I knew I found a keeper 21 years ago when I picked up my wife for our first date in a silver Dodge Caravan that I had adapted into a cable internet installation truck, complete with a ladder rack, a 20’ and a 32’ extension ladder, and filled with cable modems and boxes of coaxial cable. And she didn’t run away lol. 

The best part was when I opened the door for her and walked around the rear of the vehicle and could see through the rear window as she leaned over and unlocked my door from the inside so I wouldn’t have to use my key to get in. The proverbial “door test” for first dates as seen in the movie “A Bronx Tale”. A great indication that your date thinks about others, rather than just themselves. Of course nowadays with electronic fobs this gesture is no longer relevant, but it was a pretty reliable gauge of someone’s thoughtfulness back in the day. 

For the first two years of our relationship, that minivan (with ladders removed) was the focal point of many road trips and days at the beach, and little escapes from the family when visiting them out of town to get away for a quick romp lol. 

There was a time when the drivers door wouldn’t even latch and I had to hold it shut on a date night as we drove to the movie theatre, as I waited to get it in to the shop. 

Eventually the transmission grenaded on me at the furthest reach of my service area, and resulted in  a $300 tow bill and an $1800 transmission replacement when I didn’t have two dimes to spare, but the memories made while having that vehicle are priceless.