Citizen Grouch and the Missus volunteer for Cruise Night 2015

The Missus and I volunteered to help at the Glendale Cruise night this year. It was scheduled for July but for the first time ever, in the middle of the worst drought that the West has experienced since the dust bowl, the event was rained out!  It was rescheduled for the end of August with the thought I am sure that certainly it wouldn't rain in August!  Instead we got temperatures in the low 100s but what the heck, we're tough because we're from Pittsburgh and as Liam Neeson said to Russel Crowe 

"Pittsburgh's tough" so there you have it.

Our job in the event was crucial to the success of the whole show:  hand out swag bags to the participants.  On the surface this seemed simple but with further scrutiny we discovered that, before we arrived on the scene, some others were letting participants into the show before it opened and even worse, without making sure that they had paid their registration fee.   We put a stop to that you can be sure.   Soon it was organized like a well planned military operation if I do say so myself.

After our duty stint was finished we met two other couples and Young Son, had dinner, toured the show, saw hundreds of fantastic vehicles and went home tired, sore, and very happy.  It was a great time!

The Missus showing the limited edition swag bags given to each show participant

Eager participants lining up and waiting for the gate to open.  The Missus is shamelessly flirting with every man as is her wont.

...And they're off!   The Missus checking registrations and handing out the swag bags.  My job was to pre-screen participants and turn away those who didn't realize that the street was closed to  through traffic.

The Missus was on the job!

This car was the second to last to arrive with just minutes to spare before the gate closed.

Two classy dames

My dad had one of these but a '57, one year older than this one.  Great looking car but the most unreliable car ever built in Detroit

Love the push button trans selector.  I learned to drive in a '63 Dodge wagon with a push button trans selector. 

Our Plymouth had clear plastic seat covers.  One evening I was in the back along with my aunt Jean, an 'Auntie Maime'  type woman with a loud laugh, a never ending collection of great stories, and a very exciting life (at least to a five year old boy).  I idolized her.  Anyway, as we drove through the night somehow her lit cigarette that was between her fingers missed the ash tray and ended up being stubbed out on my hand.  I yelled, knocked it from her hand and the burning cigarette tip melted a hole right through the plastic seat cover.  She was horrified at hurting me and I secretly liked all the attention.  The hole in the plastic seat cover reminded me of that night for as long as we had the car.