One of my favorite things is to take my old 1977 GMC pickup,
nicknamed Gymmie, for a ride. There is
something magical and hypnotic about riding in the rain. It is the rhythm of the windshield wipers as
they repeal the precious jewels of heaven falling on the glass. Then there is the flutter of angel wings as
the dual glass pack exhaust sings a lullaby that will send passengers into a
wonderful sleep.
As I spend a few precious moments of my being in Gymmie, I
thought of the 48 years that I have driven the old truck and the special
stories Gymmie could tell. Yesterday
was special because it was my youngest son’s 38th birthday.
For the first three years of his life, he did not sleep all
night. After working midnights at the
cement plant, his mother demanded that I get Aaron out of the house where she
could get a few moments of sleep. I
would lay him in the seat beside me, this was pre car seat days, and before we
got a mile down the road, he would be asleep.
Aaron loved Gymmie.
He loved it so much that when the seat became ragged, a cousin of mine
did some work on Gymmie and replaced the seat with one identical. Aaron was a teenager and was not happy until
I retrieved the old seat and placed it back in the truck. The seat had worn spots created by our rear
ends!
Aaron and I spent many hours riding in Gymmie. When he got in trouble with his older brother
and sister and mom, I would take him and console him and prepare him for
life. When he left home and finally
moved away to Texas, I thanked God for the special moments that I encouraged
him on life’s journey.
Around 2013, Aaron and I started rebuilding Gymmie. His older brother had totaled Gymmie 1988, and
we renamed it Joseph because Gymmie had a “coat of many colors” as did Joseph
in the Bible. Front fenders, front
bumper, and hood were demolished when striking a pecan tree in the front yard.
We drove it for several months with no hood, a primed right
fender, and deer rammed left fender. I
did get a rusty hood from a junk truck at the cement plant. Aaron only knew the wrecked Gymmie. Gymmie was so bad that a preacher friend once
asked, “Was anyone killed in the wreck?”
Aaron and I quizzed, “What wreck?”
The “so called friend” grinning said, “The one y’all got out of!”
Aaron and I stripped Gymmie to the frame giving it new life. We changed broken and worn-out parts. We repaired the interior first with new seat
covers, new dash, and all the components that made it brand new inside.
We purchased new fenders, hood, doors, chrome, grill,
tailgate, and bed panels. I had a friend
give Gymmie a professional paint job.
The pickup that I could not give away suddenly became the object of lust
for boys and men. We transformed a
junker into a show truck. It is not a
show truck. Aaron and I did not want a “trailer
queen” but a truck we could drive. To
put the finishing touch on it we had the engine and transmission rebuilt.
The most asked question is, “Is it for sale?” I say, “No.”
Some are very persistent. They
have made some very tempting offers but I say, “You will have to get on a very
long waiting list.” Some say every man
has a price. I tell folks that I have
promised it to Aaron. It is my gift to
him for all the memories of our lasting impressions, “our butts”, and other
times that rainy days help create and keep our hearts joined. Happy Birthday son.
One day Aaron can give it to his son Jack Barrett Hopper.
The Bible has 139 scriptures on the begats. Here is a look at our heritage since coming
from Scotland:
Thomas Hopper, b. 1747, Amherst County, VA; d. 1837,
Oglethorpe County, GA
Rolly Hopper, b. 1775, Amherst Co., VA; d. 1860, Elbert Co.
Mitchell Brady Hopper, b. 1816 or 1817, Oglethorpe County,
GA; d. about 1857 in Perry County, AL
William Hopson Hopper, b. August 24, 1853, in Perry County,
AL; d. September 9, 1935, Lawley, AL
Mitchell Clark Hopper, b. December 7, 1887, at Lawley, Bibb
County, AL; d. March 30, 1935, Lawley, AL
Mitchell Clark Hopper, Jr., b. April 9, 1924, in Waycross, GA;
d. April 27, 1994, Jemison, AL
Bobby Earl Hopper, b. December 13, 1952, in Clanton, AL
Aaron Christopher Hopper, b. May 29, 1987, in Birmingham, AL
Jack Barrett Hopper, b. July 19, 2023, in Baytown, TX
When people inquire of Gymmie I tell them that it is a labor
of love of Father and Son. Gymmie is a
reminder that the Love of The Father and Sacrifice of His Son can transform and
give new life the life’s wrecks.
Therefore,
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Such a great read! What special memories I have a few of my own, little children piling in the back going to pick blackberries and then swimming at Keith and Judy’s.
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