“How much did you pay for it?” Cecil asked.

“With tax and everything, it was two thousand and twelve dollars. They said that they took twenty five off since I wanted to be the first one to wash it,” he said smiling.

“I’ll give you three thousand for it,” Cecil said, reaching for his wallet.

“Are you nuts? Just go up the street and buy one of the other ones. This baby’s mine.”

Cecil just clenched his fists and took a deep breath. He had really had his heart set on beige. It was the color of his future, he just knew it. Now this bozo had thrown a monkey wrench into the whole works. He started to walk away, but then he turned back when he got to the end of the alley. He watched the man start to towel off the car and the sun just sparkled off that light brown carapace. He had to try again.

“Look. Here’s three thousand in cash,” he said holding out the money that he had crammed into his wallet.

“Man, I’ve got a date in a couple of hours and I just got this thing licensed in my name. I’m not selling this car. I don’t need the hassle. What is your name, neighbor?”, the young man asked.

“I’m Cecil Willis,” he said, still fuming.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ted, Ted Bundy,” he said holding his hand out. “Let’s be friends. I’ll even give you a ride up to the dealer if you want.”

Cecil reached out and reluctantly shook Ted’s hand. He had to admit to himself that Ted was certainly a charmer. He decided to wait around while Ted finished drying the car so the two of them could drive up the street together.

“Why are you walking around with three grand in cash?” Bundy asked.

“I was planning on buying this car today,” Cecil said.

“The early bird gets the worm,” Bundy replied, smiling.

“Yeah, you’re right. I really had my heart set on beige. Are you sure this was the last one?”

“Yep. I started looking for this car when I got back from the back east. I was working over in Ballard and I asked around at the VW dealership over there and then they sent me to Freeway Motors. I’m going to go up and grab my coat and wallet, I’ll be back in a jiffy,” Ted said as he ran up the stairs.

Cecil just stared down at his shoes while he sat on the back stairs of the house where Ted lived. He might have to settle for a car of a different color, since his new neighbor didn’t seem to want to part with the beige bug.

Ted came back and the two of them got into the brand new car. Cecil just loved the sound of the engine and the feel of the plastic seats and the plastic handle on the dashboard. Everything fit together so well. When Ted finally closed his door, the pressure almost popped their ears. They just looked at each other and laughed.

They drove up to Freeway Motors and Ted introduced Cecil to the salesman that had sold him the car earlier in the day. They had told him about the fifty dollar finder’s fee for any referrals that led to a sale, so Ted was pretty sure he’d have something coming his way. Cecil had seemed bound and determined to get his hands on a Bug.

After the salesman started showing Cecil around the lot, Ted left to go catch up with his girlfriend. Cecil just watched the beige Beetle drive away and then heard the saleman say his name.

“Cecil? How about this beauty?” he said with his hand on a bright red VW.

“No, too flashy,” Cecil said.

“Come on sport. The girls love flashy cars. If I were you, I’d be testing out one of these Karmann Ghias. They’ve got all the same mechanicals as the Beetle, but they are wrapped in this sexy Italian body,” the salesman pitched.

“No, I don’t think my mother would like me to give her a ride in anything sexy. Plus who’s going to be able to sit in that rear seat?”

“Keeps you and your lady friend from giving rides to free loaders. Thinking ahead, weren’t they?”, he said.

“I’ll take that dark blue one,” Cecil said pointing at the Bug in the far corner of the lot.

“That one’s got a couple extras. White walled tires, already been rustproofed, and it’s got the white Hawaii window seals. It will run a few hundred more than this red machine.”

“That’s OK, I’ll take it.”

The salesman was more than happy to unload that car. It had been a special order for a customer in Hawaii, but the guy had never called back after they brought the car through customs. The original buyer had already forfeited his deposit and the sales manager would love to see it sold.

Cecil surprised the salesman with his stack of one hundred dollar bills, but he took them with a smile. It was just an hour or so to get all the paperwork done, then the saleman drove with Cecil over to the nearest gas station to get the car full of gas and check the pressure in all the tires. Once he had driven it, he was just as glad to have gotten a dark blue one and felt that maybe beige wasn’t his color after all.