If all goes well, you know what we’re all going to be? Old. Sure, it may take a while to get there, but I can pretty much guarantee that no matter who you are or what you’re doing or just how saturated with the bloom and musk of youth you are, one day you’ll be old. And that’s fine! Really, depending on when you start to define it and how long you live, you’ll spend more of your life considered “old” than any other age-related descriptor. Hell, I’m old myself! And you know what old people like? Cars.
I say this with confidence because my ass is old, and I like cars. So, from that sample size, I can comfortably extrapolate that 100% of old people like cars. Even if my study is questionable, I think it’s safe to say that if were to, hypothetically, hold a car show at a location specifically designed to serve senior citizens 55 years old and up, like the lovely Seymour Center here in Orange County, North Carolina, it would be a lot of fun. I’m actually sort of betting on this being the case, because the Autopian is sponsoring a Classic & Unique Car Show at the Seymour Center parking lot, in Chapel Hill, NC, on September 26, between noon and 2pm.
It’s really happening! The Seymour Center printed it in their monthly publication, so there’s no backing out now!
Autopian co-founder David and I have been talking about this idea for a long time: why aren’t there more car shows at retirement villages and old folks’ homes and senior centers and other Pine/Oak/Cedar-named places where older people gather? Everyone likes car shows, and as we all know, cars are unique among objects we own and interact with in our lives in the sense of the depth of connection we make with them. It stands to reason that the longer you’ve been alive, the more automotive connections and memories you’ve made, which means the more potential for joy and meaning when encountering cars of all kinds, vintage, custom, odd, exotic, hoopties, whatever.
Cars bring people together, spark conversation, and generally bring joy. That’s what we want to do! Get a bunch of cars in the parking lot of the center, then invite all the seniors within and around to come and look, talk, touch/sit in the cars (if the owner is willing, of course) and generally have a great automotive time. I’ll buy a bunch of pizzas! This is going to be great.
Personally, I plan to bring both my Citroën 2CV and my Nissan Pao, both classic and unique cars. I have a friend with a Nissan Figaro I’m pretty sure I can get to show up, and I have tentative buy-in from the TriangleRAD group, who always manages to field some fantastic machines. I have a friend who may be able to bring a really interesting hearse, though maybe the optics of a hearse at this show isn’t the best. He has other fantastic stuff, too.
But I need more cars! Lots more! I want these old folks to be automotively wowed like they haven’t been in decades! I want to hear gasps of delight, laughter, and shouted profanities of excitement (ideally, not rage). The carscape is far too full of grayscale SUVs that would require a defibrillator to get your heart beating for. We can do better; I’ve seen it happen at other Autopian Car Meetups in the area, and I want to do it again, only this time we’ll have an audience of not just fellow Autopians, but amazing people who just happen to have been on this Earth six or seven or eight or even more decades.
I should also note how great the Orange County Department on Aging is; our culture isn’t one that’s particularly good to older people, generally, so I especially appreciate organizations like this that provide so many varied resources and programs to older people, giving a vast array of ways for people to connect and learn and create and remain active, creative, and healthy for a long, long time. Life is for the living, and we’re living as much when we’re 70 as we were when we were 20, even if it’s harder to see things and it takes like three days longer to get over a hangover.
So, if you’re in the general area of Orange County, NC, and have an interesting car of pretty much any kind you’d like to take to our First Autopian Senior Center Car Show, here’s the info one more time:
Saturday, September 26
12-2pm
2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
And, if you need any more specific information or are planning to come and bring a car, why not email me at jason@autopian.com with the subject line “Old Folks Car Show?”
This will be great. I just need some cars! We’ve got a month to make a fantastic lineup!
I’ll be coming from Charlotte with my 1987 Porsche 944!
I would love to come and bring my ‘30 Model A, but I’m 300 miles away so I don’t think it would make it. Which is too bad, it’s an old people favorite
I love hearing old timers recalling heyday experiences, and cars truly define many of those for us born–as the kids say–way back in the 1900s! Though that day I’ll be visiting Elon and Chapel Hill (without any interesting car), I can’t come support the event for being entirely occupied at that time with double whammy of my college kid’s events and birthday. So close, yet so far from this worthy effort. Nice plan, Jason.
