Don's Buick

My first car was a 61 Buick LeSabre "Bubbletop" , purchased off the used car lot at Berndt Buick on 27th and National in Milwaukee. It was a beautiful cream color with a brown and cream interior. I drove it to school my senior year at Washington High and cruised Milwaukee when I could. And boy, that 364 "Nailhead" could really cruise! It really surprised some people how quick that big ol boat of a Buick could be! Lots of fun and stories of cruising in my Buick for the next two and a half years, but I think my favorite must be one night in the summer after I graduated.

One Friday night on WRIT, King Richard the DJ decided to play the instrumental record "Raunchy" for something like 90 minutes straight. He told people to meet on Wisconsin Avenue. While the record was on continuous play, he hopped in his bright orange Plymouth and led a parade estimated at 300 cars up and down the street! Lots of people got ticketed on the side streets speeding to get to the front of the line, but I just stayed on Wisconsin and reveled in the moment, cruising my home town with 300 other people all listening to the same radio station and laughing.