Summer Adventures with Kate & JR (3 page)

JR and the Shiny White Car

JR loved to visit with his Grandpa Jim and Grandma Sue. Now that he was six years old, he could help Grandpa Jim with projects in his hobby shed. Grandpa Jim liked to build birdhouses, flower boxes, almost anything out of wood in the shed.

Grandpa Jim promised to show JR how to build a toy car this summer. JR thought that was silly. “You don't have to build a car,” JR said. “You just go to the store and buy one, Grandpa. I like all the race cars, small sports cars, and trucks in the store. One day I want a battery-operated car with a remote.”

“No,” said Grandpa. “We are not going to buy a car. We are going to build one out of this block of wood.” He showed JR a block of wood that was ten inches long, two inches thick, and four inches wide. “Today, we will work on the design. We will go to the craft store and buy a steering wheel, some tires, and a few other things to make the car look real, maybe a windshield.”

“I think we should just buy a car.”

“That's no fun, JR. Just wait and see. What do you want your car to look like?”

JR thought for a minute. “A white sports car with blue seats and fancy tires, too!”

“Sounds great! Do you want a convertible?”

“What's a convertible?”

“A car with no top.”

“Yes!” shouted JR. “I saw one like that at the store. It was cool.”

On a piece of paper, Grandpa Jim drew a design for a convertible sports car. It was longer in the front and shorter in the trunk area, with a cutout section for the seats. Each end was curved to look like a sports car. He took a silver fifty-cent coin and drew a circle one-half inch from the front and rear of the car to make a place for the tires. He marked the center of each circle with a dot.

“This is where we will drill a hole for the tire axle to go through. The tire axle is a rod we use to attach the tires.” Grandpa Jim held up his drawing for JR to inspect. “Does this look like the kind of car you had in mind?”

“I think so. I can't believe we can make a shiny sports car out of that block of wood,” said JR profoundly. “What's next?”

Grandpa Jim checked his watch. “I think we have time to trace the car design on the block of wood before lunch; then we will go to the store.”

He carefully cut out the design and pinned it on the wood with a tack. JR watched intently as Grandpa Jim slowly drew a heavy dark line around the design. Next, they made a list of what they would need at the store.

“I'd better check to see if I have enough sandpaper, white paint, and a brush,” said Grandpa. “You will be responsible for sanding and painting.”

Grandma Sue came to the door. “How about some lunch?”

She didn't have to ask JR twice. “I am as hungry as a bear!” JR shouted as he ran to the house.

“What have you been up to?” Kate asked JR as he came into the kitchen.

“It's a surprise!” was all JR would say.

After lunch was over, Grandpa Jim and JR set off for the craft store.

The craft store shelves were filled with all kinds of neat things. JR picked out a steering wheel, a gear shifter, and tires with silver spokes. Grandpa Jim gathered the other needed supplies and paid the bill.

“I can't wait to get back and start on the car,” JR told Grandpa. But as they drove into the driveway, JR saw that his mother was waiting to take them home.

“See you tomorrow!” JR shouted as he waved goodbye to his grandparents.

“What did you do today?” Mom asked.

“Grandpa and I are working on a surprise. I can't wait for tomorrow.”

The next day, JR was up early and gobbled down his breakfast. He grabbed his backpack and shouted, “I'm ready! Let's go!”

When Kate and JR arrived at their grandparents' home, JR ran into the house, shouting, “Grandpa, let's get started on our project!”

“Wait a minute! No hello for me?” Grandma Sue said.

“Hello, Grandma!” JR responded.

“We had better get going. We have a lot of work to do today,” Grandpa said, giving JR a wink.

Grandpa Jim got out the saw. “You stand over there while I make the cuts, JR. Put on these safety glasses. They will keep the dust out of your eyes,” said Grandpa as he put on his own safety glasses.

Grandpa Jim carefully followed the outline to cut out the car from the block of wood. He drilled two holes in the marked centers of each circle. He cut a small block of wood from the center of the car. From this block, he cut two pieces for the doors. He cut two more pieces in the shape of chairs without legs for the seats. When he was finished, he unplugged the saw and put it away.

“Come on over, JR. It's your turn. What do you think of this block of wood?”

“It's starting to look like a car!” JR exclaimed. “Will I be able to use the saw?”

“When you are older, I will show you how,” Grandpa replied. “But for now, you will be my sandpaper apprentice.”

“What's an apprentice?” JR asked.

“Someone who is learning a new job.”

“I like that,” JR beamed.

Grandpa Jim showed JR how to use the sandpaper to smooth the edges of the car. JR went to work and soon announced, “I'm finished.”

“Let's take a look,” Grandpa said as he slid his hand over the car. “Very good job, JR. But feel here. There are still some rough places. See how smooth this spot feels and how this one is rough. Sand and then rub your hand over the spot until the side is smooth.”

