I had one of
my most rewarding Cobra experiences just a couple weeks ago. Please bear with me while I tell the story.
On May 25 (Sun) my daughter and I drove the Cobra up to Calabogie Motorsports Park so I could rip around the track in a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, as part of a lapping day experience my wife bought me for Christmas. It was fun.
I posted a thread w/photos about it on a Canadian car forum I belong to. Another forum member told me about a friend of his, whose father is dealing with terminal cancer, and asked if I would fulfill his lifelong dream to ride in a 427 Cobra. I jumped at the chance.
Mother Nature smiled on us May 31 (Sat) and gave us a beautiful sunny day for a drive. I met up with Charlie and his father Mike, and we set off for a nice back roads cruise along the Rideau River.
Unbeknownst to me, Charlie had kept the ride as a surprise for his dad. I was already parked when they pulled in to our meeting place. Charlie drove over and parked next to me and we all started talking about the car. It took a few minutes for Mike to realize that this was all planned and that he was going to go for a ride.
Wow!! What a reaction! Mike was so excited, just like a little boy at Christmas. His smile was so sincere, it was positively infectious. It was obvious that (
like me) Mike has a special "thing" for Cobras.
We enjoyed a nice drive and chatted non-stop about cars and Cobras and work and family and whatnot. Mike thanked me profusely, but the truth is I'm so very pleased I was able to this. It was
my pleasure, 100%.
My good friends at
Wicked Garage were kind enough to donate some shop swag, as a little surprise for Mike, too. Kudos to them, for stepping up.
All in all this was a most fulfilling experience for me. I'm so happy to have been able to do something nice for Charlie and Mike, two very nice people going through a very tough time.
How's
this for a genuine smile, eh...?
= = = = =
My experience reminded me of the heart-wrenching story about how more than 30 Arizona Cobra owners helped a dying woman fulfill her husband's lifelong dream to ride in a Cobra (see
Phoenix area - A dying wish to ride in a Cobra...can you help?). That dream was realized thanks to the members here at Club Cobra.