by Vern LaCrosse in Florida….
New York City; 1961, – NY Auto Show; The Saturday before Easter.
My wife wants a new Plymouth sedan; I have been reading about a wild new French car, new to America, and to be shown at the N.Y. Coliseum. Dad has advance tickets, we go in ahead of the first day’s opening crowd; I punch the elevator for “5”, which I think was the top floor.
We look at cars; many featured there are no longer offered in the Americas. Morietti, for example. We work our way through the displays;
Jaguar has it’s awesome XK150, Fiat has it’s “Fix it again Tony”, and on we march, ever downward to the main floor.
Wife Jean is dressed for the City, wearing heels, which are now talking back to her. The Yellow DS 19 is now just ahead; she is paying little attention to me; she is “car-ed-out!”
I open the door, she sits on the soft seat in the back, notes the legroom, kicks of the heels, and feels the floor foam and carpet. She looks around, smiles, and utters just one word: “aaah!”- – SOLD!!
That auto still ranks as the most wonderful, joyful,unique, and comment-eliciting purchase of our long lives, and we have owned some sweethearts!
Ours was the first DS 19 in Upstate N,Y. I had a jeweler make a “custom made, etc.” plate to fit on the glove box, in my wife’s name; endless fun! We enjoyed the questions, comments, and queries; almost limitless. Wife Jean became accomplished at “repartee” and “riposte”. As a traveling salesman, I gave dozens of rides; The Nuns at my Hospital-clients loved my “demo-rides”, given to two Sisters or more at a time. They simply adored my unique auto and the exciting demo provided. Ah memories!!