JR sanded the spots and slid his hands over the entire car. It was smooth to his touch. “Is it ready now?” he asked as he handed the car to his grandfather.

“You did a great job! You are now my official sandpaper assistant.”

“You mean apprentice,” JR corrected. “What's next?” JR wiped the dust from his hands onto his jeans.

“First, you will need to wash your hands. You need clean hands before you use the white paint. It will take two coats. You can do the first coat before lunch.”

Grandpa Jim showed JR how to use the paintbrush so that the finish would be smooth and cover the entire area. He gave the doors to JR to paint.

When JR finished painting the first coat, Grandpa Jim showed him how to clean the brush by rinsing it with water until all the paint came out. “Better wash your hands for lunch,” Grandpa said. “You need to ask your Grandma Sue for some scraps of blue material for the seats and maybe some for the car mats,” Grandpa said as they entered the house.

“Hello, Grandma! I'm starved! Do you have any blue scraps of material I could have for my project?”

“I just might, JR.”

After lunch, Grandma Sue went to look through her scraps of material for the perfect blue. “That's the color I want!” JR screamed. It was a royal blue, the color of the sky on a bright summer's day. Grandma handed JR another piece that was a darker shade of blue.

“We can use both of these. Thank you, Grandma,” JR said as he ran out of the room.

“Let's see if the paint is dry,” Grandpa said as he gently touched the inside of the car. “Time for the second coat.”

JR stirred the paint as Grandpa Jim had shown him and started applying the second coat. As he worked, Grandpa covered the seats with the material. “This looks good, JR. You chose the right shade of blue. The deeper color will look good for the floor mats, too.”

“When will we be able to finish the car, Grandpa?”

“Not until tomorrow. The second coat will take longer to dry.”

“It sure takes a long time to build a car,” JR sighed.

“You have to learn patience in order to do the best job.”

“I know. I hear that word a lot!”

JR cleaned the paintbrushes and closed the can of paint. “I can't wait until tomorrow. I want to show everyone our surprise!”

The next day, JR hurried to the shop without going into the house first. Grandpa Jim was already there, checking to make sure the paint was dry.

“Is it dry? Can we finish?” JR called out as he entered the shop.

“It's ready to go. First we will glue the floor mats in place and then the seats. You can do this,” Grandpa said as he handed JR the glue. They glued on a dashboard with a speedometer. Then they pushed a steering wheel with silver spokes into place like a tack. They did the same with the silver gear shifter. JR liked the addition of the gear shifter. It reminded him of the one in his father's car. From the backseat, he could watch his father shift from one gear to another as the car gained speed. The doors and windshield were the last to be glued in place.

“When these dry, in about thirty minutes, you are in charge of attaching the tires to the car, JR.”

“Oh, boy! I can't wait to show off the car. Grandma Sue and Kate will be surprised!”

Grandpa Jim checked his watch to make sure it had been thirty minutes and announced, “Time's up!”

He tested the car doors and windshield to make sure the glue was completely dry. “JR, you now have the honor of attaching the tires.”

He showed JR how to slide the axle in place and push the tires with the fancy silver spokes onto the axles.

“Let's see if it will roll!” JR exclaimed. He carefully gave the car a slight nudge. It didn't move. “Oh, no!” JR was almost in tears. “What's wrong? It won't move.”

“Now, now,” Grandpa said to calm JR. “We forgot the most important part. We need to apply graphite to the tire axle and slide it back in place. Graphite is soft, dry black powder. It will help the axle turn more easily. Remove one tire from each axle and slide the axle out with the other tire attached.” JR handed the tire axles to Grandpa Jim, who sifted the graphite along the axle. He carefully handed the axle back to JR. “Now slowly push the axle back in place and attach the tires.” When JR was finished, Grandpa said, “Give it a push.”

JR gave the car a big push and watched as it sped down the counter to where Grandpa Jim stood waiting.

“It's great! Thank you, Grandpa, for showing me how to build a car. I know my friends will be excited to take turns playing with this car. It's special! It looks like a real sports car!”

“You did a great job, JR. Let's go show it off.”

JR picked up the car and walked with his grandfather to the house.

“Look, Kate! Look, Grandma Sue! Do you like my shiny, white sports car?” JR said as he entered the kitchen. He placed the car on the floor and gave it a push in their direction. “It's my favorite!”

“Oh, JR, it's wonderful! You did a great job,” Grandma said with delight.

“Can I give it a try?” Kate asked.

“Yes,” JR told Kate. “Grandpa helped me with the design and taught me a lot. I am his official sandpaper apprentice,” JR said as he glanced over to Grandpa.

“You were my best apprentice, JR.”

“Thanks, Grandpa, I really enjoyed being your apprentice. I love my shiny, white sports car.” Kate took a photo of JR and Grandpa Jim with the car. JR just kept grinning. He would not forget the time he spent with Grandpa Jim making a special car.