Death of Project Green Grinch Forever

[tweezers74]

So, I haven’t been very active on the forum as of late. To tell you honestly, I haven’t had the heart to come here. When I first came here so long ago, I had this new excitement and curiosity. I had no idea where this adventure was going to bring me. And humorously, it has taken me in so many different unexpected directions that I never even imagined it would. This Pelican adventure started with my dad’s 72Targa but has ended up in a totally different spot… parts happy and parts not so much. So I am ready to give you guys an update.


I am going to be eaten alive in this forum...


Well, Operation Green Grinch is officially dead. It’s been almost a year but my mother has gotten rid of the car. I don’t even know where or how. I am not even sure if I want to know. The few Pelicans I have even told immediately bombarded me with questions of “What? Where is it? Is there a way you can get it back?” Believe me. I have thought about all of that and each time I think about the whole situation, it makes me sad, disappointed, mad.

Sidney and I went to my mom’s house one day and it was gone. The spot it was sitting in for over 15 years without moving was empty. It was so strange seeing it gone. Immediately, I felt the pit of my stomach just drop. I couldn’t even say anything. I just looked at Sidney and I could see in his eyes he was freaking out just as much as me.

I walked into her house and calmly asked her, “Where is the Porsche?” She told me that she had it towed to the guy that used help fix my Dad’s Porsche years and years ago. Told me that he was going to look at it and give her an “estimate”. I immediately started to barrage her with questions. Where is his shop? Why didn’t she call me and Sidney? What if he wasn’t able to fix whatever is wrong with it? Can she even afford the bill for any repairs? She darted my questions… “He can fix it. He always did. And I can pay.” And she would end and change topic. I stood there dumbfounded. I didn’t even know what to feel. At the time, I was angry but I what could I do? Sidney and I talked about it after we left and decided we would wait and see what this “guy” would say. Needless to say, after months and months of the car not reappearing and my mother never bringing up the topic, I knew in my heart that it was gone. She had sold it.

I can’t even remember the timeline but within the same time period (the end of last year), my father got diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The oncologist, at the time, gave him 6 months without treatment and 18 to 24 months with treatment. Luckily, his cancer has been responding well to treatment and they have now given him a prognosis of 2 years. But after my initial sadness and shock went away, I started to think about the car again. As you all recall, my father loved that car. I have wonderful memories of that car. And although my mother did not know my father was going to be diagnosed with cancer but I can’t help feeling so sad and angry at my mother. To her, it’s just a car. To bring her some money. Perhaps a nuisance that has been bothering her, sitting in the driveway so long. Perhaps it was a way to hold revenge against my father. I don’t know. But she knew I wanted it. And regardless of the reasons why I wanted it (although I told her all the time my intentions were to keep it and slowly restore it so I could pass it on to my boys), I felt like my mother should have seen that I wanted it so badly and would want to save it for me. And with my father being sick, it makes me sad for the missed opportunity to do something really cool and beyond awesome in the last months of my father’s life. My father is very different than my mother. If anything, the total opposite end of the spectrum of where my mother is… which explains the demise of their marriage. He is very emotional and sentimental. This would have made him so happy. So it pains me very much to think about the car.

Most of the Pelicans I have told and even Sidney ask me why I don’t bring it up to my mother and ask her what happened to the car. I couldn’t even talk about it for a while without feeling the anger inside of me boil up. But in the end, it’s obvious my mother didn’t and doesn’t care about my attachment to the car. She lied about where the car went, what would stop her from continuing to lie to me about what really did happen? Even if I knew what happened to it, what could I do? I am not financially able to buy the car back… especially now with the crazy inflation of prices now. It would kill me more to know it’s there but it isn’t mine and I couldn’t make it mine. I haven’t even brought up the topic with my mother. I know if I brought it up, I would end up yelling at her which wouldn’t help the situation at all. So, I put the car in the depths of my memories and try not to stir it up too much because it makes me sad. So I apologize for the absence on Pelican but it makes me sad.
Even though that part of the story ended up sad, the car brought me here. And here, I have found so many new friends and wonderful people who helped me when I didn’t even ask for it. I unexpectedly found the love of my life. I learned so much… not only about the Porsche but so many other topics. Something good came out of all of this.

So, that’s the end of the story. I wish there was more but there isn’t. At least with the car. Don’t worry. I still stand by my words when I first came to Pelican. You don’t scare me. I am here to stay. Thanks for all the support and understanding through all of this.

[GH85Carrera]

That sucks.

The good new is it brought you to Pelican and I think that alone changed your life just a bit.

[porsche4life]

Glen it changed both our lives in so many ways.