I’m not sure I have anything unique, and while one of my Jeeps is a classic in some states, it’s also a silvery color that looks gray when it’s dirty (which it is now). This place is less than an hour from my house though! And I have an elder I can bring with me.
I feel like this is a trick for Torch to put his grubby fingers on our cars
Mine is already excessively grubby because my county still has water restrictions, and I’m not about to go through an automatic car wash.
WOW I’m only 4 years away from being eligible for Senior Living Status! I should tell my friends.
Regardless of the shots fired at my lower back pain, I’m glad this is happening. Way too far for me to attend; but should be a fun time.
Anyone that has friendly, socialized animals they can bring will probably find a happy reception.
So many places restrict pets, even for young people, so it can be special for some people.
When I get old my plan is to drink cocktails and watch movies all day.
Sounds familiar
Looking forward to this–wish I had a running car worthy of entering!
That’s a scant 19 miles from my apartment in Cary. Also, I’m approaching old, so this show would be apropos for me.
I don’t really have any weird or interesting cars to offer for the show, however.
1025 miles for me. I’m not worried about my car, I’m worried that I can’t stand driving 16 hours without a FREAKIN’ RADIO! and I don’t have a smartphone data plan.
Damn, 12 hour drive.
100% not joking here: You should use this opportunity to encourage people to take care of their advance care plans (living will, medical power of attorney, etc.)
When asked, most people say they do not want to die in a hospital ICU, but since that is the standard of care, most people wind up dying in a hospital ICU.
Advance directives can never cover everything.
It may be more important to choose and educate an advocate.
I saw a hospital interpret paperwork as commands, so I over rode the hospital.
Relatives can always do that anyway, so consider that too.
Agree 100% Picking and communicating with your advocate / agent / proxy / whatever is more important than the specific boxes that you check on your living will. Good advance care planning involves both sides.
Just setting up the medical POA can help. Need a NC notary on site to make sure they actually get completed–talk to the facility/senior life authority about borrowing a volunteer notary. Easy to locate NC state POA/directive forms published online, including by arms of UNC.
Not all states require notaries in all contexts (Florida requires either two eligible witness or a notary, for example). I’m not familiar with the laws in NC.
Even just getting people to think about and talk about advance care planning is worth doing.
NC requires notary and 2 witnesses for this form.
Just down the road in Raleigh and would love to come but… we’ll be out of the country. Doubt my spouse would be willing to change plans.
Two hours? Two hours?? What you don’t think we have the stamina to handle more than two hours? Whippersnapper!
I’m not that old and I don’t have an old car, but I do love old cars! Will Jason kick me out personally if I show up? It’s only about 4.5 hours away from me…
If the cars are parked on a lawn will we olders be able to shout/ GET OFF MY LAWN? This is crucial information and bumper stickers via Autopian must be produced posthaste
The retirement home around the corner from our house hosts at least one car show annually. It’s mostly hot rods, but it’s a lot of fun and it’s great for the residents of the place. I’d love to attend one of these, but the entire width of the country is just a wee bit far to go. When’s the left coast version happening?
And thanks a f***ing lot about reminding me of my age, JASON, Mr. Old-man-who’s–hell-of-a-lot-younger-than-me.
10 hour drive for me…I mapped the route and Google Maps pointed out these two landmarks along the way: “Old Man’s Cave” and “Andy Griffith Museum”. How did it know?!?!?
260 miles away. Thinking about it. It’s too far to risk having to have my 25 year old BMW towed home, but my motorcycle could make it, no problem. Might depend on the weather.
1100 each way for me. Conflict with Rata the younger’s Family Weekend at his first year of university, but I would lightly consider it with my 2001 M3.
It’s about a five-hour trip. Maybe I’ll try to make it the first road trip for my new-to-me 300SD. Or, possibly more likely, my Celsior as that one’s already been proven reliable and I’m not sure about the Merc yet.