Stirring Up Memories

Driving home today I saw a Nova. Are you old enough to remember the Chevrolet Nova?  My Dad had one in the 70’s. It was red, like a cinnamon, red hot candy. Really Red.  I was young, I do not remember the car that much, other than it being red. And, I remember a conversation about red vehicles being in more accidents than any other color vehicle.  I am not sure this is true anymore, but as we started to look for a new vehicle, I recalled that story to my husband as he pointed out a bright red car. In any case, I  will not be buying a red car.

The Nova I saw today looked like an Oldsmobile Cutlass at first glance because it had wide racing stripes down the back (and, probably the front, too). I could only see the back. The car was cobalt blue with white racing stripes. It was sharp. My first boyfriend’s car was a Cutlass – beige with black racing stripes (not as sharp, but distinctive).  At second glance I noticed that the shape of the back was not quite right.  It was a Nova, not a Cutlass. Then, the memories flooded back.

One of my college roommates also had a Nova. It was emerald green. There was nothing remarkable about her car except that it was a Nova, which she pronounced “Nover”, in a thick Long Island accent. I had to hold myself back from correcting her annunciation each time I heard her refer to the car – which also had a given name, like Bessie, if I recall. Bessie was reliable, and got my friend to clinicals in nursing school and her scheduled work shifts at our local Friendly’s Ice Cream Shoppe. It also got her back and forth to Long Island as needed for breaks from our rural campus or inner-city Rochester clinical rotations. I am not sure I ever rode in the “Nover”, but I remember it.

Memories are funny things. They can be stirred up at a moment’s notice with the smallest of reminders. A smell, a song, and a racing stripe on a car are all things than can conjure up my memories and bring them to the surface. I enjoy when this happens since most of my memories are fond ones, and provide a chance for me to be grateful for living a full and rich life with many connections to others.

What stirs up memories for you? Do you remember the Chevy Nova?

I’d love to hear in the comments!