<VV> Christmas parade in a Corvair

[JRVIDRINE at aol.com]

Hello Folks,
 
My family and I took part in the annual Rayne, Louisiana Christmas parade  
this evening in my 1962 Monza Coupe.  Please don't ask me why anyone would  have 
their Christmas parade on December the 6th which of course is a  Tuesday.  
The city of Rayne is situated on I-10 in South Louisiana about 20  miles west of 
Lafayette, LA.  The population is about 10,000.  I was  the only old car in 
the parade and my wife Delores, our 16 year old son Conrad  and our 5 year old 
grandson Christian Champagne rode in the car and threw candy  to the thronging 
children lining the route.  The weather was great as it  was (is) clear and 
about 44 degrees.  
 
I got the biggest kick from my grandson sticking his head out of the back  
window and hollering out "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ---- and Santa is 
 coming in a helicopter."  I wondered about the last part until the wife  
told me the deal on the helicopter is that next week someone will be coming to  
his school dressed as Santa in a helicopter.  
 
I heard a lot of comments saying "nice car," and a few "hey look at the old  
Corvair."  I think that in my area it is becoming more and more a mystery  
car.  While we were lined up for the start of the parade one fellow told me  that 
the last time he rode in one in 1969 and that it had flipped  over.  Awaiting 
a BS story, I asked "what happened?"  He told me that  he and three friends 
were driving in one at about 70 miles an hour at night when  they suddenly saw 
they were running into a tee in the road.  The driver  slammed on his brakes 
but the car slid sideways into the tee and flipped into  the ditch running 
along side and turned over several times.  I asked where  did it happen and what 
were the road conditions.  He said it was in Montana  in the winter and that 
there was snow and ice on the road.  I told him  that was fair enough.
 
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy (Corvair) New Year
Randy Vidrine 
62 Monza Coupe 
Branch, LA