My Teen Son Wants a Golf Cart
Saturday was school beautification day, so my civic-minded son and his friend volunteered their afternoon weeding weeds and planting plants at their middle school.
Oh, and driving a golf cart.
Turns out most of the volunteers at the school beautification day were adults, so the handful of teens who showed up were given special treatment. (Not to mention the plethora of karma they accrued with the assistant principal / dean of discipline for being the few teens who showed up.)
My son was allowed to drive a golf cart all over the school. He delivered potted plants, shovels, rakes, water, whatever was needed. (He got to use an electric shovel when he wasn’t scooting around in the golf cart.) He excitedly told me the golf cart could go 10 MPH. Later, he told his sister it was only 7. But who cares? Zipping around in a golf cart beats the heck out of manual labor.
Oh, and the turning radius was apparently pretty sweet. My son could hang a U-turn where there basically wasn’t any space. Plus, he could stop on a dime, floor it in reverse, and pretty much motor around like a Shriner in a flower festival parade.
How did my teen son spend his Sunday afternoon? He went to the school to help some more! Unfortunately, no one was there. All the work was finished on Saturday. No more golf carts for him to drive.
But no problem – my son came home, got on the inter-webs, and started pricing golf carts so he could get one for himself. (He’s obviously a grandpa! Sort of like my teen daughter is a grandma when it comes to chocolate.)
“Dang, they’re expensive,” he said. “Two-thousand dollars for a used one. Eight-hundred for one that’s so beat up, it basically doesn’t have wheels. I’ll have to work for five years to save that kind of money.”
Oh, so he was going to buy a golf cart for himself?
“Yeah,” he said. “An electric one so I don’t have to buy gas.”
Smart kid.
“And when will you drive it?” I asked. “I don’t even know if they’re legal.”
He googled some more. “They’re legal. And I’d drive it to school. Or better yet – I’d just sit out front, and when my friends came by and asked if they could drive it, I’d say ’sure – for twenty bucks.’ Forty friends later, and that wheel-less golf cart would be paid for.”
And to think my little Tom Sawyer doesn’t even golf.
Fore!
- My Teenage Girl is a Grandma
- Investment Advice From a Sixth Grader
- Teen Responsibility by the Truckload
- Parking Ticket at Astronomy Class
- Giving Back Starts Young, a nationally syndicated post
- Maennerspielplatz – Men’s Playground
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Comment by BigLittleWolf
| September 21st, 2009
Gotta love the way their minds work! He’s a future venture capitalist!
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Women walking away
Comment by Mindy/Single Mom Says...
| September 21st, 2009
Isn’t it amazing how proactive kids can be when they really want something?
Golf carts are fun though. When my kids visit their grandparents they get to cruise around in one and then think they know how to drive.
Mindy/Single Mom Says…´s last blog ..Something’s Brewing
Comment by Senorita
| September 21st, 2009
If I could know that my future children would turn out like your teens in their teen years, I would be more enthusiastic about having children.
Senorita´s last blog ..My Fabulous Five
Comment by vinomom
| September 21st, 2009
By the time he’s old enough for a car his passion for a golf cart will be long gone…
vinomom´s last blog ..Notice Anything Different?
Comment by jason
| September 21st, 2009
cute
what is your secret to raising senior citizens??
Comment by Mark
| September 21st, 2009
Pretty bright boy, ahem, young man!
Mark´s last blog ..The Mourning Of Our False Self
Comment by Keith Wilcox
| September 21st, 2009
of all the things I wanted as a kid golf cart was not on the list! Although, in 10th grade my friend and I stole two golf carts from the Country Club next to my house, go chased by the cops, and abandoned the vehicles down a ravine. Golf cart, hmmm, that’s a good one. I’ve heard motorcycle, motorized skateboard and jet-pack as things kids have wanted to drive to school. Never golf cart. That’s just funny.
Keith Wilcox´s last blog ..Developing Math Skill in Kids
Comment by The Exception
| September 22nd, 2009
This is fun. I have always wanted one of those too, just enough to zip down the street without all the hastle! He sounds like quite the kid!
The Exception´s last blog ..Thinking
Comment by Danielle
| September 22nd, 2009
If you can keep that mind set until he is 16 you will have it made. 10mphs and he won’t get any tickets and where can you get a car for 2k?
Danielle´s last blog ..Holy cougar, how did this happen?
Comment by krn
| September 23rd, 2009
So cute that he loved driving the golf cart! I’d only worry about your son being old before his time if he bought one and then quickly named it something like Ida or Ernest.
Has he seen those small, quick dune cruising vehicles? Those are hip. They probably have names like Kip or Maeve.