In the said year I was a young man of only 16 years. Still a boy by all accounts, but comming into my own. All of my years to this time had been spent reading about and learning all that I could about the fabulous automobile. This year 1997 was probablly no different for most of you, but for me it was a very busy year. I was madly in love with my high school sweetheart, Amanda, who I thought the world of and was going to marry. Ok so I still speak to her on occasion, but that of course didn't work out. And this was also the year that I turned 16, meaning it was time for me to start driving the highways of south Louisiana, legally. Also this was a time for me to make a decision that would abruptly force me into adulthood. See at 15 years of age I had to see an ortheopedic specialist named Jack Loupe about the sever lower back pains I had been having for more than 2 years. Until the x-ray's came to be noone had thought of my pain as more than "growing pains" and I was told that "it would pass" or to "suck it up". But we found that 2 of my discs in the lower region of my back were severly deteriorated. My parents and doctor were beside themselves knowing that the only remedy to my pain was a fusion and strong pain killers. The decision was left up to me. "Son", I was told "you have to make the decision weither to have this surgery or not.". And after much thought and exercise to try to ease the pain I made my decision. And on december 18 of 97 I had a 2 disc fusion and was abruptly introduced to the world of reality. During this year though I also found the love affair that has lasted until present and shows no sign of relenting. I had always been a FoMoCo kinda guy and was in love with all that was Mustang, but there was this other car...something that struck a nerve with me. Every time I herd the name or gazed upon the pictures of one I had to smile. Yes it was the Lincoln Mark VIII. Let's face it I lived in a small town of less than 2k citizens and the only Mark I ever got to see was a Mark VII LSC that was always at my church. That car was beautiful to me, but this Mark VIII was such an incredible machine. What kind of car can offer such luxury but still make more power than a Mustang???!!! Yes, a luxury sports coupe, that was the kind of car guy that I could be. Beautiful design, power, technology...WOW this was a great car. But then I found a motor trend at one of my many doctor's visits that reviewed this newely redesigned Mark VIII...my lord I thought, it looks even better, and has more options. Lincoln has even better looking interiors than I previously had ever seen in any other car. Also this Motor Trend had an insert that you could send off to Lincoln to receive "more information" on the Mark VIII. It came to me only a week or two later, a video tape. But the package is what caught my attention. Just a picture of an apple on the outside of the box with the words "prepare to be tempted" and inside was the picture of the '97 Mark VIII and this VHS tape. I still have it today...somewhere...in my collection of things that I would never part with. But also during this year I happend to go to the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealer in Lafayette to try and sort out the problems of my '86 Crown Victoria...first car it was a trip...and yup there on the pedistal in the front of the dealership was my car. A black on grey 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC...wow the feelings that I had at the moment when I first looked her over. And the discussion that I had with the salesman who also loved the car was one I will never fully forget. He then told me that the Mark's shared the same engine with the Mustang Cobra...Cobra, there was no name in the world that meant more to me. The Shelby Cobra's and Cobra mustangs were my favorite cars. So needless to say this elevated the Mark VIII to an even higher plane of existance. Over the years I had always suggested Mark VIII's to family members when they were car shopping, but everyone always said they were either too expensive or too impractical. When in college I had suggested the car to friends and girlfriends when car shopping and I had mixed reactions of "too much car" to "I'll never buy a grandma's car". Then after a failed attempt of life in Dallas, and an failed attempt to buy a green '94 Mark VIII while there I moved back to Ruston, Louisiana in hopes of going back to college. Wouldn't you know that instead of college I found a yound lady who stood all of 5'3" with lots of curves and curley red hair that was in need of my affection. Well she got it and much more, but then something strange happened. She was going to leave me for the summer for an internship in New Mexico. I was very concerned, but thought that if it was meant to be it would work out. Her father heard of this internship and suggested that he would buy her a car that would be more reliable than her 92 buick which had almost 200k very hard miles on it. Since her father had found an Accord for a reasonable price she was ok with the upgrade, but came to me saying "Justin, what do you think of the Honda Accords?". Which I could only say that they are very good, dependable cars. Then she asked me the correct question, "Would you get an Accord". To which I had to say no. Sorry I said to her but I like to be able to find my car in a parking lot. She immediately understood, being short with red hair and pasty pail skin she herself stood out in a crowd and didn't mind that aspect of life at all. So then she asked me a question that I always love hearing "Justin, what kind of car would you get if you were in my position?". I told her that a Lincoln Mark VIII would be the perfect car for her. It has a timeless design, lots of room, good gas mileage, dependability, and enough comfort for the most demanding customers. She said ok and said that she would like to read up on them later that night while working (computer lab was the job so it was mostly surfing the net while babysitting the printer). She called me from work and told me to find her one of these Mark VIII's as she now HAD TO HAVE ONE. The example that we ended up with was a beautiful 1997 model Cordovan base model with only 69k on the odo and paid an unbelieveable $7k for it. This little 97 model...now called Betty is a testimate to dependability, love, aquired dreams, engineering and so many other things which I never though I could receive out of a daily driver. This little l/s coupe made me realize how much I love the woman that is now my wife. She, the car, has carried both my wife and I through courtship to marriage and through our first four residencies. She has never left us stranded, and only requires time, love, and a little care to keep providing us with the same treatment. I knew that when Bridget said that she would take my advice on the car that she was the woman for me. I already had feelings for her, but to take my advice on her car purchase meant that she loved me and cared about my opinion enough to research and appreciate this love I have for the same car. This car, Betty, has come to be a part of my family. But she is still the love affair that began in '97. My wife is still a little jealous of the time spent detailing or wrenching on my other "lady" and would rather that I not talk to her as much as I do. However neither lady is going anywhere in the foreseeable future. I Love my wife, and I love my mark viii and withought either one of them I'd be incomplete. Even though that I now have Bethany, my 95 that needed a heart transplant when I found her, I know that my love is still for Betty and the girl that has provided me with the opportunity to get to know her....my darling wife Bridget.
Thank you all for understanding my obcession.
Justin
Thank you all for understanding my obcession.
Justin
