So, lemme start off by saying that the outcome of this probably won't be super-exciting and doesn't involve much except for basic drama, but I thought it was so absurdly ridiculous that it was worth posting. Apologies for any formatting problems, I'm on a cell phone.
Now, anyone that knows me or has met me before winter made me park it (road salt sucks) knows that I have a nearly fully restored 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 in bright yellow. I bought it off some dude going through a divorce as a half-finished project; it wasn't in bad shape, but the interior was bombed out and had some sloppy work that needed correcting, no big deal for me since I'm a mechanic by trade. It's my first real project and the first car I owned that wasn't a hand-me-down from my grandparents... and I am PROUD of it.
Last November, I was stopped at a gas station on my way home from work for some gas (that 350 is a thirsty bitch, lol) and an after work snack when I see a dude (ED) in his mid-40s to early-50s walk over to eye up my ride. This is nothing new to me; these late 2nd gen Camaros are rare to see in my region and it is painted in an eye-catching color.
I pay for my chips and soda, walk on over, and strike up a conversation. Turns out his first car was a 79 Berlinetta and we talked shop for a while, that is until this prissy looking teenage girl (EB) walks up beside him... he then looks me, looks back at my car, then back to me and asks:
ED: "it's definitely beautiful... how much you want for it?"
Me: "uh, what?"
ED: "how much do you want for your car? I can give you cash... or check, if you prefer." (Proceeds to whip out his checkbook and a stuffed money clip full of benjamins)
Me: "sorry dude, its not for sale."
ED: (puts on his best 'buddy' smile) "c'mon, everything has a price. I can do 6 grand right here."
Me: (holds back laughter since the engine alone cost 6k) "yeah sure, I'll sell you a car with over 14,000 dollars of work and valued at 23,000 for 6 grand... and while you're at it, I have a bridge to sell you, too!
At this point, EB chimes in.
EB (tugging on EB's sleeve) "daddy, you said you'd buy me a nice car! I want a cool car!"
ED strokes his daughter's hair and quietly says something to the effect of "don't worry sweetie, we'll get you this one".
ED: (Turns back to me) "can't you cut us a little slack? For the lovely lady?"
Me: "uh, no. Still not for sale."
ED: (now getting visibly irritated) "you're going to refuse to sell me a car for my daughter? Really? You should just get rid of it, look at how dirty you are. That car is too nice for someone like you! I bet you don't even know how to take care of it!"
EB: yeah! This car is too cool for you!
Now I am getting angry. Like I mentioned before, I'm a mechanic. I'm coming home from work, still in my work clothes, with an ASE patch on my shoulder, with a bit of grime on my arms & face from a long day of fixing other people's shitboxes, there should be no mistaking that I know how to take care of my ride... or so I thought.
Me: (after composing myself quickly) "Sir, I've done all the work to this car. I put the engine and transmission in it, I rebuilt the suspension, I detailed the paint, and i restored the interior all on my own. I think I'd know how to take care of the vehicle I basically rebuilt from the ground up."
ED: "no you didn't. That work looks too good for you to have done it."
Me: "uh. Yeah. I did."
ED: "whatever. Just sell it; you can find another project."
Me: "hm, lemme think: NO. now take your daughter and get lost. I'm not budging."
At this point EB is whining to "daddy" that he said he would sell it, and I thought I maybe saw a tear in her eye... and then ED turned red in the face and started tearing into me about how I was selfish, about how his little girl deserved the car more than I ever did, and then jabs that I probably made the whole thing up about it being a project and that I probably stole it.
Me: (glaring at him) "now I will definitely NOT sell it to you. After all, your brat will probably wreck it in a couple weeks anyway. Now, I'm tired and im going to go home."
At this point I'm opening up the door and getting in while they both are screaming every insult in the book at me while I just ignore it; I wasn't lying when I said I was tired, and now I just wanted to go home and have a beer.
Now, I forgot to mention that this gas station happens to be situated at a county border, next to an exit ramp for a VERY busy interstate. It's a local hangout for the state police and sheriff's deputies from both counties. And guess who just rolled in? A sheriff's deputy from the county I work in. The same deputy who entrusts me with their patrol car's maintenance, who I have become quick friends with and is friends with everyone at work, and got glimpses into the progress on my Camaro. (We'll call him sheriff friend, or SF) He notices the two screaming at me and walks over to ask what the problem was.
ED: (looks at me and gets a little smirk on his face) "officer, I'd like to report that this kid's car is stolen! And I'd like to press charges for calling my daughter a brat!"
SF: (looks at me, then at the car, and bursts out laughing) "sir, this car definitely belongs to him! I've seen him working on it before at the shop he works at!" (Turns to me) "wrench_it, are these folks giving you a hard time?"
Me: "yeah, they're flipping out because I wouldn't sell it to them."
SF: "really?"
Me: "yup." (I proceeded to fill him in on everything that had happened.)
SF: (turns back around to face ED) "sir, you gave him an offer and he refused. You then proceeded to verbally abuse him worse than the jab he made at your daughter. I believe you should just leave."
ED looks shocked and his mouth imitates a goldfish for a few seconds, before he hangs his head and mutters an "ok", and walks off with EB (now wailing that she didn't get my car) in tow.
I thank him and we say our goodbyes... and just as a final jab, I queue up "you can't always get what you want" by the rolling stones as I start to pull out... ED immediately recognized the song i was playing and flipped me off.
Yeah, nobody got arrested or got the piss beaten out of them, but it easily one of the most surreal moments I've had in my life.
Oh, and I had a nice, relaxing drive home after that and a quiet evening watching TV.