It still hurts to think about the car. I offered to help with it so many times and was pushed away.


We will have a 911 someday, but not likely a longhood.

[DonDavis]

Thats a bummer. But keep looking forward. Besides, you need a Panamera with the boys.

There's a white one around my part of town buzzing around.
It looks very cool...there, I said it.

I do like those, damn the purists.

[MMiller]

Sorry to hear the cars story end this way

Regards,

[javadog]

Well, that certainly sucks. Your momma is off my Christmas card list, so to speak.

My guess is whoever was at the other end of the tow was the guy that made the offer and got the car.

Best wishes,
JR

[Baz]

Bummer. Sorry to hear Tweeze.

[Bryan A.]

Hell it makes ME sad and I've neither met you nor am I a targa guy. You have an excellent perspective on the whole thing, though, and I am fully confident that one day you find 'your' car, whatever that one turns out to be.

[on2wheels52]

I wish I had something clever to say.
Move on as best you can.
Jim

[scottmandue]

You and Sidney are a great part of this form and so happy to have the both of you here.

Sucks what happened with the car... so sorry.

Not to rub salt in your wounds but I was goofing around yesterday on eBay and holy scmoly the price of long hoods is getting krazy...

However look at the bright side...

The Affordable 996 Thread

[Porsche-O-Phile]

That really bites. Sorry to hear. I hope you'll still hang out with us here.

But look on the bright side - you can always go get yourself a BULLIT MUSTANG!!!

[Evans, Marv]

I don't know what to say either. I felt really sad reading Tweez's post. I think not because of the car but the way (I know I shouldn't say this) she was betrayed - so to speak. I can also relate since my parents both would have had disregard in the same way. On the other hand, maybe she strongly felt seeing & knowing the car was around would continue to initiate bad feelings. Whereas if she just got rid of it, she wouldn't have to deal with that anymore. I can't say to just let it go, because it's something that you can't let go and will have to work out over time. Good luck.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I'm sad for you Thuy because you can't pass it along to the boys someday, that special day won't happen. Life's all about giving of yourself to the ones you love around you. So it's up to you and Sid to look to the future, plan and create your own cherished automotive, or other, heirloom. With you and Sid behind it, the day will be just as special, I am sure about that.

[herr_oberst]

That's a major disappointment, on many levels I'm sure.

Good luck, and try to remember that even though it was a wonderful object, worthy of the admiration we all feel for them, at the end of the day, it was still just an object.

Love you both!

[scottmandue]

Like Marv said nothing we can do to take away the pain...
But just for reference my dad also just past away and mom is 90 and... well.. things are getting weird.
There is no beloved heirloom like your dad's 911, but dad was a good businessman and set up a living trust.
Mom is comfortable in the house with a caregiver and is trying to give everything away... not to be disrespectful but it is kinda creepy... she has a very nice house and some nice furnishings but we have all agreed to not accept anything from her (nor are we interested in the 1980's vintage furniture) and settle accounts after she is gone.
I'm rambling so back on point... maybe it was a bad memory for your mom so she just wanted it gone (like why my mom is trying to clear out her house)... why she didn't give it to you to get rid of it I can't say.

Hang in there, You will find your car.

PS, Again, not to be disrespectful and I don't know your mom's age but my mom is becoming very erratic in her old age... the reason we are not taking her up on any offers for instance: she gave me her old cedar chest (that is crusted with old ugly yellow paint my dad slathered on it). I had the intent of stripping off the paint and using it in our bedroom. A few days later she asked if I was going to sell the chest (oh my... I could probably get all of $50 for it!) and if so she wanted it back. When we first got a caregiver she threw all the caregivers belongings out the front door and called the police. The list goes on but you get the idea... age/health/meds can make the elderly do some strange things.

[sc_rufctr]

You're 100% class Ms Tweeze. I wish you the best.

Life happens. What can you do?

[KNS]

Sorry to hear, sad turn of events. I couldn't imagine not giving the car to one of the kids if they were so passionate about it.

I would seriously consider a 997 or Cayman. You'll love driving it, has useful AC for PHX and it is a car your boys will recognize as "the cool Porsche that mom tools around in".
Get one while they're affordable. After all, the contemporary Porsche your dad bought way back when equates to the 997 or Cayman now.

[Jim Richards]

Except for your father's better than expected response to treatment, which is great to hear, this was a pretty sad read. Best wishes, tweeze!

[GH85Carrera]

Wow, it is hard to believe that first post was right at 4 years ago. Times flies!

[Green6]

Tweez, not wanting to give you false hope, but is it possible your mother told you the truth? Maybe she is having the car fixed? Best wishes to you and your family.