Submitted by Moses Uriza on 09/02/2020
Growing up on a farm in Iowa near Red Oak brings me so many good memories. Every morning I heard my dad wake up early in the morning to work the cornfields. He usually was gone before I was up for school, but I could hear the sound of his workhorse warming up on the driveway, his 1967 Ford truck. He loved that truck so much that even when he owned other trucks he always keeps it in the barn.
In the nice hot summers, we would travel on that truck as far as Montrose, my parents, my older brother and me in that truck to visit my Aunt Sally and uncle Brenton. They did not have any kids on their own and always love our visits to their home. Once there we would get ready to go fishing on the Mississippi River. My mom and my aunt will patiently wait for us listening to the radio on the back of the truck. I usually got some fishes a couple of times but my brother Jason was the best at it. Once at my aunt’s home, while my aunt will cook dinner along with my mom. My dad will religiously clean his blue ford truck. I would happily help him and would enjoy the funny jokes my uncle would make along to pass the time.
As time passed by I decided to join the Navy as soon as I finish high school. I still have fresh in my mind when I kissed my mom good-bye before getting in that truck for my father to drive me to the Greyhound station. There we said goodbye with a big hug and I was on the way to San Diego California. After the Navy, I attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and got a bachelor’s degree in materials engineering after that I end up moving to Seattle Washington to work for Boeing corporation. As soon as I had any change I will fly to see my parents. Jason my older brother eventually took over the farm as my parents decided to retire.
Every time I came back my father and I would go out for a ride on his truck. In the beginning, he would still drive but in the later years when he was no longer able to drive, I would do it for him. Sometimes we would go to Des Moines or as far south as Kansa City another as far north as Duluth to visit some of his friends up there.
I still remember pulling on the side of the road to get gas and some food during those trips we would talk about airplanes, cars, trucks and the local flavor of politics. The wisdom of a loving father does not compare with anything in this world. This man spent hours working in the fields for me to have a chance on my dreams. My father always wanted to remember where I came from even if I was working in a city as far as Seattle.
I n the fall of 2010 my mother suffered a stroke and passed away soon after. My dad stood by her bedside until the end. My dad a couple of years later was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he knew his day was numbered. My father knew how much I love him and him along with my brother started the idea of restoring his old truck for me to own it after he was gone. When my father passed away in the summer of 2014; all his loving family surrounded him. My brother after the funeral
ceremony, ask me to come back to the farm. Early in the morning the next day after our families had breakfast together we walked towards the barn as he said “ I have something that our dad would love for you to have” he opened the door and there it was at the end of the barn as far as I know my dad’s old truck covered in a nice clean tarp. I was surprised when he removed tarp to reveal my dad’s truck in mint condition. At that moment surrounded by all my family Angela, my brother’s wife put a letter in my hands. It was a letter from my father:
“ Dear beloved son, now that I am gone, I want you to remember me by keeping my truck. It is the witness of so many stories of your childhood in Iowa. I want you to keep it and take it to Seattle so you can share it with my granddaughters In that way me and your mother we will be always with you.”
A couple of days later my family and I flew back to Seattle. Two weeks after that I started to make plans on how to bring the truck to my home in Bellevue. I did not want to drive it all the way there. So I saw the need to hire a professional car transportation company. I have some friends on the board of directors at America’s Car Museum on Tacoma. I gave them a call and al of them recommended A-1 Auto Transport for the exceptional customer service they offer. I went online to a1autotransport.com and the friendly website was easy to navigate to the Door-to-Door Auto Transport page. There I found all the information I need it and soon enough I downloaded the application on my iPhone. I requested an estimate via the application and I soon was given different options. Coming back to work at Boeing devoted most of my time so the iPhone application was a very convenient way for me to hire A-1 Auto Transport services. I hire them and soon enough they send me all the information to get the truck ready to be transported. WE agree on possible dates. As the date was nearby they send me useful reminders that I shared with my brother to have the truck ready to go.
The pickup day went smoothly, their friendly drivers arrived on time and did a meticulous inspection of the truck to make sure everything was in place before loading it on top of the trailer. They make sure the truck was protected at all times. It took four days for the truck to arrive at my home but I always knew where the truck was as I was continuously updated via the application. When the truck arrived they took the time to go over with me with every aspect of the truck until I was completely satisfied. That same night I got the truck I drove the truck inside my backyard there I place a mattress in the rear box and set a bonfire on our outdoor fireplace and my wife and my daughter and I enjoyed a night out looking at the stars just as I did when I was a kid in Iowa with my mom and dad and brother on a nice summer night.
Submitted by Moses Uriza on 09/02/2020