COOL BY DEFAULT

The 1970

Chevy Nova

my parents

gave me

when I was

old enough

had been

the family car.

for my sake,
they covered 

the forest green

with jet

black paint

and a red

pinstripe.

With a little
help from
my uncle,
they turned
the 325 engine

into a 375.

it sounded

pretty damned

good, to tell you

the truth. 

I remember

peeling out
once, not from

arrogance or rage

but because

nancy bucaro

was driving her

family's van

next to me.

afraid of rolling
in front of a girl,
I popped
the clutch too fast
and the wheels
spun out.
Guess I 
still wasn't

too good at

working the

four on the floor.