The Pink Cadillac

It was one of those days that made me want to head out and see what type of sales were going on around the area. Garage and estate sales were very popular during the mid 90’s and especially in the spring, summer and fall. I had a small antique display in a shop in a nearby town and was always looking for items to add to it. Unless there were some things really worth looking at, it usually didn't take me five minutes to stop and check out a sale and get back into the car.

On this particular fall day, the weather was pleasant and I decided upon an early start. I knew as soon as the doors opened the best buys were available, and I also knew that all the antique dealers would be the first people in line when the sale began at 9, and I wanted to beat them!

As I was getting ready I overheard our son telling someone that he would hitch a ride with Mom, that she was getting ready to go out, and his car had been loaned to his younger brother. I told him I'd drop him on my way, but I wanted to make a couple of stops en route to his destination. He agreed to “one” or “two” stops.

Down the road and past the corner deli and barber shop we went, and made tracks along a lone street where a house sat by itself. It was a new home, and the lawn hadn't been seeded, but the double car garage held a number of possibilities of tables. The outside drive-way did too. The balloons on the mail box and several signs boosted “Sale Today.” Yes, I love those signs and they always speak to me!

I went into the garage and greeted the young mothers sitting together; I knew that I wasn't going to want anything among the baby items; but I did check out the little area of “I'm sick of this, but who knows what it might be worth” table. Everyone seemed to be collecting some little animals that came in boxes of Red Rose tea bags. I scanned the place and walked towards my son who was looking at tables outside with goodies on them.

I noticed he was pretty intent upon a pink car with white trim that was among other items, and he whispered “Mom, look at this,” and proceeded to take the seat out of the middle of a Pink Cadillac convertible. I tried to figure out exactly what the car was supposed to be. A cookie jar, but very shallow to hold many cookies, and then I noticed on the little slots in the white seats, and I figured it was an ash tray. The car was all pink with white around the wheels, interior of the seats and accents in front, with chrome trim.

One of the young mothers from the garage yelled “It belongs to my brother, but you can have it for a buck.” I always feel like I can do better and returned, “How about .50?” She replied that would be fine and we left with our Pink Cadillac, for whatever purpose.

I continued onto bigger and better things that day, or so I thought, and when I got home I looked over my “finds.” I couldn't shake the idea that this Pink Cadillac was sort of special, and since our oldest son had found it, I guess it was. During the following weeks when we went to antique shows I'd check out the cookie jars. My hubby explained that it was a 1957 Cadillac Convertible and not an ash tray!

The dealers who had the “cookie jars” were interested in knowing about the Caddie Convertible, and told me they had some with Elvis and other characters in the seats. It was made by McCoy. I knew that this wasn't a McCoy, as I had looked for markings and found nothing. But I also knew that it was in good shape and worth something. The cookie jars we saw following my .50 buy, showed prices of $175.00 on up for Pink Cadillac Cookie Jars.

Well, it has been over 14 years now and I've never sold that car. I don't get those days anymore to go to garage sales with our oldest son who lives out of state. I can’t seem let go of the memories of that fall day years back; some how it seems like that ’57 Pink Cadillac is still a special treasure, of a special time in my life.

~ Diane Dean White ~
Thelamb212@aol.com
Copyright © 2009

Diane is a wife, mother, grandmother and author and a frequent contributor to a variety of magazines, books and other publications. She is the author of Beach Walks and Carolina in the Morning, and makes her home in Florida with her husband Stephen. You may visit her website to read more of her stories at, www.DianeDeanWhite.com

[ By: Diane Dean White Copyright © 2009 ( Thelamb212@aol.com ) -- submitted by: Diane Dean White ]