Remote Control Cars

Yesterday at dinner a young girl had a remote control car. I was surprised that I still felt jealous, just like how I felt as a little kid. Back in the day I believed that if I had a remote-controlled car, all life's problems would evaporate like water on a frying pan.

Apparently Santa got wind of my desire, because on that cold Christmas morning late in 1987, he got me what I wanted: a remote-controlled silver Porsche. I was ecstatic. I grabbed the box and showed it to all my siblings. As the adrenaline surged through my 7-year-old body, I opened it and started fumbling with the batteries, preparing my new sports car for its maiden voyage. I had big expectations; none of my friends had ever had a remote-controlled Porsche before.

When it was ready to go, I gently set it down on our faded white shag carpet and gripped the controller in my hand. Pushing the button to the side, the car moved forward. Then, pushing the button next to it, it moved backwards. Forwards again but now curving to the right. This was what I had been waiting for! As I pushed the button to turn it to the left, the wheels only got far enough to straighten out... then just stayed there.

Turns out, that back in 1987, not all remote controlled cars were created equal. Mine, though a Porsche, was not an ambi-turner. It was designed with flaws that left it forever incapable of making a normal left-hand turn. I was shocked and dismayed, angry and betrayed. Santa had built up my hopes, only to pull them back down.

This experience failed to quench my childhood need to own and operate a remote-controlled car. My remote-control experience was sub-par. You can't even count that as having an RC vehicle. It is because of that experience that I still look at remote-controlling youngsters today with pent-up feelings of envy.