’s homeland.
- We got to visit my friend Jessica and her husband Tony.
I know Jessica from college, which was where she first met Tony. After a detour to another relationship, they got back together, were married last summer, and now are awaiting their first child. Jessica is a high school teacher which means she is having trouble coming up with a name for her future son, since almost every name reminds her of a student. She may have to resort to something old fashioned. I’m thinking Aloysius, but Tony suggested Michael Jackson, which would be an excellent tribute.
Tony kindly drove us around Detroit, showing off the old and the new. We then went to dinner in Mexicantown, where we asked them about their relationship. Tony mentioned that sometimes little white lies can help avoid conflict in a marriage. For example, if I don’t like Jaime’s cooking, I should simply nod and smile when she asks if I like her unique take on deep fried Twinkies. Jessica shared a story about their wedding, which included games between the bride and groom. It’s an excellent idea, so I’ve decided to add mud wrestling and a cow chip throwing contest to our own ceremony in August.
Overall, I think the piece of advice that sticks with me the most is… go with what you know. One of the reasons Jessica found her way back to Tony was because she could trust where he was from and what he was all about. They both strongly advised living together first, but Jaime said she refused to give up her time living with Janet. I’d be jealous, but I’m looking forward to the month I’ll be spending with my Aunt Barb and Uncle Sean prior to us getting hitched. I’ll deal with Jaime’s wet towel and toothpaste habits later.
My mom is the oldest of six kids, including a few Irish twins. They’re scattered all over the US, in California, Oregon, and New Mexico, with their kids even further afield in New York, Massachusetts, and Washington. The only holdouts in the Michigan homeland are my mom and her sister Dianna.
My aunt lives in a hip suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak, where we met her and her boyfriend George. Over brunch, we caught up and discussed a wide range of topics, from Detroit politics to waterboarding. (Because, as you know, every good brunch includes a conversation about waterboarding). Eventually, we were able to ask Dianna and George how they’ve lasted together for fourteen years. The answer – they each have their own house. They live near each other and see one another all the time, but at the end of the day have their own space.
We’ve heard this advice before in Florida, which has me thinking whether this is part of what has made Jaime and me successful. We don’t live together currently, and that’s helped us maintain our independence and free time. Then again, we’ve been together for almost five weeks straight without breaking out in hives, and Jaime even said as recently as yesterday that she can’t wait for us to live together. I’m looking forward to it, too.
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