It was the start of a new week, and he was heading to the high school he worked at. He imagined that both students and teachers would eagerly line up to get a glimpse of his brand-new car.
But he didn’t get the kind of attention he had anticipated. The principal rushed out of the building, needing to speak to him immediately. He seemed to be in a bad mood. Something was wrong, and the only words the principal managed to say were, “This car…do you know what you’ve done?”
He Loved Being A Teacher
Travis Allen adored his job more than anything else in the world. Since he was a teacher, he had a direct impact on the generations to come. His students loved him, and he was quite popular among his co-workers.
But one fateful day, Travis got some news that would shake his entire world. It took him a long time to process the terrible emotions that the information brought.
A Tragic Day
Travis received word that one of his closest friends and coworker had passed away. Not to exaggerate anything, but the news was entirely unexpected. Even though all the faculty members from the school had been friends, Travis was the one most affected by it.
The news broke Travis’ heart, and he knew he had to check on his friend’s wife to see how she was doing. It would be the right thing to do, considering they had been best friends.
His Visit
Travis anxiously counted down the second until the last school bell chimed. He couldn’t wait to check on his late friend’s wife. It was about a 30-minute drive to her house on the outskirts of town.
He parked his car in her driveway and got out. He took a deep breath before raising his hand and knocking on the door. He couldn’t help but pull her into his arms when she opened the door. But something seemed wrong. She asked Travis if he could take something with him when he left.
What He Needed To Take Home
She told him he needed to see something in the garage, so he made his way over to it. He warily opened the door and peeked inside. Despite the clutter in the room, Travis knew exactly what she was referring to. The object he needed to take home was covered with a tarp.
He took a few steps closer. He could tell it had been years since this thing had last been touched. He grabbed the fabric and started to peel it off. What he saw shocked him.
A Classic Car
A vintage car rested beneath the tarp. After taking a closer look, he knew that this car was something special. The vehicle still shone a beautiful red color, as if the years of dust had left it untouched.
Why would his friend have hidden the car from him? They have had many conversations about their love of vintage cars. His eyes landed on the car’s badge - it was a Corvette!
Sympathy
His friend’s wife didn’t have much trouble persuading Travis to take the car home with him. He asked why she would want him to have it. She explained that she no longer wanted it in her house since it served as a constant reminder of her late husband.
Travis was very sympathetic toward the situation. He understood that it must have been harrowing to be reminded of her grief daily, but he was unaware of the other hidden reason behind her wanting to get rid of the car.
Towing It Home
Travis arranged for a truck to tow the car back to his house. It was an expensive ordeal, but he thought it was worth it to have something so beautiful in his driveway. He knew it would need a lot of maintenance, but he was alright with that.
It had been just over a month since Travis had the car, and he had already spent thousands of dollars on it. But he didn’t mind since the car was almost ready to drive. There was just a few small things that still needed adjusting. He had to replace the spark plugs, clean the paintwork, and empty and refill the gas tank with fresh fuel. But he soon learned that fixing this car was a huge mistake.
Surprising Everyone
Travis couldn’t help but feel excited when he thought about the project. He decided he would keep the car a secret so that he could surprise everyone at school. He couldn’t wait to see the faculty and students’ faces of shock when they saw his new ride.
But Travis didn’t expect it would raise some questions. Problems would arise when the car caught the principal’s attention. The principal would not hesitate to lecture Travis about the law and reveal problems he never knew existed.
Finally Ready
Travis had spent the whole evening working on it to ensure it ran smoothly. He tested the engine, and everything seemed to be working. He had been fiddling with it for a while before he noticed the time.
He had to go to work in the morning, and it was well past midnight. He quickly cleaned up his workspace and made his way to bed. He was filled with excitement as he dozed off. He was confident his students would love it. But the reality would not meet his expectations.
Grabbing Attention
He arrived at the school where he worked and taught on a Monday morning. He anticipated the students and teachers whipping their heads around to see his new car.
But he had turned too many heads, and the principal had stormed out to confront him. He could tell by the scowl on his face that something was very wrong. The principal pointed to the car and said, “Do you know what you’ve done?”
A Secret
Travis was confused as he stumbled over his words and asked the principal what the problem was. They made their way to his office to speak privately. The principal was furious as Travis asked again, “What’s the big deal?”
He fired back, “Do you know where that car came from?” Travis was at a loss for words. Surely this had to be a misunderstanding? But then the principal revealed a big secret that would change everything.
A Race Car
Travis now owned an old Corvette that had a past riddled with trouble. The issue with owning the Corvette was that it never belonged to his old friend, to begin with. After traveling only 24 miles, the car went missing in the late 1970s.
It had vanished from the race track it was performing at and hadn’t been seen since. That was until Travis drove it to the school that morning.
Where Did It Come From?
When all was said and done, Travis realized he had to try and put things right. He would have to make amends and return the car. But one mystery remained - how had his friend gotten the car in the first place?
He knew he wasn’t going to get any answers from his widow. She appeared equally as clueless about the car as he was. It was obvious that his friend had taken the answers with him to his grave.
Finding The Owner
Unfortunately, Travis has to transfer schools. He had caused big problems when he brought the car to campus. It didn’t bother him much, though. Despite the fact that he was practically fired, he knew he would come out on top. He managed to contact the original owner and strike out a deal. The owner was an understanding old man who took his word that it had all just been a big misunderstanding.
After paying the owner a small sum of money as compensation, he managed to keep the car. Travis’ story was one of many people who find amazing things rotting away in other people’s garages.