Throughout life, we celebrate special days and dates that mark birthdays, anniversaries of our own and those people who are close to us. Among those days and dates are some that mark an extra-specialness because they might be marking a certain longevity of that birthday or anniversary.

When children reach their first birthday, it’s sometimes celebrated with baby in his/her highchair, stripped down to their skivvies, with a piece of plated cake and cameras awaiting the child painting her/his face with cake and frosting as they try to get some of it in his/her mouth. Other notable birthdays are turning teenager (13), getting to drive (16), being able to vote (18), and being able to go into a restaurant or bar and legally order an adult beverage (21). (18 back in my day.)

Later on, some people hold special celebrations when they reach the beginning of a new age decade (30, 40, etc.), and maybe reaching retirement, Social Security, or Medicare age (maybe some would rather not celebrate those). Point is, we enjoy celebrating days that special to us.

We do the same with other days that mean something to us, like anniversaries or remembrances of dates of someone special to us, etc. First Wedding Anniversaries are pretty special, and then round number anniversaries 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 (Golden), etc., interrupted by 25 (Silver), are celebrated with a bit more panache than the others are, but they’re all special, nonetheless. We also remember, maybe without pomp and circumstance but with special anecdotes or stories, the anniversaries of the passing of loved ones or special friends in our lives.

Point is, we remember and celebrate special occasions aside from religious and national holidays marked on our calendars. This year, I’m celebrating kind of an unusual anniversary/birthday.

Prefacing all this, in my love of most all genres of music, I ran across a song by C&W performer Toby Keith, titled, I Love this Bar. (YouTube it). When I originally heard it, I immediately thought of my favorite adult watering holes, one being Waddington’s Tavern, the Official Viewing Establishment of our Browns Backers of Jamestown, NY chapter. I like Keith’s song so much, I use it as the ringtone of that bar and its owner, and my friend, Jeff Waddington.

The first two verses and the chorus lyrics of Keith’s hit are:

“We got winners, We got losers

Chain-smokers and boozers

We got yuppies, We got bikers

We got thirsty hitchhikers

And the girls next door dress up like movie stars

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

We got cowboys, We got truckers

Broken-hearted fools and suckers

And we got hustlers, We got fighters

Early-birds and all-nighters

And the veterans talk about their battle scars

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

I love this bar, It’s my kind of place

Just walkin’ through the front door, puts a big smile on my face

It ain’t too far, Come as you are

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar”

In spring 2002, returning from our annual Cleveland class trip, I sat with a parent chaperone, who was/is one of the top car salesmen Jamestown and the surrounding area has ever met. Back then, I was driving a seven-ish year old Jeep Grand Cherokee and looking toward getting a new one. I wanted a vehicle with a special twist though, as around 2000, on an excursion with a youth baseball team to the Cooperstown Dreams Park to play ball, I saw a white VW Bug with baseball stitching adorning the body. Loving baseball as I do, I told Sally my next Jeep would be white, and detailed with baseball stitches. I explained this to Frank on the bus, and he said stop by Lake County and we’d talk more. I did, and soon I was driving a new white Jeep Grand Cherokee, decorated with baseball stitches, applied by the son of a teaching friend, who’s the son-in-law of Jerry, then owner of LC Dodge.

This spring, that very Jeep will celebrate her 21st birthday as a member of the Lombardos’ rolling stock. In honor of that event, I’ll treat her to a wash, oil change, and offer her a tweaked version of Toby Keith’s song, which I titled, I Love My Car.

My first two verses and the chorus are:

We’ve seen concerts, by some big names,

seen a whole lot of ball games

We seen places never seen ‘fore,

and we’ve done such a lot more

And we’ve traveled miles and miles from here to far

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love my car

We’ve vacationed, recreationed,

seen a lot of sensation

We’ve added dÈcor, and a lot more,

to give our car more comfort

And it’s fun just driving down the boulevard

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love my car

I love my car, it’s my kind of ride

Just rollin’ down the highway, with Sally by my side

Car’s been a star, true friend by far

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love my car.

So, thanks Frank, Jerry, Jamie, and JR at LC, Ron and guys at Jamestown Auto Center, Brian, Gregg, and gang at Southern Auto, Kaczar Collision, Greg, Kristi, and Chautauqua Sign, and Thanks, and Happy Birthday, Tribemobile!