Black cars may look better in the shade, but on a dreary day in the Pacific Northwest – and we have many of them, I’ll take the M&M colors anytime. But then, I’ve always loved bright, saturated colors.
Back when I earned my living as an artist, a woman interviewing me after a show on the 6:00 news asked me which artists I was most influenced by. Without hesitation, I said, “Dr. Seuss.” She was somewhat taken aback by my unsophisticated answer, which I followed up with Rene Magritte and Andy Warhol. Seriously though, the bright colors in Hop on Pop and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas have stayed favorites to this day. No wonder I always loved Kawasaki lime green.
About 40 years ago, I had a bright lime green Saab 99. When I called the number to buy the car, the Milwaukee Brewers happened to be in the playoffs, and according to the fellow on the phone, no one was interested in the vehicle that day. “I’ll let it go for $800 if you’ll pick it up today – I need to get rid of it.” He was asking $1,300. “Oh, and it’s the worst baby shit green color you’ve ever seen.” Booyah.
Of course, I bought the car, and I got it for $650. “That color. You’re never going to sell that thing, man.” With a heavy sigh, he handed me the car, keys, and title, and I was a very happy guy. Not only is playoff day and Super Bowl Sunday a great time to pick up chicks, but it’s also a great day to buy a car. Sam Cabiglio (steward of Jerry Seinfeld’s Porsche fleet) would later tell me, “Yeah, I’m not much for stick and ball sports either.” And so it goes. BTW, he recently sold an awesome (but not lime green) Saab 99 turbo on Bring a Trailer here. (European model shown here, as no photos of my car remain – though I did have the coolio Saab mud flaps!)
25 years ago, while shopping at Scottsdale’s then-new Fashion Square Mall, bright colors were all the rage. I happened to be in the GAP in a bright orange sweatshirt. The young woman behind the counter remarked, “It’s so cool that you older people (I was, like, 40 at the time – ugh) are into the new colors. I said, “Sweetie, I was into this color before you were born.”
Always a hit with the ladies. That’s me.
About the same time, I was dating a Herman Miller exec, and she snarkily commented that I “Needed to have a solid personal style at my age.” I replied (with my Smurf-blue hoodie on) that I already had.
Strike two.
Today, in my 60s, I still love the bright colors in my hoodies, on my wrist, and on the surfaces of my cars. There’s just something about getting in a bright-colored car that perks me up on a rainy day like today. Fortunately, my current wife embraces my love for primary colors and really rocks a pink sweater like no one else.
The other great thing about a bright-colored car? You can find it easily in a sea of white, silver, and black cars. Sun or shade.
Hello and welcome to Heel and Toe.
